Simply Balisha

Simply Balisha

Monday, August 25, 2014

Geraniums and Guy Wolff

I woke early this morning to a foggy, damp morning. I opened the sliding door and the moisture hit me in the face. Enough humidity to make my straight hair curl. It's supposed to be very hot today here in N. Illinois. Inside work for me today.

Yesterday, early...I was out cutting the geraniums that had been damaged by the heavy rains. So strange, a few days ago these were a mass of red and now a mass of green. The leaves are pretty and will look nice until the flowers start blooming again. There are lots of buds there already. I gave these a shot of fertilizer...the last for this summer, hoping that we would get a lot of color going into fall.

I took the lawn cart around the house and cut a few dead flowers and did some tidying up. The stack n grow, on the deck is looking rather unkempt...so I gave all the flowers a haircut. Thinking I could help it rejuvenate for the fall. I almost pulled the plants out of the planter, but remembered past falls, when I wished that I had left some of the tired containers for fall color.

The tomatoes are coming nicely now and we have a couple for every dinner. The lettuce has just bolted, so I pulled it out.

I'm going to keep two geraniums through the winter, in a couple of clay pots... in the south window right next to my computer desk.  They are in the hanging basket that my daughter gave me. The blooms are huge and have bloomed non stop all summer. There are just two, so that way I won't have to disturb the big planters by the drive. The hanging basket has lots of flowers in it and it has done better than any I've had. The two clay pots are made by Guy Wolff. Here's a bit of info on him....

If you mention Guy Wolff to a serious gardener, that gardener will almost certainly admit to either owning a Guy Wolff flowerpot or coveting one. Wolff’s pots—some small and perfect for a sunny windowsill, others massive and just right for a favorite outdoor spot—are widely considered to be the epitome of garden ware. Their classical proportions, simple decoration, and the marks of Wolff’s hands all combine to make plants look their best. His pots possess an honesty and liveliness that machine-made flowerpots lack.

Wolff is probably the best-known potter working in the United States today. In gardening circles, he is a highly revered horticultural icon; gardeners flock to his lectures and demonstrations. His work also appeals to lovers of design and fine arts: visit the personal gardens of landscape designers, and you will see Guy Wolff pots. Step inside the gates of estate gardens, and you will see Guy Wolff pots. Yet he is a potter’s potter. He’s a big ware thrower, a skill few have today. He thinks deeply about what he calls the architecture of pots and the importance of handmade objects in our lives.


I have four of his pots and wouldn't think of using them outside. I like the rustic look of them on a window sill. My favorite is a clay pot with a geranium. 
Well, I'm going to venture out to take some pictures...once the sun starts shining. A hot day to find things to do inside.
Have a nice day today,
Balisha

8 comments:

  1. I never heard of Guy Wolff but I do like these pots. I'll have to look him up and keep an eye out for his pots if I'm ever to a country sale.

    It is so hot and humid despite a storm that rolled in and out this afternoon. After being gone 10 days nothing looked much different outside so I just pulled a few weeds. I guess we will be like this for most of the week. I need to busy myself inside.

    Jane xx

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  2. Guy Wolff is a potter that lives on the east coast. He was a regular visitor on Martha Stewart years ago. She used to show his pottery and also toured his place of business on her show. I ordered them....never saw one at a sale.
    The sky looked so ominous this afternoon. We had a storm but not bad. More rain which is good for our area.
    Have a great week.

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  3. I need to get out and tidy up, trim back, that sort of thing, but...the humidity is way too high for me to function. Maybe Tomorrow or Wednesday, a supposed cool front coming through.

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    1. Humidity high here too. I haven't been outside yet this morning...it does look better today.

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  4. Lovely, lovely pots. Never heard of Guy Wolff but did a search and think I just might need one of his wonderful pieces. Also, you commented on my header photo. I took that at Ladew Gardens last week. Beautiful, water lilies gardens.

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  5. Well it is always good to learn something new. That is a very nice piece of pottery. I had never heard of Guy Wolff before--but 3 years ago I had never heard of David Austin Roses either. I guess I don't get around in the right places often enough. I think I would be nervous to use anything valuable outside at my home.

    It was hot as blazes here today, too. I am about to run out of tasty, uncomplicated, not much cooking involved meal ideas. I went outside today just long enough to water the flowers and get bit by biting flies.

    Enjoy your week.

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    1. Just ordered a new magazine. Cooking light....just in time for those heavy winter meals.
      I think that you had to have been a Martha Stewart watcher. He was on her show, but I've never seen him anywhere else...maybe PBS now that I think about it. Just a down to earth "guy" starting his little pottery business years ago. Now his pots are treasured. He's one of the success stories that came out of Martha Stewart's program.

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