In A Vase On Monday – Christmastide
Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share a vase of cuttings from our gardens.
Prepared on Sunday during pouring down rain, many ingredients in this week’s offering may look familiar. Instead of trekking outdoors to hunt for materials I salvaged what I could from last week’s vase: winter daphne, lavender, dogwood. Refreshed with the addition of several anthuriums gleaned from a house plant, along with a couple of stems of poinsettia, the vase has shifted into holiday mode. I also added leaves from a beefsteak begonia.
In A Vase On Monday – Christmastide
Placed into a silver tray dotted with red and silver holiday ornaments and paired with an orchid full of rich purple, the repurposed arrangement celebrates winter solstice* today and is ready for the countdown to Christmas.
In A Vase On Monday – Christmastide
Despite the strangeness of this stay-at-home year and the challenging family health issues we faced in recent month, we find ourselves full of gratitude and joy. My husband is improving. During his illness and recovery we have been the recipients of an outpouring of generosity, love and kindness—cards, emails, calls, meals, offers of assistance, and as the holiday season swings ’round, delicious desserts. The poinsettia and the orchid are new this year, each gifts from neighborhood friends, as was the anthurium last year.
In A Vase On Monday – Christmastide
In A Vase On Monday – Christmastide
In A Vase On Monday – Christmastide
Amidst the foliage I included one tiny symbolic sprig of balsam fir at the base, clipped from a lovely door swag wreath sent by former across-the-street Wave Road neighbors.
In A Vase On Monday – Christmastide
Materials
Flowers
Anthurium
Orchid
Poinsettia
Foliage
Balsam fir
Begonia ‘Erythrophylla’ (Beefsteak Begonia)
Cornus florida (Flowering Dogwood)
Daphne odora (Winter daphne)
Lavandula x intermedia ‘Dutch’ (Dutch Lavender)
Lathyrus latifolius (Everlasting sweet pea)
Container
Silver Gallery Tray with holiday baubles
In A Vase On Monday – Christmastide
It is a gift also to have you visit my blog. I appreciate your interest, advice and support throughout the year. Hope you are making or finding reasons to smile each day.
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 surprises she and others found to place in a vase this week.
*December Solstice (Winter Solstice) is on Monday, December 21, 2020 at 5:02 am in Chapel Hill. In terms of daylight, this day is 4 hours, 53 minutes shorter than on June Solstice.
pbmGarden 
Beautiful holiday arrangement. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Thank you Judy, Merry Christmas! 🎄
Thank goodness for gardens to bring brightness to this year. Merry Christmas and best wishes for the coming year.
Yes, gardens have saved us this year. Merry Christmas! 🎄
Your arrangement is just the ticket to bring us all some cheer. Wishing you a healthy and peaceful Christmas.
Thanks so much! Merry Christmas! 🎄
A beautiful and unique arrangement. I love the combination of anthurium, poinsettia and orchid. The orchid is gorgeous.
Thank you, Alicia. Looking forward to enjoying that orchid for many weeks. Enjoy the season.
I thought you had done something clever with berries, Susie, threading them on wire, but eventually realised there is a string of beads/baubles in the mix!! Your festive arrangement is cleverly put together and it’s lovely that it contains so many elements from those who have supported you in recent times. What caring family, friends and neighbours you have 😊Let’s hope 2021 sees further improvements in your husband’s health as well as a return to some sort of normailty sometime.
Thanks for the good wishes Cathy. Normal sounds so exciting right now! I don’t have any fresh berries but found a few shiny Christmas decorations that filled out the arrangement.
When we do finally have ‘normal’ again there are some things I will miss though – like not going out in the evening (some things have had to stop altogether for the duration) and the convenience of Zoom for exercise classes! But you are right, normal does sound exciting!
An arrangement compiled from gifts past and present is a wonderful nod to Christmas, Susie. My brain got snagged on the reference to “pouring down rain” as we’re dry as dust here, with temperatures stretching to 80F today. I wish Santa could snag your downpour and redirect some of it our way but it seems that Grinch-like La Nina and a stubborn ridge of high pressure air have conspired to give us another year of drought instead.
Drought is so frustrating. Since I’ve gardened here there have been many years of extreme drought or wet. Wet is easier (I think so for now anyway!).
Fabulous! That’s bold and intricate and perfect for the season. I love the foliage you’ve used too. I did a double take when I saw the pea stalk, until I read your description. The red in that begonia leaf works brilliantly with the rest of the display. Have a peaceful and relaxing Christmas!
The sweet pea is real–never died back this year despite freezes. Glad you spotted the red side of a begonia leaf. Most of them refused to show that underside and I didn’t take time to “insist.”
A wonderful festive arrangement Susie. It really captures the spirit of the holiday season with the added sparkle from ornaments and the rich warm colours. It is good to hear your husband is doing well, and I am also glad you have such good neighbours and friends nearby to give you support. I wish you and your husband a very happy Christmas with many smiles and laughter too. 😃🤗🎄
Cathy, those shiny ornaments elevated it instantly to a holiday celebration. Thanks for your good wishes and for sharing your wonderful blog all year long. Best of the season and a peaceful new year!
Many thanks for sharing your inspirational creations with us throughout the year, Susie, wishing you and your family a peaceful Christmas with plenty of hugs and laughter.
Thanks for sharing your world with us too, Annette. Merry Christmas!
P.S. When you have time, take a look. I posted camellias for you at https://pbmgarden.blog/2020/12/16/almost-wordless-wednesday-camellias-in-situ/
Wow; I wold be hesitant to cut poinsettia bloom. The plants that produce them do not produce enough to spare. I would not mind cutting some from the garden, but they are very different from the forced blooms.