In A Vase On Monday – Iris And Raindrops
Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share an arrangement using materials collected from our gardens.
If I had to choose one flower I most enjoy in the garden it would be iris. So when I returned home Friday from a memorable 3-day beach yoga retreat, it was thrilling to discover the first of this year’s irises are in bloom. After waiting most of our wet, soggy Saturday for a break in the weather which never came, I finally ventured into the rain to admire the flowers up close.
Iris germanica ‘Orinoco Flow’
Pattern, detail, line, color, contrast—Iris germanica ‘Orinoco Flow’ has a lot to appreciate. There is a slight fragrance as well. This iris was a lucky trade in a neighborhood plant exchange a few years ago.
Edges of the falls resemble embroidery stitching.
I decided to rescue a handful of the irises and put them to good use as my Monday vase offering.
In A Vase On Monday – Iris And Raindrops
For good measure I included several sprigs of May Night salvia which had also opened while I was away.
Salvia nemorosa ‘May Night’ (Hardy Sage)
Using a 2-inch pin holder to hold the stems in place, the design went together quickly. With raindrops still clinging, the flowers were placed on a round shiny black dish among scattered black stones.
In A Vase On Monday – Iris And Raindrops
Materials
Flowers
Iris germanica ‘Orinoco Flow’
Salvia nemorosa ‘May Night’ (Hardy Sage)
Foliage
Iris leaf
Vase
2-inch round holder with integrated floral pin
Oasis Lomey 11″ Designer Dish, black, round
Black stones
Iris germanica ‘Orinoco Flow’
Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting and giving us an opportunity to share flower designs across the world. Visit her to discover what she and others found to place In A Vase On Monday.
pbmGarden 
Beautiful. The raindrops add to it. The detail on those irises is stunning.
Thanks Ali. I’m so excited when the irises start blooming.
After tulips, Iris are my next favourite flower in the garden. This one is very special and I love the way you’ve arranged it. My Irises are late this year but it won’t be too long before they flower. It is always nice to come home to newly blooming plants, I hope you had a great time.
Thanks Christina. I intend to check when irises bloomed last year. This one is not the one that usually blooms first. Suddenly many are developing fat buds and it puts me in a panic to get more cleanup done.
With it being so cold for so long here; I’m also behind and the plants catch up faster than I do!
Such a pretty iris…and great luck, too, to snag it at a plant exchange!
Thanks Marian. The exchangee at the plant exchange probably got something from me that’s now running rampant (but native)!
I am not a fan of iris in the garden but can see how pretty they are in a vase and these really ARE pretty with that veined purple edge. Adding the salvia was just the right touch to make a perfectly balanced vase – thanks for sharing it, Susie
Cathy, I knew there was someone who was not an iris fan, but glad you like them in the vase. They don’t really hold up but a couple days before some of the blooms fade. I don’t mind though. Have a good week.
Yes, it’s strange, as I really do like them like in a vase 😉
I am losing many of my Iris as my trees shade them out. I have been trying to keep the ones that the folks who built our house in the 1950s planted. I love your offering this week. Really shows off both flowers to good effect.
Thank you Linda. Maturing trees are a mixed blessing, aren’t they?Most of my irises came from a former neighbor whose mother’s neighbor grew them for a florist. They came to me back in the late seventies and I brought them with me to this garden in 2001.
My heart jumped and I actually gasped when I saw this stunning iris vase…..they are my favorite too! These are beautifully marked and such a deep purple which I also love. I am happy to hear your retreat was memorable.
Oh Donna, so happy you like the irises and I love your iris reticulata too. I need to remember to plant them here. The retreat was reaffirming and just fun. Several of the women mentioned how much they enjoy my Monday vases. Not everyone who sees them comments on my blog, so it’s surprising but nice to realize others are seeing and enjoying them each week.
Lovely combo of color and sparkle.
Thanks. The rain was unrelenting on Saturday, then lovely weather Sunday.
One of my favorite iris and it looks especially enchanting wearing raindrop jewels! Impeccable arrangement as always.
Thanks Peter. Iris are wonderful flowers (although they don’t last all that long in a vase).
Stunningly beautiful arrangement, Susie. Reminiscent of a Dutch painting!
Thanks Eliza. The irises themselves get al the credit this week. I just love it when iris season begins.
What a gorgeous arrangement. You always have such lovely irises Susie.
Thank you so much. I do enjoy irises immensely.
What a spectacular Iris, Susie! I’m glad you braved the rain to rescue some. You did your typically outstanding job highlighting their beauty in your arrangement too. The bearded Iris bloomed here well the first couple of years but have steadily declined since. I’ve generally blamed the drought as they need regular water during their growing period but I suspect I’ve also allowed some to become too deeply buried during my bed renovations so perhaps I’ll dig them all up in August and replant them.
Kris, these irises needed so little from me. Honestly, I took the picture outside, cut the flowers, came right in and stuck them in the floral pin. I can tell by the time-stamps I finished in under 10 minutes. The flowers just cooperated completely. I need to divide and replant my irises too. You make a good point about them getting too deep. Good luck.
These irises are stunning and you have arranged them beautifully. I love the closeup view of petal edges and how the raindrops make them sparkle 🙂
The sun was out the next day after I cut the irises, but I was worried the rain would ruin the flowers so didn’t want to wait. There’s something fun about raindrops!
Yoir irises are so beautiful Susie! The arrangement looks like a painting with lovely proportions and balance. Well done again!
That’s so lovely Cathy. Thank you.
An absolute frilly delight!
Thanks Alison.
I’ve just spent a few minutes trying to find a supplier in the UK for that superb Iris…not much luck. I shall just have to admire your very perfect arrangement…
Hope you find a source Noelle. This one came to me through a lucky trade. I love the inky color.
I’m not mad about the over decorative iris yet your description made me appreciate it more. When you put them with the black pebbles it looks rather sophisticated. Good arrangement
The black pebbles seem to “save” a lot of my arrangements. I have found them invaluable when I just want a little bit of something else…
They do look good
I am another Iris lover, these are beautiful and trimmed to perfect heights in the arrangement.
Thanks. I have a connection to iris from childhood, but then with several other flowers too, so don’t know why iris feel so important.
Beauty and a connection to the Ikebana aesthetic?
That is a stunning display, but I love purple, raindrops, and especially Iris. So, this gets an A+ from me. 🙂
Thanks Judy. Seems you and I are attuned to the elements of this arrangement. Raindrops are fascinating.
A stunning arrangement as always Susie, the Iris is fantastic. Ours will not be out untill June.
Brian, I’ll look forward to a second helping of irises in June when yours bloom. Can’t get too many.
Your title could be set to music and the images deserve it.
That’s a fun thought! Thanks Ricki.
I agree with Cathy, Susie, just like a painting. Bravo, beautiful work 🙂