Tag Archives: 2018vase

In A Vase On Monday – Holiday Cyclamen

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In A Vase On Monday – Holiday Cyclamen

Each Monday from Rambling In The Garden Cathy invites us to share a vase assembled from materials collected in our gardens.

My garden club visited a member’s greenhouse during the first week of December. Although Katydid Greenhouses displayed a multitude of poinsettias, cyclamen are what I prefer for decorating with during the holidays.

Katydid Greenhouses

Fortunately there were plenty of cyclamen in varying colors from which to choose.

Katydid Greenhouses

For today’s offering I combined four cyclamen from that field trip with a few Green Trick Dianthus that caught my eye at the local grocery. I finished the arrangement with a few decorative baubles—red seedpods, glass ornaments and ribbons.

In A Vase On Monday – Holiday Cyclamen

Materials

Flowers
Cyclamen
Dianthus barbatus ‘Green Trick’
Foliage
Cyclamen
Philodendron
Container
Silverplate Bowl and Tray

White cyclamen are my favorite but this dark pink was too appealing to leave behind.

In A Vase On Monday – Holiday Cyclamen

In A Vase On Monday – Holiday Cyclamen

Yesterday’s view of the meditation circle and garden was a snowy winter wonderland.  Fortunately I managed to get all my bulbs planted early in the week. I hope they’re settled in and enjoying a nice chill.

December Snow

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.

In A Vase On Monday – Yuletide Branches

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In A Vase On Monday – Yuletide Branches

Each Monday from Rambling In The Garden Cathy invites us to share a vase assembled from materials collected in our gardens.

Today I offer edited and arranged branches of Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’ in an artichoke green vase.

In A Vase On Monday – Yuletide Branches

The blooms are not fully open and will continue to unfold.

In A Vase On Monday – Yuletide Branches

Materials

Flowers and Foliage
Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’
Container
Hand-thrown ceramic vase from Seagrove Pottery, unknown artist

Quick report back on the Hippeastrum from last week’s vase: the stem was cut 9 days ago and placed in water. While two flowers have faded and been removed, the remaining three blooms continue to look fresh. Four of the flowers had been open for a few days before I cut the stem, so I am satisfied with the longevity of the amaryllis as a cut flower.

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.

In A Vase On Monday – Amaryllis (Hippeastrum hybrid)

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In A Vase On Monday – Amaryllis (Hippeastrum hybrid)

Each Monday from Rambling In The Garden Cathy invites us to share a vase assembled from materials collected in our gardens.

Two of my sisters visited during Thanksgiving weekend to help celebrate my husband’s birthday and I was thrilled to receive a gift of my own—this amazing amaryllis Cindy grew. A dwarf hybrid, whose name is forgotten, came planted in a charming white tin bucket and already displaying 4 open blooms on one stalk. A fifth flower has since opened. Unfortunately I forgot to take a photograph before cutting the flowering stem to allow it to condition in water overnight.

I read the hippeastrum should last two weeks as a cut flower or ten days left attached to the bulb.

There is a second stalk growing from the bulb as well. Though buds are not visible yet on the second one, perhaps this amaryllis will make its way into a future Monday vase.

The tops of these flowers exhibit white petals smudged with pink, while the lower petals are pure white. Centers are a rich lime green.

In A Vase On Monday – Amaryllis (Hippeastrum hybrid)

Variegated, heart-shaped leaves gently frame today’s flowers.

In A Vase On Monday – Amaryllis (Hippeastrum hybrid)

My neighbor Carrie passed along this philodendron cutting a few weeks ago and it quickly took root in water. (Hers is quietly traversing and conquering great swaths of territory in her house.)

I enjoy the way the philodendron roots serve here to add both weight and movement to the bottom half of the bud vase.

In A Vase On Monday – Amaryllis (Hippeastrum hybrid)

Before settling on this clear vase I tried several options, including a pink hand-blown perfume bottle. The amaryllis stalk was much too thick, but I kept the bottle as a companion. The lines in the bottle pick up the floating curves of the philodendron roots.

