The sun was shining this morning so the great debate was how many layers of clothes do I need to wear whilst working in a cow shed? The answer – as many as possible – thermal long johns, two long sleeved thermal vests & two sweatshirts – I had no intention of being cold.
Today we started petalling, which is exciting, because it means that the colour is now beginning. We don’t use whole flowers but peel off individual petals & carefully press them into the clay. Working with the carnations is quite easy, but the tiny chrysanthemum petals takes more concentration, to ensure that there is no bruising and clay doesn’t get on the petals.
The centre piece of our well dressing was also started today by two ladies who do this section every year. There is pressure on us all this year because one of the other wells is doing the same design, an amazing coincidence. The two photos below show them using hydrangea to form the sky & separating pine cone seeds to create part of a basket. No detail is too small.
PARWICH.ORG 
You are doing very well Jane, not letting slip what the dressing you are working on is to represent. Are the various dressings made in different locations, does everyone know what everyone else is doing, or just their own board?
We share a shed with the group that are working on Coffin Well and everyone else is dotted around Tissington. It was only on Monday that we found out what different groups were doing, but we have no idea what their dressings look like.
Jane, where do you source all those petals from? I have visions of every garden in Tissington being laid waste by rapacious hordes of eager well-dressers….!
It almost looks edible…….hmmm….now there’s a thought…..edible well dressings anyone?
This year flowers were more of a problem because it is so early. Normally bluebells are heavily used, carnations, chrysants & camomile are bought in, but trees & hedgerows are scoured. Last year I remember them going out in search of rhododendron buds as we ran out & one of the well dressers stripped her garden of pansies. Today they went out sourcing yew.