In A Vase On Monday – Mass Of Pink And White
Each Monday Cathy from Rambling In The Garden invites us to share a vase assembled from materials collected in our gardens.
It feels like summer now complete with high humidity, soaring temperatures and little rain. Today’s mass design relies on two hydrangeas that are enlivening the garden this week.
In A Vase On Monday – Mass Of Pink And White
Featured are white flowers of H. quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’ and pink flowers from a passalong H. macrophylla. I am not such a big fan of pink and would prefer to be sharing this mophead hydrangea in blue, but the soil at my house is too alkaline. I know it’s possible to increase the acidity of the soil to get the blue I desire but I’ve never gotten around to it.
In A Vase On Monday – Mass Of Pink And White
The hydrangeas are joined by more pink and white, courtesy of my last peonies for the season.
I had stored a few peony buds in the refrigerator for several weeks before bringing them out in time for a visit from my sister-in-law last Tuesday. Some buds opened immediately, while others opened unhurriedly and ended up in today’s vase. Both Paeonia ‘Pink Parfait’ and P. ‘Festiva Maxima’ are deliciously fragrant.
Paeonia ‘Festiva Maxima’
Gaura lindheimeri ‘Passionate Blush’ (Butterfly Gaura), Paeonia ‘Pink Parfait’ (Peony), Hydrangea macrophylla
Seeing Gaura lindheimeri ‘Passionate Blush’ in the garden this week was a surprise and I could not resist tucking a bit into this Monday vase. Gaura has never thrived here and I thought it had disappeared completely.
Gaura and Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’
Gaura lindheimeri ‘Passionate Blush’ (Butterfly Gaura)
Materials
Flowers
Gaura lindheimeri ‘Passionate Blush’ (Butterfly Gaura)
Hydrangea macrophylla
Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’ (Lil’ Ruby dwarf Oakleaf Hydrangea)
Paeonia ‘Festiva Maxima’
Paeonia ‘Pink Parfait’ (Peony)
Foliage
Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’
Container
Porcelain Ikebana vase, Georgetown Pottery, Maine. Triangle Black Wave (6.5 W x 6.5 L x 2H)
In A Vase On Monday – Mass Of Pink And White
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 
You have a new creative idea every week. The pinks are very pretty.
Thanks. I do enjoy experimenting with the flowers to see what I can come up with. It’s so great with IAVOM we can try something new every week.
Beautifully lit still life of an equally beautiful bouquet, Susie, and I agree with automatic gardener, you really are very creative. I’m amazed that your hydrangeas are flowering already, but then you seem right in the middle of summer whereas we’re waiting for spring to come back. Peonies are stunning and I really ought to plant more. I was so impressed by all the tree peonies this year, tough little things that take one’s breath away! Happy June days x
We may all need more peonies in our lives Annette! I must try the tree form sometime. We’re in the midst of a heat wave so the garden is beginning to show the stress. That white hydrangea should turn pink to red if it doesn’t just turn brown first. Take care.
Came across a book that may be of interest for you: Bloom – Contemporary floral design. Do you know it? You could have contributed no doubt. Sun has come back and it’s finally supposed to get warm here. Take care too x
Thanks Annette. I have not seen this book. Just looked it up and savored the few, enticing images. Enjoy the warmer days.
Beautiful and very unique!!
Thanks Joanna. It’s fun to experiment with the flowers and the hydrangeas have such a distinctive form.
I’m not mad about hydrangeas – but yours are perfection in this arrangement! As Joanna says, such an unusual shape you’ve made with sumptious colours. For me the start was the pink peony, Pink Parfait. I could happily sleep in a bed of peonies (or roses, or irises!).
Thanks, I agree about the peonies especially. They are so compelling—luxurious really.
What a beautiful arrangement, simple and elegant. I love the use of just 2 colors to make a stunning statement that delights the eye. Just lovely!
Thanks Cindy. It was fun to try a more abstract design this week. The garden dictates the colors.
The shade of pink of that peony is a delight, Susie, and both peonies work so well with the hydrangeas to make a very balanced arrangement. Do tell us though, how are you supporting those stems with their heavy blooms? There must be some discreet support surely? The overall effect is wonderful, as always, so thanks for sharing it with the rest of us humble ‘plonkers’ 😉
Thanks Cathy! The Ikebana vase has an integrated floral pin. I just made sure to insert each stem directly onto a pin. The stems were strong enough to stand easily without other support (which was good because I have no vision nor patience for building frameworks). Have a great week.
Oh, I really thought the srems would not be stiff enough on their own – but thanks for admitting to your lack of vision and patience, as we wouldn’t guess from your lovely vases…! 😀
The structure of this arrangement had me wondering how you created this one, Susie. It looks as though the Hydrangea flowers are floating! It’s beautiful, as are all your creations and of course I’m envious of the peonies.
Hi Kris, thank you! The Ikebana vase has an integrated floral pin. I cut the white hydrangea roughly the same length and lined them up at the back. Tried to angle them more but they wouldn’t cooperate. Next added the pinks at different heights to the right side. Earlier in the week I’d brought out my last peonies from the refrigerator where they’d sat in a glass of water for a few weeks, so decided to include them also. Kept the color scheme but added different form/texture. Lastly I added one more pink hydrangea in front to hide the stems.
Gorgeous, I love the colors and envy the Peonies! That Gaura is beautiful – I haven’t seen it before.
Thanks. I have tried various gauras but they are not happy in my garden. Was so surprised to even see it again.
I have killed a few Gaura myself!
Hydrangeas and peonies – two of my very favorite plants. This arrangement truly causes my gardening pulse to quicken. 🙂
Delighted I was able to tap into your “gardening pulse” with the hydrangea and peony design. The peonies were the last of some I’d stored in the refrigerator in early May. They certainly wouldn’t have been happy outside this past week in our heat.
Blue hydrangea seem wrong, stick with what you have, they’re gorgeous.
Glad you like them. As a child I saw only blue hydrangea and loved them because blue was so unusual. Now of course there are more options to get colors regardless of the PH of the soil.
I saw on the weather that you are getting hot & humid weather – icky!
I’m amazed that your hydrangeas are blooming, while mine have barely broken bud. And you still have peonies – so lovely!
The heat and humidity are straining the plants. The river birch is unceremoniously letting go its leaves because there’s been no rain. The peonies are the last of some I stored as buds in the refrigerator.
Whoa! That is rad! It would be excellent even if it were only white. It looks like good & plenty or frosted animal crackers!
I often view the flower photos in black and white to help see the shape and color value.
So pretty! I really like the Peonies, and the overall effect of all the elements is so professional. 🙂
Thanks Beth. This was a stellar year for peonies.
The Hydrangeas look so fresh. We are getting tons of rain right now.
Hi Jason. The hydrangeas were fresh but totally wilted outside after near record setting heat. Garden shifted from lush to brown in just a few days. So very jealous of your rain. Hope it’s nourishing your plants 🌱.
Oh, that must have been discouraging!