Unfashionable Roses

Remember these?

This plant is a rose geranium related however distantly to geraniums like these below.  While potted geraniums with large blooms are still popular the "rose" geraniums in pots or as small trees and shrubs seem to be out of fashion possibly because their greatest strength is also their weakness; they grow quickly from cuttings but hence need pruning.

And why call it a rose geranium?

If you have one pick up a leaf and snap it open. In the rose geraniums and other members of the pelargonium group there are essential oils and the leaves can smell of mint or rose or other aromas.

I was going to get rid or prune back drasticly  most of my geraniums but I'm going to try to sell or swap my cuttings and prunings.

Going back to the top image this one has gone "leggy". I however don't want the long stem look. I'm trying to slowly and gently coax this one into a better shape with cuttings here and there. 

If anyone wants some cuttings to start their own plants let me know. I'ld love to swap for  some extra empty pots!

This younger plant looks a bit straggly but its a cutting in the same pot as another geranium cutting and after they flower unless some one buys this I'll prune again for a better shape using the cuttings to start new plants. You can buy or swap for this one too!  Make me an offer!

Succulent Cuttings Available June 2013

Anyone need some cuttings to start new plants?

This plant is very healthy and I have new growth coming up where I already took off a few small branches to test them. They've taken nicely and I think this plant and another downstairs which needs repotting could be be safely and carefully pruned back. I would also consider selling both plants and others I have in exchange for cash or swapping empty pots and potting mix. 

I'm trying to reduce the size and number of plants on my balcony in case I have to move later this year or next year.

First summer rose

copyright j. vaux 2012

The first summer rose ... well that I've seen! Enjoy!

Orange Duet

something colorful to keep your mind of the winter chill!

A WHITE FLOWER

photo copyright Julie Vaux 2012

I'm probably going to have to sharpen this a bit or just use it as a reference shot or remove the background and place it in a pattern maybe a floral collage for a surface design.

Why put a less than perfect shot. Look at the spiral form. Despite slight blur this can still be a usable reference shot or a starting point for something else with further editing and filters .

Imagine say this shot with a paint effect filter added? The slight blurring may actually mean LESS modifications are necessary to be able to add paint filters without them looking kitsch or clumsy .

If you dont have photoshop try downloading gimp or inkscape from Source Forge and play with the filters!