I am sure many of you have heard of Manuka Honey. As a young girl I remember eating this often. I also remember my father telling me about manuka trees, a native tree to New Zealand, and how his father before him would cut them down as a young man to clear areas for farmland. I remember my father using Manuka for axe and grubber handles, he always said you couldn't beat them for strength. Being a hardwood, it was a great source of heat from our open fire too. I would peal the bark off the logs to get the fire started. The Manuka flower has a very sweet smell and is an important source of pollen and nectar for native bees and other insects.
Today I love seeing the flowering trees as I go for a walk and think of these memories - definitely a block to include in my BOW flower collection. It's dainty flowers are either white or pink and completely cover this tree - a photo taken a few years back in my Mother's backyard - beautiful!
![flowering manuka tree with pink flowers](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0443/0253/2763/files/manuka-flowers-tree_480x480.jpg?v=1687206395)
Flowering Manuka Tree
![close up of pink manuka flowers](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0443/0253/2763/files/manuka-flowers-small_480x480.jpg?v=1687206394)
Manuka Flowers
Looking at the closeup of the flower I decided to draw a branch for my block. This block certainly needed more than just a few flowers as in reality each flower is less than an inch in diameter - probably closer to 1/2. I decided to use two pinks for my flowers, a light and a medium, adding a darker center as this is how they appeared to me.
I cut out all the pieces - there is quite a few for this block so it took me quite a while.
![applique drawn and ready to cut out for Manuka flower block](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0443/0253/2763/files/manuka-applique_480x480.jpg?v=1687206395)
Cutting out appliques
Then after practicing the stitching for the flower center, I rather preferred the look of just the stitching and no applique center (shown in the flower on the right below). It looked more realistic to me.
![options for creating the Manuka flower center](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0443/0253/2763/files/manuka-flower-option_480x480.jpg?v=1687206395)
Practicing the stitching
My finished block looked like this.
![finished flowering manuka branch as a 10" quilt block](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0443/0253/2763/files/manuka-block-300_480x480.jpg?v=1687206395)
Manuka Block
I love these flowers. I think they are so pretty you can almost smell them and now wondering how they would look around the border of a big quilt. They could be appliqued or quilted!
If you would like to make these manuka flowers, you can find the block pattern as a download here: Manuka Flower Block.
.....or check out all my flower blocks.