Trio of Vases – Overhead View
Trio of Vases – Overhead View (B&W)
Monday brings the chance to practice flower arranging by joining in Cathy’s weekly challenge In A Vase On Monday, where the goal is simply to fill a vase using materials gathered in one’s own garden.
Yesterday I gathered a variety of flowers and foliage and placed them into glasses of warm water for conditioning. There were Zinnias, Dahlias, Perovskia, Lantana, Pink Muhly Grass, even a single, long-awaited Cosmos.
But of these, only a few of the Zinnias made it into this week’s arrangement. I never finished working with most of the flowers I collected, but did complete a trio of vases—two small and one large ceramic containers.
Trio of Vases
The prized blooms this week are gardenias from bushes on the north side of the house. Their fragrant, waxy white flowers and deep green leaves are the main focus for the large vase, accentuated by a few boldly colored zinnias.
Gardenias and Zinnias
Gardenia sp.
In one of the small vases are an Echinacea ‘Big Sky Sundown,’ a gardenia with greenery and several sprigs of Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue.’
Black and Blue and Sundown
In the other small green vase are five pink and orange Zinnias, simply arranged.
Vase of Pink and Orange Zinnias
The vases were interesting to photograph from above. I seldom include props but today I used one of several pieces of decorative molding salvaged from my father’s cabinet shop to play with the composition of the largest vase. (I had planned to use this molding with last week’s orchid but as it turned out it detracted from the integrity of the flower. Here it just is used to add weight to the bottom of the composition.)
Decorative Molding
Large Vase – Gardenias and Zinnias – Overhead View
Large Vase – Gardenias and Zinnias
I like the black and white version of the last image.
Large Vase – Gardenias and Zinnias (B&W)
Materials
Echinacea ‘Big Sky Sundown’ (Hybrid Coneflower)
Gardenia sp.
Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’
Zinnia
Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting. Discover what she and others are placing In A Vase On Monday and feel free to join in.
pbmGarden 
I’m glad you have some Gardenias flowering, I am going to try one here, our climates aren’t so different and I love their perfume. Showing images in B&W certainly shows that the design works, I don’t think I’d be brave enough to show mine in that way, but maybe I will try looking at some of my vases in B&W I’m sure I would learn more about what works. Have a lovely week, Christina
Thanks, I do hope your gardenia will work out. Seeing gardenias in bloom again is a treat and they smell so nice in the house. I occasionally review images in B&W but mine don’t usually hold up very well, but today I was pleased with these. It is instructive to see the flowers and images in general in this way. I think I need to figure out a way to have better light sources. Hope your week is lovely as well.
Your vases are always so stylish, I really like the B/W photos too, I agree with Christina, thats a great way to to see pared back from colour how well your vases work. The decorative moulding is beautiful, what did your father do with them?
Thank you Julie. The B&W are fun to play with. My sister suggested the moldings were pattern examples, but I really don’t know. Both grandfathers were cabinetmakers so I wonder if one of them created them. The history is lost but I just wanted to hang on to them and maybe I’ll one day find a use.
You inspire me!! Guess no yoga today. Happy Labor Day. I’m busy as a bee getting my coloring deck finished. The first is a deck of 12 botanical illustrations. I wonder if your followers who are lovers of flowers would be interested. Cheers, Beverly
Thanks Beverly. Yes, we’ll have to do yoga on our own today. I’m following your botanical deck with interest.
Your gardenias are lovely. They look so fresh and pristine. They do make a wonderful vase.
Thanks John. They’re one of my favorite flowers for the garden or vase.
Such a fresh, crisp look and the colors are great. I’ve often read that taking black and white photos is a good way to assess a garden’s design quality.
Thanks Rickii, B&W is an interesting tool to help us see things differently.
Beautiful! Such pristine flowers and lovely photos Susie. I love the blue Salvia in your small blue vase as a contrast to the other colours. Stunning!
Thanks! Cathy, we finally had rain a couple of days last week and that salvia loved it. It had been languishing before that.
Very interesting in black and white…and if I lived in a warmer climate I would have to grow gardenias…I love when you show yours….I have never seen them in person. Lovely trio of vases that work well together.
Thanks Donna. Hope you get to see gardenias in person one day. I know you’d enjoy their fragrance.
Gardenias are one of my favorite flowers, but I can’t seem to grow it to save my life! How delightful your arrangements must smell this week, I’m a bit envious! 😉
The flowers do smell lovely this week Eliza! I added some new gardenias this spring that didn’t make it through the summer. The one that has blooms was a passalong from a good friend.
Beautiful bouquets, all three!I like the black and white photos, great idea!Enjoy your week, Susie!
Glad you like them Anca. Thank you. It is kind of fun playing around with the black and white images. You might enjoy it too.
Your white gardenias are such perfect blooms … bliss! Your trio of vases are lovely together – much more colour co-ordinated than my trio 🙂
It was lucky to catch the gardenias at their best this week as they fade so quickly.
I’m in awe of your gardenias, I love their fragrance so much but they are not hardy enough where I live. They look wonderful with the red zinnias, and the Black and Blue Salvia is a great contrast, especially in the wonderul blue vase. I like the flowers arranged in the three vases, too, and the addition of the wooden carving.
The gardenias are very fleeting but the fragrance has been wonderful around the house today. That deep black and blue saliva has unreal color. I’m so happy it decided to bloom some more.
More gorgeous arrangements, Susie! I’ve never tried converting my images to black and white but will have to do that one day – they create stunning comparisons to the bright color versions. The white gardenias are perfect in all your images – I’d love to create a vase with them for enjoyment of the scent alone but my one small plant seldom blooms (and when it does, I usually discover it too late to make use of the flowers).
Thanks so much Kris! I’ve lost many of my named gardenias but this passalong one seems strong and healthy.
I really like these combinations–perfect for Labor Day! I wish I could grow Gardenias.
Thanks Beth. It is a treat to grow gardenias. They’re a perfect shrub.
Gardenias are one of my favorites, I think I can almost smell the wonderful fragrance of your bouquet.
We share that in common Charlie. Once gardenia gets in your head it’s unforgettable. Have a great week.
There is certainly something to be said for a stark and pristine white background, Susie – not something I would ever be able to find for my vases! It really emboldens the clean lines of your blooms and the b&w images enhance it even more. Thanks for sharing
At least for the flowers today the white background was effective I think. I can’t find many spots for staging where I can get enough light, but I need to try some other options. Sometimes, a softer, less stark background would be more desirable. Photographing the flowers has been more challenging than growing the flowers! Hope your vacation is fun.
they are indeed prized blooms – I love the Gardenias and Zinnias together – two of my favourite flowers. Stylish images too!
Thanks Ann. I wouldn’t have considered pairing gardenias and zinnias together before this week, but they worked out…
I like the gardenias, but I love the Zinnias. Though I might love the gardenias if I could smell them.
The gardenias didn’t last very long before turning brown but their fragrance lingered. My zinnias have powdery mildew but it doesn’t affect the flowers themselves. They’re still blooming well.
I bet that little arrangement did a great job in filling the room with fragrance and I like the black and white effect. It really does set off the contrasts.