Monday brings the chance to share cut flowers from the garden by joining in Cathy’s weekly challenge In A Vase On Monday.
Finally in full bloom in the southwestern border, hellebores were the starting inspiration for today’s arrangement. These are not the ones recently purchased at the hellebore farm, but were passed along from Vicki, a yoga and garden club friend, about five years ago.
Growing on the north side of the house Camellia x ‘Coral Delight’ is full of flowers and plenty of fat buds promise many more. One branch of this camellia was included to add color interest and serve as a focal point.
A redbud twig and five or six stems of spiraea were selected to add height and movement to the design. Both of these springtime favorites burst into blossom just in the past couple of days.
Added as a last minute impulse, bright yellow from a trio of Narcissus ‘King Alfred’ lifts the arrangement and ties the other flowers together.
I grabbed a cranberry-colored glass vase just to hold the hellebores while they were being conditioned, but ended up sticking with it. Not only is the vase a perfect size, but the dark red brings an unexpected element of drama to the spring assortment.
Materials
Camellia x ‘Coral Delight’
Cercis canadensis L. (Eastern Redbud)
Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten rose)
Narcissus ‘King Alfred’ (trumpet daffodil)
Spiraea prunifolia (bridal wreath spiraea)
Cranberry red glass vase
On yesterday’s gray afternoon there was little light for picture-taking in the dining room where I moved the arrangement for display. The flowers will brighten up our meals this week (if we eat indoors! Last week we had most meals on the screened porch enjoying the birds and the view of the awakening garden.)
Thanks to Cathy for hosting this weekly flower addiction. Visit her at Rambling In The Garden to discover what she and others are placing In A Vase On Monday.
Very elegant, Susie! Glad you’re celebrating the arrival of spring as well. Maybe you should take this beautiful vase outdoors for lunch 🙂
Annette, the vase may be evicted to the screen porch after all. The hellebore stamens and spiraea petals were liberally scattered overnight onto the buffet.
Susie, I was so excited to find hellebore seedlings this year – shall dig them up to pamper them a bit. Can’t wait to see how they turn out!
So Spring really has arrived in your garden. Your vase is a lovely way to celebrate its arrival. Clever if you to use the red vase, I wouldn’t have thought it was the right colour without seeing it, but it is perfect.
Spring has quietly slipped in, although I worry winter has a few statements left to make. We’re sleeping with the windows open and awakening to to birdsong.
So very nice, Susie. You have captured the essence of spring.
Thank you John. Hope spring is here to stay but I’m worried winter will sneak us on us again.
I have a few old sheets in the ready to cover some selected plants. I used to cover the Japanese maples when a frost was predicted, but they have grown too large for the sheet to be effective. I share your worry.
Like a spring ballet…light, with movement, and such beauty too.
Thanks, that’s a lovely comment Noelle! Hope you have a great week.
I love the way the branches lighten the arrangement. What a wealth of plants you have to pick from. I can’t wait for spring to arrive here.
The spiraea is wonderful to add to arrangements. It’s just starting to fill out. Hope spring finds you soon. We’re cautiously enjoying garden treasure unfolding, but worry that winter is not quite gone.
Colors, textures, shapes… This has it all. Fabulous
Thanks so much. It’s nice to have some choices again for Monday vases.
The red vase is a nice touch this early, to match your pinkish red Camellias, Susie, and it looks great with the whites and yellows too. I like all the twiggy accents, they really fill out the bouquet, and I love the hellebores this time of year, I’m still hoping to get a double. Spireas are a wonderful bloomer for me but they are not ready yet.
Thanks Hannah. That red vase was a bit of a fluke but glad I used it for this arrangement. Hope you’ll find a nice double hellebore to enjoy. I’m going to try to transplant some seedlings this week. The spirea was not fully open but I see today it already looks fuller.
Bringing it all together in a vase really makes it feel like spring has sprung. We still have a ways to go before taking meals outdoors. Lucky you!
Ricki the pine pollen will drive us back indoors all too soon so we try to take advantage of the early warm weather. We seem to have tipped over that point when all the flowers are eager and fresh.
The redbud twig and spiraea stems add a wonderful energy to the composition, Susie. I believe I’ve said it before but I love that coral Camellia. Given our drought, I have no business adding any Camellias to my own garden (which came with quite a few to start with) but I might make an exception if I came across that Camellia here.
I’d like to encourage you to go ahead with the camellia but they do enjoy some water. I lost a brand new one last summer when we had such a heat wave and no rain.
Are the white spriggy bits spiraea? They set the other contents off perfectly, just like a twiggy halo. A gloriously uplifting vase Susie and thanks for sharing it today
Yes, there is only one redbud and the other branches are spiraea. It’s opened up even more today. One of my favorite passalongs. Hellebores seemed to be on everyone’s mind today.
Lovely, bright spring bouquet. It just makes me smile. 🙂
Oh good! Flowers should do that!
Another fabulous vase Susie, and the inclusion of the spirea and redbud really make it pop….adds structure surrounding the other flowers.
Thanks so much Donna. It was nice to see color on the redbud where just a day before there was none; same with the spirea.
This is why we all love this season!Beautiful vase, Susie!
So true Anca. Spring flowers are wonderful. Thank you.
I love the redbud twig! What a perfect, distinctive touch. Well, I might try joining in here as now, of course, I will have something from the garden each week! We shall see….
Welcome Libby, so glad you’re joining in. It’s fun to see what’s available when you might not even think there’s anything. Of course, with spring coming it will be especially fun.
A fabulous collection Susie – so lovely to see such a variety of blooms at this time of year. You are my favourite spirea in bloom – mine are close but not out yet.
Thanks Julie. The spirea is becoming more full today–would have like more blossoms in the arrangement but that’s ok. It is a wonderful time of year.
Ooh, that’s lovely Susie! You have got all the beautiful colours of spring in one vase. The Spiraea adds a nice lightness to it all, but the Camellia is certainly the star. Just what you need to brighten up grey days, but you say you are eating outdoors already? Wonderful!
Neither the camellia nor the spiraea did well last year. Totally different story this spring. The weather has been ideal this week and last. I should be getting more work done in the garden but nevertheless I’m enjoying each day.
Your assortment captures the essence of spring Suzie. I like the sprigs of spirea – still to early here for it to open. The the very thought of a hellebore farm is most appealing 🙂
Hi Anna, the hellebore farm open house was interesting although the plants were not all blooming. That made it difficult to choose (but I managed to bring a few things home!). The spirea was just opening when I prepared this vase but today (Friday), after a week of beautiful warm weather, it is covered in snowy blossoms. Hope yours is not far behind.
That’s quite an assortment! Makes me think that spring is busting out all over in your neck of the woods.
Spring showed up in full force this week. Freeze warning for Tuesday though…
Snow warnings here!
Oops!
Very graceful. I wish I could grow camellia in our garden.
I wish you could too. Maybe there will be a very hardy hybrid someday.