In A Vase On Monday – Four Seasons
Today’s “Four Seasons” refers to the annual cycle in the garden as this week marks the first year anniversary for Cathy’s weekly challenge called In A Vase On Monday. During the past year Cathy has inspired quite a few fellow garden bloggers to create fresh arrangements each Monday using materials found in our gardens.
I first joined Cathy’s Monday vase project on January 27, 2014, and since then I have been looking forward to seeing everyone’s creations each week. The vases have been delightful and the resulting sense of sharing and community has been gratifying. Thanks to Cathy for hosting and congratulations.
Lagerstroemia (Crape Myrtle) and Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata’ (Winter daphne) Foliage
Winter: Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata’ (Winter daphne) was featured last winter in my first Monday vase. Today I used some of the green foliage for concealer leaves.
Spring: Clematis ‘Jackmanii’ is a spring favorite and has rebloomed for the past month.
Summer: Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower) and Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower) are mainstays of my summer garden.
Fall: Lagerstroemia (Crape Myrtle) has compelling orange fall foliage color.
Flowers and foliage representing four seasons of gardening
Materials
Flowers
Achillea filipendulina (Fern-leaf Yarrow)
Clematis ‘Jackmanii’
Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower)
Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower)
Lavender
Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage)
Verbena bonariensis (Tall Verbena)
Foliage
Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata’ (Winter daphne)
Lagerstroemia (Crape Myrtle)
Mechanics
3 Round Ikebana Kenzan Flower (Frog) Pin Holders
Large round black plastic dish
Clematis ‘Jackmanii’
Thanks again to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting. Discover what delightful things she and others are placing In A Vase On Monday. Perhaps you will be inspired to share your own vase.
pbmGarden 
Beautiful colours.
Thank you Malc. I looked for the freshest flowers I could find and fortunately their colors melded.
Amazing. I couldn’t put together a vase unless it was evergreen branches. 🙂
Judy, I can imagine your vase next week of evergreen branches in one of your favorite containers. A few small sprigs would be charming. Join in!
Clever, Susie, and how amazing to have all the seasons represented in one vase. I really like the shape and height of your arrangement today, very fitting for Cathy’s celebration.
Thanks Christina. I had planned to just put everything into a small vase, but quickly saw I would need the Kenzan pin holders to get the Clematis to stand up. Glad I spent more time with it.
I wondered how the clematis was kept upright, they are usually so floppy.
Sad to report I just checked on the arrangement (which I made yesterday afternoon) to see if it needed more water. The clematis didn’t even last overnight.
Clematis are really only a short term cut flower but they did make a great impact in your arrangement. You probably didn’t have anything else to represent spring so worth it even if it was only for a day.
That looks so light and airy – beautiful! It is also quite professional-looking. I have inherited some ikebana frogs (some solid, some articulated) from my grandmother and a bowl, but I have never dared to use them. You might have inspired me to try!
Thanks Karen. I’d love to see the articulated pins especially–had only seen the solid round or oblong ones before doing a quick search just now.
Delightful. Am glad to see your Jackman is still producing. I only had one blossom this fall and that was weeks ago.
John, I’m so surprised at how well the Jackmanii continues to bloom. Too bad your clematis didn’t give a better fall show. Hope the camellias are still doing well though.
An impressive assortment of blooms, beautifully arranged.
Thanks Linda. The long drawn-out autumn has done wonders for flowers this year.
Just love the combination of colours and daring shapes, Susie! It really lifts the spirits. Can’t get over how good you’re at it – a natural! You really ought to go into floristry 🙂
You’re so kind Annette. Glad you found this cheering. Sometimes I think I’d enjoy working in a florist shop, but I’m much too slow to be productive.
Shame about the clematis – I remember when I used C montana they seemed to last longer, especially the buds – but what a great achievement to have a ‘four seasons’ vase! That is such a fitting idea for this celebration of the meme – and don’t those colours go well together? It would have been easy to ignore some of these contenders, thinking they wouldn’t work well, but they really do 🙂 Thank you so much for all your support – and since January? I thought it was longer than that…
I didn’t take time to condition these flowers, but was disappointed in the short life of the clematis. Will have to experiment with them again sometime. I was happy the colors “played well” together. Making vases has become a Monday tradition–thanks for the opportunity.
Your arrangements always look so professional Susie. I love the colour combination and the idea of including the 4 seasons in one arrangement. It is absolutely gorgeous.
Thanks very much Liz. It’s surprising what we all have been able to find each week in our gardens throughout the year.
What a lovely homage to Cathy’s meme and your own garden, Susie!
Thank you Kris. I wanted to do something special for her anniversary and am glad my flowers cooperated.
Outstanding clematis flowers (shame about them not lasting long – I’ve never tried them in a vase before and we haven’t planted any here yet). A really professional, elegant arrangement. You have a touch!
Thanks for your nice comment Cathy. I’ll have to experiment more with clematis and see if there’s a way to extend their lives in a vase. Christina noted they’re only a short-term cut flower, but I expected at least 24 hours.
This is such a delightful offering. I LOVE your design work, one of your many talents. How about you teach some classes. The idea of a vase a week has held up well. You are the ‘idea’s’ star pupil.
Thanks for being so supportive Stepheny! Don’t think I’d ever be able to teach flower arranging but am so glad to be able to practice each week. I’ve learned a lot from the other participants. One of these Mondays I hope to see some of your design skills put to work.
Wow Susie you have been creating for almost a year yourself. I adore this vase as it has many surprises and a bit of everything for all seasons. A perfect celebration.
Yes, I wouldn’t have guessed it was that long. The garden is still full of wonder, even though I haven’t spent much time taking care of it this summer. Nice to still find a few things in bloom.
PS: I posted your photo and blog address just now on my Facebook. Hope that’s okay.
Thanks.
Fabulous contrast with the orange foliage and purple clematis flowers, and a lovely shape too. You really are an expert Susie! 🙂
Thanks for your kindness Cathy. I did fall in love with that orange and purple combo.
That was a thoughtful idea Susie, a lovely result too.
Thanks Julie. It’s hard to believe how quickly the weeks have gone by. Each Monday has been fun.
A lovely reminder of the seasons Susie – how lucky to have your clematis flowering in autumn! It has been a true pleasure to visit you here and see all your lovely vases and other posts – am glad I found you via Cathy!
Julie, thank you. I’ve been so pleased to have found you also. You always inspire me to try something a little different.
Oh wow, I always love what you do, but this has to be one of my favourites. Love the shape overall, and the colour combination is just gorgeous.
Thanks so much Janet.When I saw the orange crape myrtle’s leaves the other morning I just had to find a way to include it. Same with the clematis.
This arrangement is really amazing: the color combinations and the representation of each season…….it’s the ‘Four Seasons’ indeed.
So nice to hear from you today. Finding something from each season was easier than I would have expected. The nice long drawn out autumn revived so many flowers and protected others. I was happy the colors combined so well. Take care.
Love the purple-orange-pink combination. I had no idea that crape myrtle had such striking fall color.
What a beautiful bouquet! Orange and purple and bright fuchsia pink make a great combination, and the paler pink of the coneflower makes a very nice accent.
Thanks. Those colors seem too brazen to work together but they soften and work together pretty well. Unfortunately the arrangement itself was not long-lasting. There is so much to learn about the habits of flowers.