In A Vase On Monday – Amaryllis (Hippeastrum hybrid)

Materials

Flowers
Amaryllis (Hippeastrum hybrid)
Foliage
Philodendron
Container
Glass bud vase

In A Vase On Monday – Amaryllis (Hippeastrum hybrid)

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.

In A Vase On Monday – Pink And White Trio

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In A Vase On Monday – Pink And White Trio

Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share an arrangement assembled from materials collected in our gardens.

More camellias today, a trio of Camellia sasanqua ‘Hana-Jiman’ which have been featured several times recently.  I had found another Clematis ‘Jackmanii’ bloom to include today as well, but the camellias seemed to prefer to go it alone today.

In A Vase On Monday – Pink And White Trio

Materials
Flowers
Camellia sasanqua ‘Hana-Jiman’
Foliage
Clematis ‘Jackmanii’
Container
Rounded white glass bowl

In A Vase On Monday – Pink And White Trio

In A Vase On Monday – Pink And White Trio

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.

In A Vase On Monday – Anniversary Five

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In A Vase On Monday – Anniversary Five

On January 14, 2014 I began creating weekly vases and participating in a popular ritual called “in A Vase On Monday.” Hosted by Cathy at Rambling In The Garden, “In A Vase On Monday” has intrigued and enticed people across the globe to share some flowers, foliage, berries and branches plucked mostly from their gardens.

But before I was in the know about it, Cathy had already been building a community of floral enthusiasts for months. This week Cathy is celebrating the Five-Year Anniversary of her first Monday vase posting. I cannot thank her enough for providing this unique coming-together of garden bloggers. Mondays are made better seen through her eyes, with Cathy-style plants, props and commentary. So thank you Cathy and Happy IAVOM Anniversary!

In A Vase On Monday – Anniversary Five

To mark her fifth anniversary Cathy challenged contributors to create a (Not) In a Vase on Monday this week. Every idea I came up with for presenting my flowers seemed to still need a container. So I am sneaking in a vase while declaring it is I who cannot be contained. I cannot contain my enthusiasm for this last collection from the garden, picked before our first dip below freezing. Though I gathered some sasanquas just in case, there were plenty of other colorful choices to use instead today.

A few pristine Shasta daisies seem to defy the season. I plucked them first.

Dahlia and Shasta Daisy

Next are pale yellow button chrysanthemums just coming into bloom, passalongs from my mother’s first cousin, Virgie. She shared many, many of her plants with me and I have had them now for a good part of my life.

Chrysanthemum and Shasta Daisy

Button Chrysanthemum With Shasta, Purple Coneflower and Begonia

My uncontainable enthusiasm though mainly is reserved for the Jackmanii clematis, whose large purple blooms always bring a smile to my face—especially so in November. I envisioned them cascading beyond the vase and they more or less achieved my vision. Arum leaves dance in proximity on the right side of the design.

Clematis ‘Jackmanii’ and Arum Italicum Add Drama

Purple Blooms of Clematis ‘Jackmanii’

Materials
Flowers
Begonia
Button Chrysanthemum (Hardy Chrysanthemum passalong from Virgie)
Dahlia ‘Fireworks’
Clematis ‘Jackmanii’
Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower)
Lavandula x intermedia ‘Dutch’ (Dutch Lavender)
Leucanthemum superbum ‘Becky’ (Shasta Daisy)
Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’
Verbena bonariensis (Tall Verbena)
Foliage
Arum italicum
Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’ (Lil’ Ruby dwarf Oakleaf Hydrangea)
Container
Ceramic Urn Stamped “Vintage 4”

Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’

In A Vase On Monday – Anniversary Five

Again, happy anniversary and 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 the other wonderful contributors have found to place In A Vase On Monday.

