A single rose

Amazing! It really does look like the real thing!

So did I homebird. I was looking at the pic for a good few seconds wondering...and I was sure it was a real one!

This is some talent you have,not sure if this is sugar or clay ,but how do you obtain such good colors

Hi Bjs! The medium is cold porcelain it is made from pva glue, cornflower, oil and preservative. I bye mine in but you can make it at home. The CP is white to start with, to color it you add a little craft or sugar dust in your desired color. You then need the CP, then make the flower of your choice. Once the assembled flower or leaves are almost dry you dust again, using a soft paint brush. To obtain a realistic look I start with a darker color dust to the center of the flower, and then lighten as I work out to the edge. There is of course a lot more to making the flowers, if you are interested the master in my opinion, is a chap called Alan Dunn his work is inspirational. He has written many books on the art of flower making. Thanks for your interest.

My goodness me, I thought that was real! Incredible!

Thanks for taking the time to explain,I am sure there is a lot more to making the flowers .would love to be able to master some thing like that but afraid i am fully extended with my Garden, Acrylic Painting,Dog walking, House work,and of course the biggest time waster GOY.lol

Youve made this.!!! Its beautiful It looks so real......

A really beautiful rose Teds, I thought it was real too.

Truly beautiful, I have a friend who works with sugar paste and makes and decorates cakes, they are also very very pretty. Oh to be arty!
I could not organise myself well enough to do anything as good as that, I spend too much time in the garden. Bjs. time is not wasted on GoY lol. it is well spent, really well spent well that is what I keep telling myself. If it were not for GoYers I would not have been so inspired. Although I probably would have a larger bank balance. lol : o)

Thank you all for your kind comments, I do enjoy creating things. I think that's why I love to garden. With a garden you can paint so may pictures, and it is a ever changing canvas. :)

Hi Oiveoil, I have had a look at your garden Photos. I would love to stroll down your garden in summer under the arches, I bet it's a real picture :) :)

Thanks Teds, I love it, it is good to see that others appreciate it also, I have just put a picture of the garden on my computer background as I am missing the colour so very much just now. Not to worry it will soon be back. It is amazing how it has changed year on year and of course is still changing, I get bored if I just leave it, must have a project to keep me busy in the spring and summer. lol please post some more pictures of your CP work I love seeing things like that, just wish I was arty. By the way welcome to GoY I am sure you will find it full of inspiration I know I have. I am adding you to my favourites so I don't miss out!

Your crafting of this rose is beautiful...you must have a lot of patience to spend 4 or 5 hours in creating such a pretty flower. Very talented!

Wow, this is a beauty Teds. It looks quite real, do you make many of these? Wish I had the patience to make them. Look forward to seeing many more and thanks for sharing.

Hi Linsuffolk! thanks for your kind words. I don't make the flowers very often now, as there is so much to do here in Devon. My husband Paul and I both enjoy walking and cycling, so most days we are out and about. The garden front and back take up a lot of my time too! I'm planing more for the car port this year. I did make some flowers for a friend's wedding cake, but it can be very time consuming. I would like to make some delphinium for my back bedroom, one day I will get round to it. When I do I will put the pictures on a blog.

Thanks Teds, will look forward to that. I bet delphinium will look stunning.

Oh, that's amazingly intricate craftwork - to someone who has all the delicacy of a tap-dancing hippo! and the knowledg of what a flower really looks like is equally amazing. I thought I could describe a rose, but to see it created totally true to life ...

Thank you Fran for you kind words, but it will never be the same as the real thing, as it doesn't have the beautiful sent.

smiles, no rose body spray? I used to give my (bought) artificial flowers a spray now and then of whichever body spray came to hand first, or a few drops of room frangrancer.

but you're right - I was looking through my newly-excavated gardening books, and the "Rose Expert" has so few that have any proper perfume, or indeed any at all. What happened to the deep red "velvet" rose with its indescribbably beautiful scent? What's the point of a scentless rose? that's half its beauty.

but at least your craft is conserving nature - that rose will last for a long time, where a real rose would start to die as soon as it was cut.

I have a two lovely roses in my garden with great perfume, Mum in a Million which is soft pink and Compassion, a climber which is a soft coral pink. Compassion fills the garden with the most delicious set on a warm day and is a lovely why to start the day.

Making notes of both those names! thanks - lol just thought, I could make this a new question!

Compassion is one of the roses I have on my list, Teds. I thought it would be an appropriate one to add to our garden in memory of my sister. She was active in a group called "Compassionate Friends" (for parents who have lost a child to sudden death), and the colour would be so appropriate too as she loved corals/oranges (as do I)....so it's a win/win all around.

Whistonlass Compassion would be a great choice, it would look great against you dark brown wall. It is a very vigorous grower, it will get very tall so it is best to train it horizontal a long the wall. It flowers all summer long and has the most lovely sent.

I was just looking on Fryer's website (they specialize in roses) and unfortunately it is out of stock. I'm not sure what time of year is best to buy it but I will keep my eyes peeled.

I agree with you, Teds...against my brown wall it would look so pretty :)

I did note they mention about it clambering a bit and that it is ideal with either a roof, fence or arch to allow it freedom to spread out. I hope I find one this year but if not I will try and pre-order one for the next growing season.

Whistonlass just checked with David Austin Roses and they have some (www.davidaustinroses.com/)