Catkins of the Alder Tree

Our first design of 2018 is now available to order here Our first design of 2018 is an intense golden yellow with a transparent bright green lip wrap, a small celebration of spring’s colours. Not only do we find the catkins beautiful when covering a tree with colour long before the leaves uncurl, the Alder trees also have a special significance for glassmakers. When we make glass, we use Alder wood for our blocks to shape and cool the molten glass as this wood is especially good at absorbing water. Alder does not rot when wet and for that reason most of Venice is built on Alder piles. You maybe unaware, that when visiting Rosedale you will travel along Alder Carr Lane. A ‘Carr’ is the old name for an Alder Woods, which were thought to have mysterious, magical atmospheres. Rosedale has an abundance of Alder trees on the banks of our two rivers. The Alder Catkins fill the trees with colour and springs promise long before any leaves uncurl. (The pollen has long been used as a dye for clothes, even for the fairy folk) For all of us this year spring is much later…. the Alder Catkins are particularly late to reveal their splendour and as I type Rosedale’s Alder trees are only just coming into bloom. We hope the design of this new bowl brings a little early spring into your home. Our new limited edition of 100 bowls is the first of 2018. Hand blown, hand engraved glass, signed dated and numbered