Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’
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.
With the forecast promising Sunday night would be quite cold with lows in the upper 20s, rescuing a few camellias yesterday morning became my priority for today. I ended up with camellias all over the house, so will share three simple arrangements using ‘Yuletide’ and ‘Hana-Jiman.’
Companions to the camellias are deliberately chosen oddballs—a sprig of lemon thyme, a stem of fern-leaf yarrow and the last few brightly-colored Profusion Fire Zinnias.
Zinnia ‘Profusion Fire’
Vase 1: This shallow green-glazed container in the shape of a leaf has 3 holes to insert short-stemmed flowers, perfect for Camellia sasanqua ‘Hana-Jiman’ and pink yarrow.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Hana-Jiman’ and Achillea filipendulina (Fern-leaf Yarrow)
Camellia sasanqua ‘Hana-Jiman’ and Achillea filipendulina (Fern-leaf Yarrow)
Vase 2: Profusion Fire Zinnias, lemon thyme and Yuletide camellias. This small, very heavy, black Ikebana container is a recent purchase. It has a floral pin integrated into its base and measures about 1 3/4 inches (4.5 cm) in diameter.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’
Vase 3: Three tall branches of Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’ placed in a rustic matte-glazed container illustrate how prolific the blooms are this year on this camellia. My husband really liked the photos of this third vase with the stones and since today is his birthday, these are for him.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’
Materials
Achillea filipendulina (Fern-leaf Yarrow)
Camellia sasanqua ‘Hana-Jiman’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’
Thyme
Zinnia ‘Profusion Fire’
White sea glass
Black stones
Small black Ikebana container with pin
As always a big thank you to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for organizing and hosting. It is always fun to discover what she and others are placing In A Vase On Monday.
pbmGarden 
So pretty! It’s not quite as cold here as forcast (30 at 5:15 am), but I’m expecting to see frost when the sun comes up.
A little frost here but not as cold here either as expected. Have a Happy Thanksgiving Marian.
I love all the vases today and you are certainly making me wish I had bought a Camellia as I had promised myself to do! I love that new vase too, stunning. A very happy birthday from me to your husband.
Thanks Christina, I passed along your good wishes to D. Hope you’ll find just the right camellia for you sometime. I’d hoped to add some more camellias this fall (white ones) but will have to hurry. Camellias make an instant vase–no arranging necessary really.
Fabulous vases Susie…I love that unique leaf container….I am busily cutting and preserving a few things for future vases as the cold is descending here too…Happy Birthday to your husband…he has a good eye.
My sister gave me that leaf vase a couple of years ago. It’s perfect for short-stemmed things or things that are hard to get to stand up or face the right way. I’ll pass along your birthday wishes. Thanks Donna.
Well done, Susie. I wish I had had the foresight to anticipate the frost last night…too much football on a sunny, Sunday afternoon. Now, most everything was damaged overnight.
That’s too bad John. Hope your favorite teams won at least. Don’t think it got as cold here as predicted. My camellias didn’t look too bad this morning from afar. Haven’t had a chance to inspect them closely.
All beautiful vases Susie, we have had our first harsh frost here too, I rescued some Calendula but not enough to be creative. Your home must look gorgeous with so many Camellia vases!
Thanks Julie. The house is nice when there are lots of flowers around. I’m even still enjoying the roses and stock from last week which are holding up amazingly well. Seems like many garden bloggers are reporting the cold weather has finally arrived this week.
I also gathered material yesterday,we too had a frost forecast, ready for today’s In a Vase Monday.
The Yuletide Camellia looks lovely seasonal dark red.
Winter appears to be showing up everywhere this week Brian. Your rescues were so fresh in your vase. Hope the yuletide camellia will still be blooming at the holidays.
All 3 vases are wonderful, Susie. I was surprised to see the Camellias and the Zinnias together (it brought to mind Bill Murray exclaiming “cats and dogs living together!”) but it works.
I didn’t remember that line so I found it on YouTube Kris! Camellias do seem more sophisticated and zinnias more ordinary, but they’ve played well.
I really like your low leaf vase, Susie. As you said, perfect for camellias. Looking at your close-ups, I realized why I find camellias so winning. It’s those golden clusters of stamens, like on single roses, they really stand out!
Happy Birthday to your husband and I agree with him. I’m charmed by the way you have strewn the rocks in the background.
Thanks Ricki, I’ll share your good wishes with my husband. The rocks were an experiement–not what I’d envisioned but it’s ok to try different things anyway, I guess.
Love ‘Profusion Fire’. Planted lots of it this year.
And I too especially like the effect of the stark reds in the simple stone pot with the black and white pebbles/crystals. It looks so seasonal – the jolly brightness contrasted with the cold black and white… But thanks for sharing ALL your vases today, Susie!
The rocks were fun to try. I’ve been relying on the camellias for a few weeks now so wanted to make them a little unusual today. Thanks for hosting and enjoy the rest of your trip.
Gosh, all the vases are beautiful. Are your Camellias done for the season or will they re-bloom? I can’t grow Camellias here in Wisconsin, as much as I’d like to. They are so exquisite.
Thank you Beth. There still are plenty of buds so I’m hoping they didn’t freeze and will continue to open. Don’t think they’d like your Wisconsin winters. We’re zone 7b and camellias are rather borderline here, but everyone grows them.
All three are beautiful Susie, but that first arrangement in your leaf vase is my favourite – simply stunning! I wonder if you had a freeze. Glad you could save the last zinnias. 🙂
Yes, it did freeze and last night was even colder. There’s a heavy frost on the garden this morning, but I think it will be milder the rest of the week. The leaf vase was a gift that I love to use. Makes a quick display. Have a great week Cathy!
Your camellias are stunning…and so very beautifully photographed. Great new vase too.
Thank you Noelle. I think I’ll enjoy using the new vase.
I’m so in awe of all of your Yuletide flowers, Susie. I’ve been growing one for 16 years, along with Apple Blossom, and this is AB’s best year of flowers ever, but Yuletide still doesn’t bloom, planted 5 feet away and getting taller every year. I’m perplexed. I especially like Yuletide in the black Ikebana vase with the zinnias, the black really accentuates the bright red, and the crown-like burst of golden stamens. The leaf vase is wonderful, I love decorative items with leaves and twigs.
Beautiful flower arrangements! Such stunning colors. I love the zinnia color-I need to look for them next year. Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!