I love the ladder I made last month for our main entry. I shared it with you
here along with a tutorial on how you can make your own ladder. And I explained that I was looking forward to changing the ladder with the seasons. I just wasn't expecting to have to change the flowers so quickly. I had originally planted bright yellow begonias for this dark corner but unfortunately, my begonias immediately started to perish. Within three days they all showed signs of a fungus and now they are in sad shape. This morning I decided it was time for the first new arrangement in the tin pails. I am so very glad I did because now, it looks like this....
I got up early this morning, grabbed a basket and my camera and took a walk. I had noticed that the wild daisies are in full bloom along the road and I thought they would be the perfect June bouquet for my ladder.
I harvested a bunch just as the sun cleared the treetops. My pickings didn't put a dent into the vast number blooming. I did have to be wary of the poison ivy and had to keep my feet on the road. I pulled my socks up high to avoid exposure. Must have been a humorous site - a little lady, in sneakers with white socks pulled up high out picking daisies!
The begonias were looking pretty sad so I dumped them out. All the leaves had shriveled and fallen off and each new one fell victim to the fungus quickly. Obviously I don't have a green thumb and advice would be appreciated.
I decided to make plastic liners for the tin pails so I could put tape over the top. To make the liners, I repurposed an empty 1 liter soda bottle and sliced it to the perfect height. By putting strips of tape on a liner, the edges of it don't show, and the tape helps hold the flowers up. This is a great aid in arranging wildflowers especially in containers with wide open tops. After crisscrossing 1/2" wide masking tape, I put the plastic liner into the pail and started arranging the daisies along with some ferns and what I am guessing is a wild yarrow as well.
I quickly started hanging them on my ladder because I was losing the sun for photos. This ladder is on the northeast corner of my house and sun reaches it early in the morning only during the longest days of the year. Soon it will be gone for another 11 months. I kept the arrangements a little on the wild side, quick and easy, like the daisies.
By the time all five were done, the sun was already no longer reaching this corner, but that is ok. It is now brightened by five arrangements of white daisies with bright yellow centers.
Have you built a ladder for your entry yet? Thinking about how to decorate it for the 4th of July? I am!
Previous Posts of Interest:
This project has inspired me to continue exploring ladders in décor. I collected them ll into a theme page with links to many, many different ways to use ladders in decor
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©2012 Ashbee Design, Marji Roy