The Perfect Galanthière

[johnw]

I need an idiot-proof snowdrop displayer.  A few days ago I very unartisically arranged some snowdrops, it was a challennge due to differing heights and the lack of firm support so they stood upright.  All went well till placed, one swipe of the cat's tail ended in a mess. So I had in my mind's eye something like this wretched attempt at line drawing, the upright & staggered stems - organ pipes (taller ones rear, mediums staggered centre and shorter fore & perhaps lined in front of the back row) would have to be vented to allow water in if they extended to the base, not so if the object had a lid with stems atop - breakage a serious issue.

Then I found this which could be adapted for snowdrops; as I feared the stems must be a challenge for the potter hence the price tag.

https://www.bespokeglobal.com/products/martha-grover/tulipiere-orange-and-green

And the two to the right here are close.

http://www.donnajwilliams.net/tulipiere.html


Any ideas on something a but more practical? 

johnw

[Brian Ellis]

I googled "Flower Brick" as that would be the sort of thing, this looks quite good:

http://ceramicartsdaily.org/pottery-making-techniques/wheel-throwing-techniques/how-to-make-a-flower-brick-out-of-entirely-wheel-thrown-parts/

we have some glass test tubes in a stand which works quite well too.

[johnw]

Brian - I thought that looked familiar.  You do realize the artist that created this is a Nova Scotian who studied ceramics with a friend!  Certainly it is modelled after her teacher's majolica bricks and tulipières.

The problem with these is the snowdrops flop over.  I'm thinking if the lid were stepped or sloped and the clay thick enough the stepping would allow for staging and the thickness might give enough support so all stood erect.

john

[Tim Harberd]

Hi John,
   I use Macconkey Jars for displaying small flowers...They might also be called Universal Jars. The jars are straight sided, so they can be tied together easily. They have a capacity of about 20ml. The jars are standard kit for Microbiologists.
   The photo shows a group of seven, and a group of three that had some spring flowers in them a fortnight ago!

        I've also found a couple of photos of them in use with snowdrops... but these pictures don't focus on the vases!

Tim DH

[johnw]

Thanks Tim, I'll have a look for these.

They brought back memories of when I worked in a biochem lab, we had wire test tube racks that were staggered in height from front to rear.  Staggered like this one could easily read all the patients' names on the circa 36 tubes in a glance.   I don't see these for sale anywhere but on Amazon there are plastic and wooden ones circa £7 but only two rows deep. 

john