In A Vase On Monday – Accent On Green
Each Monday Cathy from Rambling In The Garden invites us to share a vase assembled from materials collected in our gardens.
In A Vase On Monday – Accent On Green
The garden has moved on from irises and peonies, bringing a temporary lull in color. Dahlia tubers are coming up; zinnia seeds need to be planted. Meanwhile, the garden is greener, quieter, subtler.
Greens form the foundation of today’s vase. With Verbena bonariensis being the exception, flowers in this floral design are just coming into bloom.
Verbena bonariensis (Tall Verbena)
The design is a base of green with accents of color from the violet-hued verbena and from red leaves and stems of Husker’s Red.
Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ (Beardtongue)
The soft gray-green of lamb’s ear is specked with a few pink blooms.
Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ear)
Rich blue flowers will soon appear on Black and Blue salvia. Its tender young lime-green leaves form a stark contrast.
Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’
The salvia’s leaves echo the light green inflorescence of Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers.’ Ruby Slippers will evolve its color into pink and burgundy.
Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’
Materials
Flowers
Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ (Beardtongue)
Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’ (Lil’ Ruby dwarf Oakleaf Hydrangea)
Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’
Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ear)
Verbena bonariensis (Tall Verbena)
Foliage
Container
Porcelain Ikebana vase, Georgetown Pottery, Maine. Triangle Black Wave (6.5 W x 6.5 L x 2H)
Happy gardening!
Many 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 
Your garden may be in a lull but your arrangement commands attention, Susie. Your mastery in handling plant material is unmatched in my view.
Kris, thank you so much for your kind words. I enjoy pulling a vase together each week and try to think of it as a playground for experimenting.
That is such a cool and refreshing arrangement Susie – it has the feel of flowing water somehow, perhaps because of the arching stems and the shape of the blooms. It was intriguing to read the list of components as I wouldn’t have guessed most of them from that first picture – the hydrangea in particular makes such an impact. I really like this vase, Susie, and it makes me think about the possibility of plants I might not have used myself – thanks for sharing
Thanks Cathy. it’s interesting to read how you get the sense of water from this vase. The shape of the design reminds me of a fountain.
It’s how it made me feel the instant I saw it, splashing water – so it’s interesting that you had the fountain impression…
Your garden is moving on faster than mine Susie, here the Irises are still being generous with their blooms although the wintry weather is trying its best to spoil them. Your vase today shows such careful thought in its easy elegance. Like Cathy I was surprised by what the flowers actually were. The colours still speak of spring freshness but having a hydrangea bloom makes me think of high summer. Gorgeous.
Still cold there? Glad you’re still enjoying your irises. Mine didn’t do well this year. We had some hot days in mid-eighties F. last week, then rains over weekend that finished up the peonies, but encouraged the hydrangea.
It would seem that your garden is not having a lull, you’ve lots to share. The hydrangea is a lovely shape in your arrangement and I like it’s colour
I guess there was plenty for today’s vase–just not flamboyant like when peonies were blooming. I’m excited to see Ruby Slippers hydrangea beginning to flower. It has performed very well for the past few years. I love hydrangeas.
Me too, hydrangeas offer something for every garden and vase.
A graceful design with lovely, soft colors. Beautiful, Susie.
Thank you Eliza. Originally I had many more stems of verbena, but edited them out to leave some breathing room.
Such a beautiful creation Susie. I love the softness the colours create and the lamb’s ear really highlights that. Little details like bringing out the green on those salvia stems by adding hydrangea is simply ingenious. 🙂
That salvia’s green leaves seemed so electric they really brightened the arrangement. It’s lasted all week.
I love your creative use of green. Have you ever grown green roses?
Thanks. No but I can imagine how fun they’d be to work into arrangements. I tried green zinnias but they didn’t thrive at all.
Absolutely beautiful. A great choice of plant material including some of my favourit shrubs.
Thanks Malc. I used a collection of things that just happened to be available. It’s fun to be challenged to use materials that aren’t necessarily thought of as going together. Hydrangeas are irresistible.
What an interesting mix of shapes, textures and colours, so elegantly ans artfully arranged.
Thanks so much. The materials have stayed fresh but I had to replace the hydrangea. I’d broken its stem trying to bend it into a curving line.
All delightful flowers on their own, but WOW together in this arrangement!
Thank you. They’ve all lasted well in the vase, except the hydrangea.
Love the shapes of the flowers reflecting one another. Not sure I could bear to cut the Hydrangea, looks perfect with the Salvia.
That is really lovely! I especially like the Hydrangea spires, but the entire arrangement is special!
Thanks Beth. The hydrangea is more fully in bloom outdoors this week—so exciting.
Beautiful! I like the contrast of the Verbena with all the green and white.
Huskers Red seems like it should be . . . . well, red. It was one of only two cultivars that grew in my garden briefly. I had the cliche ‘Midnight’, and really liked it too, even though it was so much darker. There were others, but I don’t know what they were.
I’ve never seen Midnight. Actually don’t see Penstemon for sale often.
Penstemon is popular here because it is related to native penstemon. However, the most popular types are only remotely related. ‘Midnight’ is rich dark purple, and even though I dislike purple, I really like ‘Midnight’ penstemon because it looks so good in purple.
I always enjoy your arrangements in the flat vase–they look so elegant. Verbena is such a pretty plant, and so beloved by butterflies and other pollinators. Great additions to your vases!
American Yellow Goldfinches adore the verbena and look so pretty sitting atop the plants, swaying gently.