Flower Cart

Miniature #17 – Constructed 03/2024

Fun Facts

From April through July, Cape Cod and vicinity is awash with daffodils, rhododendrons, and hydrangeas that are breathtakingly beautiful. They are so revered by residents and visitors alike that flower festivals are held to honor each flower, some lasting upwards of 10 days.

The Cape Cod National Seashore hosts a diverse array of land with wetland, aquatic, and marine plants that are uniquely adapted to life in the coastal environment. More than 800 species comprise the natural vascular flora of the seashore.

Perennials are perfect partners for coastal environments because they thrive on the moist, ocean-warm air and the seaside’s usually mild growing season temperatures. They are the foundation of backyard gardens everywhere and offer color from April until late October.

Mobile flower carts are common on Cape Cod and used by some home gardeners for selling their flowers. Many operate on an honor system, trusting people to pay for their flower arrangements.

Description

My love of gardening was instilled by my mom, Barbara. Her gardens were spectacular. This piece honors her memory and her love of flowers. It is proudly named and displayed in my miniatures’ collection as “Barbie’s Flowers”.

The flower cart sits on a 12″x12″ plywood base. The overall piece stands at 11″ high and the time invested to design and build was approximately 30 hrs.

Materials Used

The base of the flower cart was made out of craft balsa wood. Square blocks of hardwood were attached to the center of the balsa wood base to provide height difference for flower display. Square balsa wood dowels were used to construct:

• the support structure for the cart’s canopy
• the undercarriage to support the wheels and cart itself
• two cart handles carved by hand

Popsicle stick ends and thin, square balsa wood dowels were used to form the decorative pickets on the back and sides of the cart. The canopy and the “Barbie’s Flowers” sign were made from craft sticks. Everything was painted with acrylic paint except the wheelbarrow which was stained a Golden Oak color.

The plywood base was covered with artificial grass and small pebbles I sifted out of sand. Square balsa wood dowels were used to separate the grass and pebbles.