For even more flowers see all my Monday vases: 2018   2017   2016   2015   2014

In A Vase On Monday – Chrysanthemum and Camellia

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In A Vase On Monday – Chrysanthemum and Camellia

Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share an arrangement assembled from materials collected in our gardens.

I love daylight saving time but the time shift yesterday brought an extra hour of early morning enjoyment. The ground was covered with a very light first frost that quickly disappeared. I used the time to gather chrysanthemums and camellias for today’s vase and place them into water for conditioning, before heading off to teach my weekly Gentle Yoga class.

In A Vase On Monday – Chrysanthemum and Camellia

Both these flowers have been blossoming for several weeks. Wishing I had used some Oasis to help keep the stems in position, I went round and round inserting, removing and re-inserting these flowers until it was simply time to stop and appreciate the gift of fresh blooms in November.

In A Vase On Monday – Chrysanthemum and Camellia

The sasanqua has a light, but sweet fragrance that makes it all the more enticing.

In A Vase On Monday – Chrysanthemum and Camellia

Materials
Flowers
Camellia sasanqua ‘Hana-Jiman’
Chrysanthemum ‘Sheffield Pink’ (Hardy Chrysanthemum)
Foliage
Achillea filipendulina (Fern-leaf Yarrow)
Iris leaves
Container
Raku ware, unknown artist, circa 1978.

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.

In A Vase On Monday – Summer Remnants

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In A Vase On Monday – Summer Remnants

In A Vase On Monday – Summer Remnants

Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share an arrangement composed of materials collected from our gardens.

As October soon draws to a close, the garden continues to offer some cheer. Last vestiges of zinnias and a few more Dahlia ‘Fireworks’ fill this week’s blue mug.

In A Vase On Monday – Summer Remnants

In A Vase On Monday – Summer Remnants

There are three colors of the dahlia plants from the Fireworks series that I picked up at a garden center early in summer. I would not grow them again. The yellow-red combination is not to my taste., the pinkish-red one is a little better. I prefer the apricot-peach one (tucked in bottom right of previous photo) but it blooms less well.

A Pair of Dahlia ‘Fireworks’

A volunteer marigold flowered in an abandoned terra cotta pot, opening just in time for me to add it to this week’s arrangement.

Autumn Marigolds

Dahlia ‘Fireworks’

Here are a few more close-ups. The zinnias are tiny at this time of year, but some still are beautiful.

Zinnia Cut and Come Again (Zinnia elegant pumila)

Purple Angelonia With Zinnia and Verbena

Angelonia, Zinnia, Verbena Bonariensis

Callicarpa americana (American beautyberry) is native and attracts birds. I watched a mockingbird eating the odd-colored berries and seemingly savoring each one.

Magenta Berries of Callicarpa americana (American beautyberry)

Materials
Flowers
Angelonia angustifolia ‘Purple’
Callicarpa americana (American beautyberry)
Celosia plumosa ‘Castle Mix’ (Feather Celosia)
Dahlia ‘Fireworks’
Marigold
Verbena bonariensis (Tall Verbena)
Zinnia Cut and Come Again (Zinnia elegant pumila)
Foliage
Marigold
Vase
Ceramic mug

In A Vase On Monday – Summer Remnants

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.

In A Vase On Monday – Pink October

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In A Vase On Monday – Pink October

Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share an arrangement composed of materials collected from our gardens.

I look forward to preparing a Monday vase each week and had planned to round up the last of the zinnias for today, but wow they really are past now. Time to pull them out and finally plant the pansies I bought a few days ago.

No frost yet but suddenly the air is chilly, clean and brisk. Yesterday’s sky was deep blue as neighbors gathered near the playground for an annual community BooFest, celebrating Halloween and harvest.

It seems strange but pink flowers seem to dominate this October.

Camellia sasanqua ‘Hana-Jiman’ is full of buds. Not many flowers are ready yet but I found two to use as a starting point for an arrangement.  Oops! One dropped all petals as I began to work.

