On my online workbook this week: Branch Manager

Dear

This week's inspiration is a gorgeous find.

My tip for you this week is about my gorgeous branch.

I prefer to buy sustainable, heat treated driftwood and branches rather than forage or cut for more permanent displays or to place in my design "pantry".

But it can be a bit of a gamble ordering branches online. And to be perfectly honest I ordered three branches just to make sure. Two were kinda just dried sticks, really. Still pretty but better suited to hang designs off, rather than to design on. And then I opened the third… and fell in love. I found mine from amazon. If you prefer not to buy it online any aqua-scaping shop will have a range for you to choose from.

Make sure to order hardwood branches that are heat, and not chemically treated for design work. Chemically treated wood will damage plant material in displays. The type of twigs or branches you buy for an aquarium is perfect to design with. They have no bugs and will not rot in or under water so you can use them in permanent displays (such as terrariums) and over and over again in designs.

Of course the drawback is that your branches are no longer back garden biodegradable and should really be treated as a long term design investment. See it as you would buying a container or a vase.

I have more information on this in my book, where I talk about designing with tillandsia. Book readers turn to page 109

Enjoy!

Every good wish,

Christine