Sunday, January 29, 2012

Paperwhites and Gin Experiment


Nothing pleases me more than to hear from people who read my blog and feel inspired to comment.  I like getting e-mails with questions or people who want to share their experience in renovating an old house.  But I was more than excited to get an e-mail from a follower named Ruth who performed an experiment with paperwhites using gin to keep them from getting too leggy.  The left pot received just water; the pot on the right got an application of gin as described in the Yankee magazine article.  As you can see, the right pot is nice and compact while in full boom.

As impressed as I am with the paperwhite experiment, can we just talk about this vignette?  As eager as I was to see the result of Ruth's experiment, my attention was almost immediately drawn away to the composition of this grouping.  I love how the textures of paperwhites, the fossil and the animal print book (I Married Adventure by Osa Johnson) all work beautifully together.  The small frame and what I would guess is an antique compass complement the theme.  And how perfect is the grasscloth?

I want to thank Ruth for sending the photo and for agreeing to share it with everyone!

42 comments:

  1. I love this vignette. It is so beautiful. The zebra book is such an eye catching piece. Love the fossil also. Hugs, Marty

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  2. Well worth the gin! I hope Ruth had a small one herself after the success of the experiment.

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  3. remind me again who gets the gin?

    i love the IMA book. I have two copies of it that i've found in my travels. each cover is slightly different.

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  4. yes, a beautiful vignette! I'm going to have to try the gin as well. I love growing paperwhites from fall-spring =)

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  5. Fabulous experiment! And I love the vignette too - that book was what caught my eye straight away. I cannot read that Andy Warhol quote though...

    Hope you are well. Thanks for your nice comment on my silverware photos post.

    xo Terri

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  6. Steve how interesting was she emptying the remainder of her glass quickly...how mysterious. Oh and I have wanted "I Married Adventure " for the longest time!

    xoxo
    Karena
    Art by Karena

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  7. Terri,
    It says, "I think everybody should like everybody." It's a great quote, right?

    Karena,
    No, it's a trick I read about in Yankee Magazine to keep paperwhites from getting too leggy and falling over.

    Steve

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  8. so the well behaved paperwhites got the gin? hmmmm, very interesting. she needs her own blog!

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  9. I read that tip on your blog recently and was wishing that someone would put it to the test (way too organized for me to carry out). So good to know. I wonder if any other alcohol works since we don't have gin in the house. I think I feel another experiment coming on for Ruth.

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  10. beautiful vignette....
    I feel bad for the leggy ones, is it too late to give them a shot?

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  11. Oh and I forgot to mention that, I agree, the vignette is lovely.

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  12. When I was a little girl, I used to watch the adventures of Osa and Martin Johnson on television. I was enthralled with them.
    Today, I find experimenting with paperwhites & gin much more in keeping with my notion of adventure.
    It's always fun to visit "An Urban Cottage."
    Linda

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  13. You have inspired me to give paperwhites another try again. I love the idea of them, but when they reach that leggy stage, I'm usually tired of them. I will definitely give the gin a try. And that vignette is beautiful! As a new follower of your blog, I also want to say how lovely your home is. And I was so excited to discover it is nearby! You've done a great job so far and I look forward to seeing what's ahead!

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  14. Short little drunks! Yay Ruth for doing the experiment! Beautiful vignette!

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  15. The photo is fabulous, indeed. And the gin really does the trick, doesn't it? Who knew?

    xo
    Claudia

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  16. It's all so evocative of 'adventure'! The sandy- colored pebbles, the sandy colored fossil, the walls, the animal print book cover. A really nice use of color. I'm stopping at the wine and cheese cask for gin!

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  17. It is a nice composition without looking too staged. Thanks for sharing this on your blog. I am wondering if the the addition of the gin affects the scent of the Paper Whites?

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  18. Finally, something to do with all that nasty gin! The biggest problem is that I really don't care for the smell of paperwhites. If it works to keep grass from from getting too long my husband would be thrilled!

    The vignette is gorgeous too.

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  19. Thanks to everyone for the nice comments. You've made my day! I, too, love the Andy Warhol quote in the Jay Strongwater frame. The background of the image was originally a billeous green but I photoshopped it to beige and I think it looks much better that way. I hope you all have a great day, Ruth

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  20. Lovely photo. I want to know if the gin fed paper whites still smell as badly as the water fed. I love growing them but their scent is awful.

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  21. thanks, ruth, for sharing your experiment AND your wonderful image. I very greedily say we'd like you to begin blogging, just so we can see your home. thanks ,steve, great to know this really works. donna

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  22. Very interesting experiment. I love the composition of the image. Great job!

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  23. Love this! How gratifying for a reader to perform your paperwhite experiment and then reward you will a beautiful vignette to share on your blog. Now that's one thoughtful reader.

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  24. I saw your post about this and wondered about it. Now we know it works! I am too late for paperwhites this year, but I will remember that for next year. Thanks, Steve!

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  25. Ruths' vignette is perfection it was the first thing I noticed. Glad to hear the paperwhite experiment worked too but Ruth should show more.

    XX
    Debra~

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  26. So pretty ... thanks for the update!
    QUESTION: Was your attempt successful in propagating your roses? In a previous post you were trying something out with a zip-lock baggie. Any luck?

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  27. I didn't know about the gin trick! Will have to try. Love the blog so much, gave a little bravo to you on my blog yesterday. xx

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  28. Fabulous vignette indeed! I'm going to look around and see if there are any paper whites left to douse with a little gin.

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  29. That is a great composition.

    Have Bombay Sapphire in my house but I like to donate that to tonic water. Hopefully the cheap stuff will work. When in college we'd go to a place call Liquor Square and get their brand - a gallon for just under $3. Who knows where that came from...

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  30. Wow... I never would have thought gin wouldn't have just killed the paperwhites - but they do look just perfect! Oh and mmmmmmm grasscloth....

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  31. Damn, I don't think I'm allowed any gin in the house....

    maybe GG can keep a flask around because this is very impressive.

    I would have enjoyed science more if it involved spirits and flowers.

    xo Jane

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  32. I LOVE that vignette! I had to stare at it before I read your post (sorry! :) Well, now we all know what to serve our paperwhites, yes? Thanks, Ruth. And bravo, bravo on sharing this gorgeous glimpse of your home.

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  33. Cheer's to the paperwhites! Silly me thought the only good use for gin was with tonic and lime on a hot summer evening! LOL!!!

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  34. I love the look of paperwhites but I can't stand the smell. They smell like B.O. Am I the only one that has smelly paperwhites?

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  35. A beautiful photo and an amazing posting — I always wonder how people are inspired to feed plants everything under the sun. Now I'd want to see how paperwhites did with merlots and margaritas!

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  36. This looks like one of your vignettes, Steve.

    Thanks for sharing, Ruth; I am living vicariously--I wish I could have paperwhites in the house, but my husband is allergic. Any tips for eliminating the scent (but that would be such a shame)? I will enjoy the photos.

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  37. Well who knew? Thanks to Ruth for creating a pretty picture with a purpose.
    Camille

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  38. beautiful vignette indeed! so interesting about the experiment!

    joan

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  39. Fantastic! I love paperwhites (well till they get too stinky), but hate how tall they grow. What a neat trick. And the vignette is indeed fantastic!

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  40. Beautiful! This makes me want to go out and find more paper whites to experiment with. I plant them every fall/winter and my last ones croaked a couple of weeks ago. Over the years I have added vodka off and on. This is great reminder that it is worth the extra effort to keep them from being too leggy. The animal print book and grass cloth wall paper is just gorgeous!

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  41. Thank you for passing on the tip about the gin!

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