Camellia sasanqua ‘Hana-Jiman’

A pass-along from my neighbor Nancy, Chrysanthemum ‘Sheffield Pink’ is just opening as well, with only a few flowers available.

Chrysanthemum ‘Sheffield Pink’ (Hardy Chrysanthemum)

Yarrow is having a second flush of flowering recently. All the fancy Achillea hybrids in beautiful colors die out quickly in my garden, but this pass-along pink is aggressively loyal.

Achillea filipendulina (Fern-leaf Yarrow)

The three mixed Dahlia ‘Fireworks’ plants bought early in summer are looking stronger, but they have not been noteworthy. I cut two of the pinkish cherry red for a different pop of color. Another dahlia from this series is yellow with red markings, which I strongly dislike and did not cut, and the third is a salmony-apricot that I do like, but its produces the fewest blooms.

In A Vase On Monday – Pink October

For filler I used a few stems of Perovskia, which is also staging a nice comeback this month in the side garden. I found two stems of Arum italicum to use for foliage.

Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage) and Chrysanthemum ‘Sheffield Pink’ (Hardy Chrysanthemum), Arum italicum leaf

The container is a triangular black Ikebana vase that I used many times. It is a perfect size to hold and highlight just a few flowers.

In A Vase On Monday – Pink October

Materials
Flowers
Achillea filipendulina (Fern-leaf Yarrow)
Camellia sasanqua ‘Hana-Jiman’
Chrysanthemum ‘Sheffield Pink’ (Hardy Chrysanthemum)
Dahlia ‘Fireworks’
Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage)
Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’
Foliage
Arum italicum
Vase
Porcelain Ikebana vase, Georgetown Pottery, Maine. Triangle Black Wave (6.5 W x 6.5 L x 2H)

In A Vase On Monday – Pink October

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.

In A Vase On Monday – Aloe And Iris

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In A Vase On Monday – Aloe And Iris

Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share an arrangement composed of materials collected from our gardens.

Aloe from last week’s vase made an easily accessible starting point for today. The focal point is a reblooming yellow iris from a foundation bed in front of the house. The timing of this iris is interesting—one in the back garden had already bloomed a full month earlier.

Reblooming Iris – a passalong

This one opened Friday, the day after Hurricane Michael passed through town. We were extremely fortunate, not even losing power, though many neighborhoods nearby were without for days due to fallen trees crashing on power lines.  On a day following a hurricane the sky is always clear blue, incredulously intense, pristinely innocent.

Leaves from Gold Dust Aucuba and cuttings from some ubiquitous-in-autumn, yellow potted chrysanthemums serve as filler.

Reblooming Iris and Aucuba japonica ‘Variegata’ (Gold Dust Aucuba)

Materials
Flowers
Chrysanthemum
Iris
Foliage
Aloe
Aucuba japonica ‘Variegata’ (Gold Dust Aucuba)
Vase
Ceramic bowl, black matte exterior, red glazed interior
Weighted florist’s pin, black

In A Vase On Monday – Aloe And Iris

This black and white study of the chrysanthemum buds illustrates how yellow serves as white in balancing light and darks in a floral design.

In A Vase On Monday – Aloe And Iris

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.

In A Vase On Monday – October Plum

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In A Vase On Monday – October Plum

Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share an arrangement composed of materials collected from our gardens.

The inspiration for today’s vase is a large piece of the kitchen aloe I keep handy at all times. I intended to let the aloe be the focal point, but I kept filling in with other cuttings from the autumn garden until the design veered drastically from my initial idea.

Aloe

An overgrown section of aloe was positioned upright into a florist’s pin resembling spokes of a wagon wheel. As more materials were added the aloe became more horizontal without me realizing it.

In A Vase On Monday – October Plum

Plum-tinged by the weather, Aquilegia foliage is featured front and center, its soft hue echoed and reenforced by surrounding spires of purple angelonia.

