Phyllis Tilton on thu 16 sep 04
In my back yard is a huge shrub called a 'contorted filbert'. The woody part of the plant twists and turns in very interesting ways that lend themselves for use as handles. I have cut branches, removed the leaves using them to make very unusual dry arrangements, too. The part for handles that I am not sure about---is drying the wood before using it as a handle. I have oiled them with mineral oil, waxed and on one piece, spray painted.
I bought this plant because of one that was in my memory that I coveted. It had to be a different variety because when the leaves were off in winter, the branches were waxey and brown looking. Mine is just woody looking but I do love seeing the curly branches--shows up nicely against a fence. It, also, is a graft, because some straight branches will come up from the base. Another name for the plant is 'Sir Harry Lauder's Walking Stick'. Sir Harry was a Brit and, I think, a musician in the early 1900's. He used a very stylized walking stick.
There is another plant-actually a tree, I think-that can be used for interesting handles and arrangements. It is called a twisted willow. I know very little about this--saw an arrangement in an exhibit and asked questions. There are some laws in our community regarding some plantings and willows are involved. Reason being, that the roots will seek water and invade drainage tiles and other water sources.
Phyllis Tilton
Daisypet1@yahoo.com
Daisypet@aol.com
Member Potter's Council
Hank Murrow on thu 16 sep 04
On Sep 16, 2004, at 5:08 AM, Phyllis Tilton wrote:
>
> There is another plant-actually a tree, I think-that can be used for
> interesting handles and arrangements. It is called a twisted willow,
> and the roots will seek water and invade drainage tiles and other
> water sources.
Dear Phyllis;
We had one, known as 'Salix Matsudana Tortuosa', or corkscrew willow, a
largish tree, but removed it for the reason you mention. All those
handsome handles! Too bad.
Cheers, Hank in Eugene (Zone 6)
murrow.biz/hank
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