Cathy’s In A Vase On Monday encourages gardeners to collect and arrange flowers or other plant specimens from their gardens each week. What is in your vase this week?
At this mid-March juncture with the equinox only a few days away, I gathered fresh lavender and branches of almost-open spiraea, along with narcissus and Daphne odora. The daphne currently is in full bloom and carries a magnificent lemony fragrance; however, once I began creating an arrangement for this week, it was the narcissus that drew me in.
Narcissus requires no embellishment. This venerable herald of spring evokes simple design and pure color. First I selected a tall ceramic pot that was a special gift from my daughter. Matte-finished and blue-black in color, this container was the perfect size to hold two of my daffodil varieties, ‘King Alfred’ and an unknown kind featuring white perianth with a ruffled, pale yellow cup (I had been thinking of it as ‘Thalia’ until I looked it up today. This one is not pure white, so it is possibly Narcissus ‘Ice Follies’ or Narcissus ‘Mount Hood’?).
Initially I used a small matte-finish, periwinkle blue vase to hold a group of miniature Narcissus ‘Tete-a-Tete’. Later I exchanged that vase for a dark green glossy one that seemed better able to handle the greenish hue of the Tete-a-Tetes.
As an aside, i would mention I photographed the flowers today in a niche in our foyer, a spot that normally holds a bust of Thomas Jefferson. Mr. Jefferson is a strong interest of study for my husband. Nearby is a modern chair made of cherry, maple and walnut, designed and built by my daughter while earning her industrial design degree.
Thanks very much to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting. Visit her site to see her arrangement this week and see what other participants are placing In A Vase On Monday
pbmGarden 
Delightful photos and post. I’m also intrigued by that beautiful chair. I linked over today from Words and Herbs. So glad I did.
Thanks. I’m glad you came over from Words and Herbs too. Cathy has a delightful blog, doesn’t she.
She sure does. So do you.
I love your vases this week. My favourite spring flowers in such elegant vases especially the taller mat one – perfect!
Thanks Christina–I thought of you when I was arranging the daffodils. We’ve had snow today as predicted so I’m glad I cut more of them to enjoy indoors.
Juxtaposition adds a layer of nuance to what is already beautiful. Traditional narcissus and an elegant heirloom. The top snapshot holds everything in pleasant balance, and a not unpleasant tension of mystery, prompting the imagination for a view of the lower half of the chair.
I enjoyed reading your observations of the flower arrangement and setting. Helps me to look deeper and learn. There were some photos of the full chair but in them the chair seemed to take too much attention away from the purpose of the post. Mostly I wanted the flowers to speak. Thanks for you visit. Perhaps you’d like to join in the vase on Monday theme? Visit Cathy at Rambling Garden–she explains how it works.
As you say, they need no embellishment at all – and the colour of the vases is perfect. I have one in a similar shade which I would always use for my daffs – although I am running out of time to use them in a vase on Monday! What a perfect setting that alcove is – although I wonder where Thomas Jefferson has gone in the meantime…?! Your daughter’s chair is beautiful – what a wonderful piece to have made. Does she specialise in designs using timber now? Thanks for joining again, and for your enthusiasm 🙂
Th. Jefferson is safely back in his place of honor Cathy. I moved the daffodils into the living room where we can easily walk by them. When we were looking at this house 12 years ago our realtor always pointed out how that niche would be perfect for my flowers, so at last! Our daughter is an architect now, so not directly making furniture currently. We’re so lucky to get to keep that chair in our house.
What a shame that she isn’t making any furniture just now – that chair is gorgeous and you are indeed privileged to have it with you 😉
What beautiful arrangements, and the vases and that pure white arch make a beautiful composition. Lovely post 🙂
Thank you so much! I’m glad you stopped by today. susie
Hi Susie – you inspired me to join in this week! I love those cheerful daffodils, and that’s a perfect place for a vase. 😀
Oh, I’m so glad you joined in Cathy! Isn’t it fun? The weather forecast was for snow and ice so I cut the daffodils yesterday and I’m so glad I did. The remaining ones outside are all droopy. I think we’ve had more snow than you this year–very strange. Susie
Hi Susie – we must have been on the same wave length this week! Your daffodils are beautiful and I love your containers. I saw one similar to your large vase at the weekend full of stems of pink cherry blossom and that also worked very well with that style of vase. Your alcove is a perfect spot to display flowers, although I am sure it looks very impressive with the venerable Mr Jefferson presiding!
Julie, Mr. Jefferson is back home now in his designated spot. I can picture how well pink cherry blossoms would light up that vase. I’m heading off to see you vase soon.
Susie
Always a pleasure to call into pbm gardens – such a cheerful arrangement, Susie. I like the way you display it without distracting too much. Beautiful chair too. You’re right: daffodils on their own look just stunning. Have a good week 🙂
Hi Annette, all the daffodils outside are on the ground this morning after an ice storm so I’m grateful to have some inside still looking cheery. Hope your week is nice too!
I love your way of displaying larger and smaller vases of Narcissi together. My Mount Hood is much whiter than that so I think it must be Ice Follies..Tete a tete is a dear little thing and spreads beautifully. What a beautiful chair.
Thanks for help with identifying the daffodils. When I was trying to look them up, Ice Follies sounded more familiar to me than Mount Hood.
Gorgeous – what a lovely idea.
Thanks! A fun way to enjoy the blossoms.