In A Vase On Monday – October Plum

Richly colored salvia and bright zinnias add zesty accents.

Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’

Zinnia Cut and Come Again (Zinnia elegant pumila)

Materials
Aloe
Angelonia ’Purple’ (summer snapdragon)
Aquilegia canadensis (Eastern red columbine)
Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ (Wormwood)
Dahlia ‘Fireworks’
Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’
Zinnia Cut and Come Again (Zinnia elegant pumila)
Vase
Ceramic bowl, black matte exterior, red glazed interior

In A Vase On Monday – October Plum

In A Vase On Monday – October Plum

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.

In A Vase On Monday – Autumn Glow

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Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share an arrangement composed of materials collected from our gardens.

In A Vase On Monday – Autumn Glow

The weather continues to feel very summery but autumn reveals itself this week in the bright, yellow glow of Swamp sunflowers currently dominating the western border.

The sunflowers are the focal point of this Monday’s vase.

Helianthus angustifolius (Swamp sunflower)

A lichen-covered branch from the river birch out front is used for structure and visual texture.

In A Vase On Monday – Autumn Glow

This arrangement really is a lot of fun in person but its personality proved difficult to capture in photographs.

In A Vase On Monday – Autumn Glow

Helianthus angustifolius (Swamp sunflower)

Materials
Flowers
Helianthus angustifolius (Swamp sunflower)
Lichen-covered Betula nigra (River Birch)
Container
Oasis Lomey 11″ Designer Dish, black, round
Three floral pins (frogs)
Black stones

Helianthus angustifolius (Swamp sunflower)

The Swamp Sunflower has its attractors, including this Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus).

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.

In A Vase On Monday – Blue And White In Autumn

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In A Vase On Monday – Blue And White In Autumn

Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share an arrangement composed of materials collected from our gardens.

In A Vase On Monday – Blue And White In Autumn

With the autumn season officially upon us, my garden is overgrown and in need of some tough love. Even the zinnias are fading. Today’s vase is fitted with a few rebloomers and lingerers, beginning with several lusciously fragrant gardenias. Of the the few zinnias that remain most are coming in with very tiny blooms. I spotted several diminutive white ones to include. There are also a couple of pristine Shasta daisies making a surprising appearance for this time of year.

In A Vase On Monday – Blue And White In Autumn

The title of this vase would more accurately be “purple, blue and white in autumn,” with Angelonia from the meditation circle providing purple hues and Blue Sky salvia offering up a true blue.

In A Vase On Monday – Blue And White In Autumn

In A Vase On Monday – Blue And White In Autumn

Materials
Flowers
Angelonia ‘Purple’
Gardenia jasminoides
Leucanthemum x superbum (Shasta Daisy)
Salvia uliginosa ‘Blue Sky’ (Bog sage)
Zinnia ‘Cut and Come Again’ (Zinnia elegant pumila), Botanical Interests.

Vase
Small matte-glazed blue ceramic vase

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.

In A Vase On Monday – Yellow Iris

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In A Vase On Monday – Yellow Iris

Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share an arrangement every Monday using materials collected from our gardens.

A reblooming yellow iris appeared suddenly that I was eager to share. While awaiting Hurricane Florence earlier in the week, I prepared a vase for today by foraging foliage from several previous weeks’ vases and pulling in a freshly cut dahlia and a handful of zinnias.

In A Vase On Monday – Yellow Iris

In A Vase On Monday – Yellow Iris

There was not time to fuss with this one.  We are safe from the storm and feeling very grateful. Hope you dear readers in the affected areas fared well also.

Materials
Flowers
Dahlia ‘Fireworks’
Iris
Zinnia ‘Cut and Come Again’ (Zinnia elegant pumila), Botanical Interests.
Foliage
Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ (Wormwood)
Canna
Gardenia
Vase
Porcelain Ikebana vase, Georgetown Pottery, Maine. Triangle Ikebana Blue Wave (6.5 W x 6.5 L x 2H inches)

In A Vase On Monday – Yellow Iris

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.

