In A Vase On Monday – Spring Tryouts
Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share a vase of materials gathered from our gardens.
More spring-like weather moved the garden along this week so there was a bit of choice as to what could go in this week’s vase. I gathered various flowers but settled on a large bunch of summer snowflakes to serve as background for cerinthe.
In A Vase On Monday – Spring Tryouts
Only two stems of cerinthe proved ready to cut but I forged ahead, styling the flowers in a very pretty blue wine glass I thought would complement the cerinthe.
In A Vase On Monday – Spring Tryouts
Unfortunately the distinctive blue color and etched pattern of the glass disappeared once filled with the green snowflake stems and the vase turned rather bland. The glass was a bit too tall as well, making the proportions seem off.
In A Vase On Monday – Spring Tryouts
I shifted to placing coral-hued camellias in little containers, thinking I could group them with the glass of cerinthe and snowflakes. The effect was still not what I had in mind.
In A Vase On Monday – Spring Tryouts
Eventually I settled on using just the trio of camellia flowers, two in vodka shot glasses and one floating atop a milk glass punch cup.
In A Vase On Monday – Spring Tryouts
In A Vase On Monday – Spring Tryouts
In A Vase On Monday – Spring Tryouts
I was happy with the camellias but not quite satisfied that the cerinthe didn’t make the cut. So I tried the snowflakes and cerinthe in a Caithness bud vase. The vase color worked this time but the opening was much too small to hold many stems.
In A Vase On Monday – Spring Tryouts
In A Vase On Monday – Spring Tryouts
Materials
Flowers
Camellia ‘Coral Delight’
Leucojum aestivum (summer snowflake)
‘Pride of Gibraltar’ Hummingbird Cerinthe
Foliage
Camellia
Container
Assorted glassware; Punch cup paneled grape Milk Glass (Westmoreland); and Caithness glass bud vase
In A Vase On Monday – Spring Tryouts
Regardless of vase styles or arranging collections of vases, at this time of year each flower seems perfect—all make the cut.
In A Vase On Monday – Spring Tryouts
Many thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting and giving us an opportunity to try arranging flowers to share. Visit her to discover what garden surprises she and others are offering this week.
pbmGarden 
They are all wonderful Susie, especially the little teacup. 😃 It must have been fun trying out what appealed to you best. Love the close up photos of the Camellia. Gorgeous!
The little cup is from a punch bowl set that belonged to a dear aunt. I’ve always liked milk glass. That coral camellia is another favorite.
Susie, I like that Camellia as well – I guess it is a semi double? Not too heavy. My grandmother collected milk glass, I am not sure what happened to all of it. I like the end result with the blue vase; it is funny how things work out sometimes! Unexpectedly.
Thanks Amy. Yes it’s listed as a semi-double camellia I believe. Two others purchased at the same time didn’t make it (many years ago). My mother had some various-sized plates and some goblets that I loved when I was little. Not sure I ever got to eat or drink from them. They were just always on the top shelves of a cabinet with glass-front doors.
I had some of the true doubles – they flop and you can’t even see the flowers. I don’t think the milk glass was a Southern thing. MY MIL from Ohio had some as well…
Isn’t that curious how the blue of the first glass just disappeared?! It was really interesting to read through your thought process as you tried out the different containers, and they all have their merits of course. I am also intrigued by your cerinthe, as I have never come across a named variety before – is it still classed as an annual. Here, cerinthe can sometimes overwinter or self seed, although it hasn’t done for me. Your camellias are so pretty and must look wonderful in the garden too. Thanks for sharing, as always
Growing cerinthe is new to me so I enjoy knowing about your experience with it. I purchased this at Renee’s Seeds. https://www.reneesgarden.com/products/cerinthe-pride-of-gibraltar
I will Google and see if it is available in the UK
Sarah Raven appears to have several.
Yes, and one of the sellers on eBay I use have of P of G, so I will make a note of that for next year 👍
I’m envious of your summer snowflakes. If I get any at all, they’re paltry. Their foliage has only just appeared here, presumably because we finally got a couple of rainstorms in close succession. I liked both incarnations of your arrangement with them but I agree that the proportions of the second seemed better. The Camellias are gorgeous.
Kris, the summer snowflakes came in handy. My neighbor stopped by with freshly-baked Irish Soda Bread Sunday evening and I was able to grab these from the vase to pass along to her.
I find those camellias delightful, and you’ve balanced them beautifully. with the different angles of the three having great merit showing each at different stages of opening. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Noelle. The camellias have been such a treat indoors this week.
Looks like someone had fun playing with flowers this week 🙂 I’m envious! ❤
Eliza, I did have fun up to a point. It was one of those days when I had something in mind but couldn’t translate it into an arrangement. Ok in the end though.
Oh, I love, love Camellias! Your vases are so graceful and colorful. 🙂
Thanks Beth. I have two sasanquas but I love this spring-time bloomer.
Ah! Snowflake! That is what I know as snowdrops. There are no snowdrops here yet, and with snowflakes doing so well, there may never be any.
Apparently people who love snowdrops really get hooked, but I haven’t managed to get any to live.
That is what I dislike about them. They seem to be a fad; and I dislike fads. However, I am told that I would appreciate them in a climate that inhibits bloom of other species through winter. There is always something in bloom here, so I do not know what it is like to see the first bloom after a long and cold winter.