Winter Garden

In addition to collecting glass, I also very much enjoy gardening.  I have several projects going this winter that I hope will bear fruit next spring.  One of my favorites is this angel wing begonia.  I went out for a run one morning and spotted a pile of them out on the curb for pick-up.  They were so pretty I could not leave them.

My goal is to propagate them into new plants.  I especially enjoy propagating plants in unique or antique glass.  Unfortunately, winter does not produce favorable conditions for rooting plants.  The sun is pretty decent in the windows, but it is not at all warm enough.  After a few hopeful weeks, the leaves started to wilt on my plant with no trace of roots.

I moved the vases to a brighter, warmer area, but it seemed like they were still too cold.  I was pretty much ready to give up on them, when I read an article about propagating aloe vera.  It stated, "do not get discouraged if the aloe stem begins to wilt, it could still be taking root."  That statement inspired me not to give up on my begonias just yet.  I am going to keep nurturing them with hopes that by early spring the roots will be solid and they will be ready to bloom. 

The Great Depression

While I have an eclectic collection of vintage and contemporary glass and crystal, my favorite kind of glass to collect is depression glass. Depression glass was manufactured during the Great Depression and primarily used as giveaways to encourage consumers to by a product or patron businesses.  It comes in beautiful colors and a wide variety of patterns and pieces.  It became quite collectible over the years, and some pieces are very rare and valuable.  Most of the pieces today are valued between $5-10 each.  It is relatively easy to come by with websites like E-Bay and Etsy.  Interest in the glass has declined considerably over the years as it does not have the draw of today's high technology gadgets.

Iris  Herringbone Collection

Nevertheless, I persist in growing my collection.  If something as fragile as glass can survive close to one hundred years through moves, yard sales, flea markets and the thrift shop, I want it in my house.  Some collectors only take pieces that are absolutely perfect with no chips or cracks, but that does not really matter to me.  To me that makes it that much more valuable because at some point in its existence it withstood a test of its durability and survived. 

I also love to see pieces randomly come together.  There are dozens of patterns and colors of depression glass and you can pick it up in the most random places.  You can grow your whole collection around one treasured piece.  One of my favorite sets came from three different places and two different states.  They now sit together in a room hundreds of miles from where they began their journey.  As a good friend told me they are now home, adding a little beauty to my day with their unique glow, waiting for the next treasure to make its way to join them. 

Welcome!

I am so excited to launch my new blog, Garden & Glass, where I'll be writing about two of my favorite things: gardening and collecting vintage glass. I may also sprinkle in a book review here and there or random posts on any topic that catches my writing fancy. I am looking forward to learning more about you and sharing more about me!