In A Vase On Monday – Duality

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In A Vase On Monday – Duality

Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share an arrangement every Monday using materials collected from our gardens. After very little rain recently an impending hurricane lurks in the Atlantic.

The inspiration for my vase this week is the foliage of my favorite indoor plant, Begonia ‘Erythrophylla’ or Beefsteak Begonia, with its rich forest green leaves that somehow are richly red on the underside.  I have been watching this begonia overflow its pot this summer and so decided to remove a section to use today. Then I will allow it to root in water and pass it along.

Begonia ‘Erythrophylla’ (Beefsteak Begonia)

Begonia ‘Erythrophylla’ (Beefsteak Begonia)

I wanted also to feature a garden phlox, perhaps it is ‘Robert Poore,’ that has been quietly blooming for many weeks in the southwestern part of the garden. Once clippers were in hand I discovered there was not as much flowering as it had seemed.

Phlox paniculata (Garden Phlox)

Phlox then has been overshadowed by strong spires and deep color of my next choice, Angelonia, which is dominating the meditation circle with its vigor.

Once all the materials were chosen their colors seemed incompatible. (With apologies to Elizabeth Warren) I persisted. The shock of a bright orange zinnia was used to offset the weight of the red and green foliage in the lower half, to keep drawing the eye back up toward the purple-blue flowers in the upper half of the design.

Staging the Ikebana vase on top of an iron candleholder gave the begonia leaves space to drop and flow with grace, rather than be compressed at the base.

In A Vase On Monday – Duality

Materials
Flowers
Angelonia angustifolia ‘Blue’ (Summer Snapdragon)
Angelonia angustifolia ‘Purple’ (Summer Snapdragon)
Zinnia Cut and Come Again (Zinnia elegant pumila)
Phlox paniculata (Garden Phlox)
Foliage
Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ (Wormwood)
Begonia ‘Erythrophylla’ (Beefsteak Begonia)
Vase
Porcelain Ikebana vase, Georgetown Pottery, Maine. Triangle Black Wave (6.5 W x 6.5 L x 2H)

Zinnia and Angelonia

In A Vase On Monday – Duality

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.

In A Vase On Monday – Tangerine Glow

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In A Vase On Monday – Tangerine Glow

Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share an arrangement every Monday using materials collected from our gardens. This week the main focus is broad leafed foliage and stem of canna whose orange flower is teasingly slow to unfurl.

This canna’s name is a mystery, but I admire its strongly patterned, richly colored leaves.

In A Vase On Monday – Tangerine Glow

Orange Canna

A few gardenias are blooming this week, a welcome surprise, especially since the brutally cold winter had caused serious damage to the bushes.

Dahlia, Zinnia and Gardenia jasminoides ‘August Beauty’

Zinnias continue to be a bright spot in the garden, although some of the plants are dying back now and the flowers are smaller.

In A Vase On Monday – Tangerine Glow

Verbena bonariensis adds dashes of color all around the borders.

Verbena bonariensis

Materials
Flowers
Canna
Dahlia ‘Fireworks’
Gardenia jasminoides ‘August Beauty’
Verbena bonariensis (Tall Verbena)
Zinnia ‘Cut and Come Again’ (Zinnia elegant pumila), Botanical Interests.
Foliage
Canna. Gardenia
Vase
Porcelain Ikebana vase, Georgetown Pottery, Maine. Triangle Ikebana Blue Wave (6.5 W x 6.5 L x 2H inches)

In A Vase On Monday – Tangerine Glow

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.

In A Vase On Monday – Quartet

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In A Vase On Monday – Late Summer Quartet

Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share an arrangement every Monday using materials collected from our gardens. We have been a few days now without rain and more significantly, three days of cooler temperatures and lower humidity, blue skies and warm sun have brought luscious comfort to these last days of August.

