In A Vase On Monday – Color Burst
Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share a vase highlighting what is growing in our gardens.
A snow storm passed through Thursday, flattening most of the daffodils. I picked a few for a vase today but actually I had a different flower in mind to feature. I planted 100 Anemone De Caen ‘Mr Fokker’ last year and disappointingly only 5 or 6 survived. The first bloom emerged from the snow unscathed. It opened Sunday and I designated it star of today’s vase, pairing it with hellebores.
Anemone De Caen ‘Mr Fokker’
In A Vase On Monday – Color Burst
Modest in size the anemone was nearly overwhelmed by its taller and bulkier companions but I liked the rich color palette the hellebores added.
In A Vase On Monday – Color Burst
The shorter hellebore in front is Helleborus x ericsmithii ‘Pirouette’ and the taller one at back right is Helleborus x hybridus ‘Frostkiss™ Penny’s Pink’.
Helleborus x ericsmithii ‘Pirouette’ PPAF
Helleborus x ericsmithii ‘Pirouette’ PPAF
Helleborus x ericsmithii ‘Pirouette’ PPAF
Helleborus x hybridus ‘Frostkiss™ Penny’s Pink’
Helleborus x hybridus ‘Frostkiss™ Penny’s Pink’
Helleborus x hybridus ‘Frostkiss™ Penny’s Pink’
The white/green with pink touches is an unnamed hybrid.
Helleborus x hybridus With Helleborus x hybridus ‘Frostkiss™ Penny’s Pink’
Materials
Flowers and Foliage
Anemone De Caen ‘Mr Fokker’
Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten rose)
Helleborus x hybridus ‘Frostkiss™ Penny’s Pink’
Helleborus x ericsmithii ‘Pirouette’ PPAF
Container
Porcelain Ikebana vase, Georgetown Pottery, Maine. Triangle Black Wave (6.5 W x 6.5 L x 2H)
In A Vase On Monday – Color Burst
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 this week.
pbmGarden 
Beautiful
Thank you.
Lovely. You probably know, but I learnt at my gardening group that searing (plunging in boiling water) the ends of the Hellebore stems for a few moments prolongs their vase life. Alternatively slitting the stem, but that is difficult.
Thanks LInda. I’ve seared end by passing through a flame and the smell is horrible, not worth it. I will try the boiling water trick sometime.
I love all the different phases the hellebore flower passes through. They are all interesting, delightful and because they last for so long, especially on the plant, a really great plant to have in the garden at this time of year! Yours are lovely, and I love the anemone, especially as it sits next to the lime green of the hellebore alongside. Thank you. Amanda https://therunningwave.blogspot.com/2020/02/in-vase-on-monday-namaste.html
Great blooms, and I am beginning to wonder whether I ought to remove a couple of ferns, or move them, and make way for some hellebore.
Maybe the ferns will give over a bit of space for hellebores. They die back about the time hostas begin to fill in.
Beautiful arrangement. That ‘Penny’s Pink’ is stunning!
Thanks Tina. I like ‘Penny’s Pink’ too. It’s a new one for me and it’s been getting better and better as the week has progressed.
Your arrangement is so graceful. That pop of purple really draws the eye.
Thank you. I was determined to use that anemone!
I have Penny’s Pink and Pirouette too (although I am underwhelmed by the latter)! I have not heard of searing the ends of the stem but I have tried boiling water and slitting, with no real success. The effect of the solitary anemone amidst the more subdued hellebores works surprisingly well. doesn’t it? And oh for a UK supplier of these Georgetown Pottery ikebana vases!
Just getting a chance to reply and it is already Thursday. The hellebores this week have held up great without treatment. I was so thrilled to see the anemone and just “willed” it to work. The ikebana vase is a favorite choice among my vases.
I looked the pottery up on the internet and there pieces about but postage is usually very expensive – but I shall try to search regularly for some in the UK or Europe instead
The subtle colors of your Hellebores are stunning. I agree with Cathy, above, that the shock of the brilliant Anemone works surprisingly well (too bad you didn’t get a bigger yield but I hear that they do spread and naturalize).
Thank Ricki. Anemones must need something they’re not finding in my garden. I did find a few more open today!
The Hellebores are gorgeous and so is Mr. Fokker, I killed any number of Anemones in Atlanta. Learned later my incredibly well drained soil was not good for them?!
Interesting, I was worried my garden wasn’t draining well enough for the anemones (though I still blame varmints).
A stunning star and superb supporting cast. 🙂
Thanks so much Eliza. An unlikely cast of players but they are still going strong.
You did a masterful job of highlighting the blue anemone using the hellebores like a Greek chorus of sorts. The anemones must have been spectacular that first year and I can imagine your disappointment over their failure to return. Sadly, that’s the story here too, which has led me to treat them as annuals. Their presence may be fleeting but it still brings joy.
Oh, the anemones never showed up the first year either Kris. I have a bad record in trying to grow them but I keep trying. The best they’ve ever done was when planted in autumn. They bloomed in December!
I agree: It is a rich color palette and very beautiful! The Anemone is such a stunning color, and the Hellebores are great companions. I could see the Anemone in a bud vase by itself, too. It’s luscious!
A few more anemones opened this week Beth so I took your advice and put them in a little bud vase to enjoy!
Lovely hellebores. I love these ericsmithii hybrids but I don’t think they have staying power in our climate. Lovely to see your first anemone. I always long to have masses but I only ever get a few at a time.
Will be interesting to see how the ericsmithii perform here. Oh, wouldn’t masses of anemone be dreamy!
Lovely as always and I like the cheeky anemone! Had an ericsmithii too but lost it, so maybe Chloris is right and it’s a bit delicate. Hope your weather will improve soon x
Thanks for the word of warning about ericsmithii. I need to hurry and get it planted so I’ll check the planting instructions carefully.
Your vase is gorgeous, I love the space you’ve given each bloom. Did you mean very few of the Anemones appeared last year as well? I have found that it makes a big difference if the ‘bulb’ is soaked over night in water before planting.
Thanks Christina. Yes, that’s what I meant. Don’t remember now how long I soaked them but I have a few on order and will definitely soak overnight. The few that survived are ones I planted in pots. Others were directly planted in ground. I’ve been wondering if yours are blooming, also tulips?
Yes; I have lots of Anemones flowering. They have been for some time. We’ve been having a very mild winter so far; the last two weeks have been really spring-like. My first tulips opened yesterday. But today has been a bit bleak with very strong winds.
Anemone is rad! I have not grown them in years because they are like short term annuals. They bloom once, but only a few bloom a second time. By the third year, none bloomed for me, but the foliage came back for year. I should try them again.
Anemone must be a bit stubborn for most of us. I’ll keep trying!
That anemone is wonderful and stands out well against the darker hellebores, which are so lovely. I also have a hellebore called Penny‘s Pink. 😃
Thanks Cathy. Penny’s Pink has faded beautifully this week. I must get the plant itself in the ground soon. So little time for gardening lately and so many chores are stacked up waiting.
I like the orange-hued Hellebores.