Pink Sticks & Pinking Shears
by petal & pins
Yesterday I spent a productive afternoon bottling apples from my tree, it was a team effort with my friend Amanda and has started to be an Autumn tradition. Last year we had two vintage vacola units on the go, but this year the apples are early and not quite as plentiful.
We had a small branch of apples left over after filling the bottles which I decided to put to decorative use today for In A Vase On Monday.
My vacola preserver – passed down from my parents – is a wonderful shade of green and having it out made me think of my vintage ‘acorn’ vase. So the apples and vase were my starting point, along with some peony ‘sticks’ which last week I stripped of leaves to show off the lovely pinkness of them.
This morning I gathered other foliage and flowers from the garden including hydrangeas, agapanthus seed heads, oak leaf hydrangea leaves, snowberries and a branch of chestnut leaves – I love how they look like they’ve been cut with pinking shears!
In the end I created two arrangements as the acorn vase didn’t seem to need the agapanthus or snowberries. I like how you can see the pink peony stems through the cut glass vase, and I couldn’t help but show off some of yesterdays effort!
In A Vase On Monday is hosted by Cathy – her garden is in the north east rural fringe of the West Midlands, UK – why not see what Spring delights she is starting to find and share something from your garden.
Petal & Pins 
I reember my Nan bottling fruit – she had a whole shed of it. Then My Mum did it too when we were little. I have done it a couple of times when my children were younger – but it is a dying art I think.
Yes I remember my mum doing it when I was little too, particularly cherries and mulberries ( there was a big old tree at the end of the street)
mine is Plums, apricots, pears, peaches
Gorgeous harvest arrangements, especially loving that first one. I don’t think my peonies have colorful. lovely “sticks” like these.
It is a tree peony with yellow flowers, none of my others do – I’m going to try hanging them and drying.
Yes, the pink peony stems were amazing – it would be wonderful if they kept their colour when they dried. Great to see your autumnal arrangements! I used to bottle, but now with a bigger freezer I freeze fruit instead, although also dry some apples
How lovely to use your apples in this arrangement, I don’t often think to use fruits in my arrangements but yours is great so perhaps I should in future.
I don’t either usually Christina! But I have admired pictures of ones with blackberries and only recently found out that apparently there is a thornless variety
Some of the thornless ones don’t taste as good, but some are delicious.
Wow I don’t think I have ever seen apples used in a fall vase but oh my I love it with the other plant material….really creative and quite eye catching.
Thanks Donna, how long they remain on the branch before falling with a thud remains to be seen! The oakleaf hydrangea leaves are most attractive at this time of year
The apples are a delightful – and unexpected – feature of your arrangement!
Lovely arrangement, I occasionally use fruit in arrangements and love yours! I have a Firesticks Pencil Cactus that is very reminiscent of your Peony sticks.
A marvelous still life!
Your acorn vase is darling, I love the cute squirrel. The fall vases are so full with all the interesting foliage, and I love the pink sticks. I will have to check my peonies in the fall and see if they have them too, I have one that blooms yellow. The snowberries and apples are fun additions to a fall arrangement.
Thanks Hannah, it was a gift from a friend!