In A Vase On Monday – Winter Boughs
Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden encourages us to share a vase highlighting what is growing in our gardens.
After unseasonably warm (but wet) weather in January, Sunday night lows plunged to 25F. I have seen a clump of yellow daffodils blooming in my neighborhood. None of mine have opened but there are a few buds.
Daphne odora came into full bloom this week and outdoors any excuse will do to walk by the deliciously scented shrubs. For today’s vase I gathered several large stems to feature.
Daphne odora (Winter daphne)
Daphne odora (Winter daphne)
A few hellebores just starting to flower were selected also to contribute soft color and form.
Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten rose)
Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten rose)
Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten rose)
Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten rose)
Bits of fresh verdant foliage—arum, camellia, and columbine—were added for contrast and texture. The greens serve also to conceal the candleholder adapter filled with florist’s foam.
In A Vase On Monday – Winter Boughs
Materials
Flowers
Daphne odora (Winter daphne)
Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten rose)
Foliage
Arum italicum
Container
Glass Candelabra
Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting and giving us an opportunity to share flower-filled vases across the world. Visit her to discover what she and others found to place In A Vase On Monday.
pbmGarden 
Gorgeous, it must smell wonderful too. That’s a huge branch of daphne you cut. I can only ever bear to cut tiny snippets. The whole thing looks so elegant.
Thanks, and yes, it smells fabulous. The branch had taken off in a wild direction so it won’t be missed in the shape of the shrub. I can see how, as with yours, it might be nice not to have foliage at the same time as flowers, but this is the only way I’ve ever seen this one, with both. Have a great week.
Your arrangement is so graceful. I need to see if daphne grows in my area. I can’t remember seeing it.
Thanks. Daphne is rewarding to grow.
That candlestick has worked its magic again – it really adds grace and movement to an arrangement. Your generous branch of daphne makes a great backbone and it is a joy to see your hellebores. Did you cut the hellebore in bud…?!
This week the hellebores were already open.
So it will be interesting to see how they fare…
So many treats in your lovely arrangement and they all celebrate winter! Thank you! Amanda
https://therunningwave.blogspot.com/2020/01/in-sweetly-pretty-january-vase-on-monday.html
Thanks Amanda. I need to think of more winter plants to add to my garden for more variety but I am happy for these.
I love the delicate colors of the flowers in this arrangement, Susie. They allow the foliage to shine as well and the icy glass candelabra provides the perfect support. I’m afraid the buds I saw on the Daphne I planted months ago appear to be leaves rather than flowers but at least the plant is happy and I still hope to see flowers – some day.
Thanks. Can’t remember how long it took for my Daphne to flower once it was planted. Hope yours will soon.
Very dramatic, and I love the choices. 🙂
Thanks Judy. Each January my vases have these same flowers plus arum. Reliable!
You have captured movement in this arrangement, very elegant. Have you treated the hellebores?
Thank you. The hellebores are not lasting very well. Last week’s were conditioned only by placing in water and they survived all week in a floral pin, but these new ones were cut and immediately inserted into foam. Probably clogged the stems. I have tried the method where you singe the stems but don’t like the odor nor bother. Do you have a technique?
No I don’t. Hellebores really don’t like to be cut flowers. The best way to display them seems to be to float the flowers in water. As far as my experience goes anyway !
I like teasing them out of their comfort zone, but that’s true. They do look beautiful floating in a dish.
I am loving the soft colors, especially the Hellebores with the creamy varigated Arum leaves. I never could grow Daphne in Atlanta, my mother had a huge one in her garden I almost stole when I sold her house.
I’ve always read Daphne just keel over after 6-7 years. One of three did just that with no warning a couple years back. I need to plant a couple more for backup.
I wanted to lean into the screen and give that Daphne a sniff. The Hellebores are pretty.
That is an impressive branch of daphne. We used to grow it on the farm, but it does not do very well here. Only old stock plants made branches like yours (but they weren’t as pretty because they were stock plants.)