Zinnias took over my design plans again this week. I had planned to feature some tiny stems of unsung workers in the garden—marigolds, lantana, celosia—but when walking around the garden I could not resist including gold, yellow and orange zinnias as well. These paired well with silvery Artemisia and richly colored Blackbird Euphorbia.

In A Vase On Monday – Late Summer Quartet

By using four straight-sided vodka glasses set inside another glass dish, I was able to mix and match heights. This enabled me to still use some of the tiny-stemmed flowers as well. I like the multi-colored blooms of common lantana. Butterflies are drawn to it also. In the bottom right corner perhaps you can make out the deep red of Marigold ’Spry Boy.’

In A Vase On Monday – Late Summer Quartet

The white-tipped undersides of this orange zinnia is strikingly different from others in this collection. Below it rests an apricot Dahlia ‘Fireworks.’

In A Vase On Monday – Late Summer Quartet

Although I like the vases collected into one arrangement, I was curious how they might look scattered more free-range.

I found this more interesting and versatile.

In A Vase On Monday – Late Summer Quartet

The interplay of forms is more obvious when the flowers are given space. The dahlias especially seem happier in this looser format.

In A Vase On Monday – Late Summer Quartet

Materials
Flowers
Celosia plumosa ‘Castle Mix’ (Feather Celosia)
Dahlia ‘Fireworks’
Lantana camara (Common lantana)
Marigold ’Spry Boy’
Tanacetum vulgare (Tansy)
Zinnia ‘Cut and Come Again’ (Zinnia elegant pumila), Botanical Interests.
Foliage
Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ (Wormwood)
Euphorbia ‘Blackbird’ (Spurge)
Vase
Vodka glasses and Glass dish

In A Vase On Monday – Late Summer Quartet

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.

In A Vase On Monday – Gold Dust And Angelonia

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In A Vase On Monday – Gold Dust And Angelonia

Cathy at Rambling In The Garden generously invites us to share an arrangement every Monday using materials collected from our gardens.

From the Zinnia Cut and Come Again collection I picked dozens of colorful blooms yesterday, but only one zinnia found its way toward the back of today’s design, a rare white one.

Zinnia Cut and Come Again (Zinnia elegant pumila)

Having planned to focus on foliage this week I collected a large piece of Gold Dust Aucuba and an arching stem of Sarcococca.

For color there are Angelonia and everlasting sweet pea.

Angelonia angustifolia ‘PAC – Angelos Bicolor’

Lathyrus latifolius (Perennial Sweet Pea)

Materials
Flowers
Angelonia angustifolia ‘PAC – Angelos Bicolor’
Angelonia angustifolia ‘Purple’ (Summer Snapdragon)
Angelonia angustifolia ‘White’ (Summer Snapdragon)
Lathyrus latifolius (Perennial Sweet Pea)
Zinnia Cut and Come Again (Zinnia elegant pumila)
Foliage
Aucuba japonica ‘Variegata’ (Gold Dust Aucuba)
Sarcococca ruscifolia (Fragrant Sweet Box)
Container
Porcelain Ikebana vase, Georgetown Pottery, Maine. Triangle Black Wave (6.5 W x 6.5 L x 2H)

In A Vase On Monday – Gold Dust And Angelonia

Hope your late summer garden is bringing you joy.

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.

In A Vase On Monday – Two Vases, One Bouquet

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In A Vase On Monday – Two Vases, One Bouquet

Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share an arrangement every Monday using materials collected from our gardens.

For today’s vase I chose a Raku pot purchased at our local Apple Chill street fair one autumn long ago, when five dollars was a significant investment.

Reliable and trouble-free, Angelonia ‘Purple’ caught my eye as I looked around the garden yesterday for flowers to feature. Also I included Dahlia ‘Fireworks’ because it is finally beginning to flower a bit more, though it remains rather lackluster. The three ‘Fireworks’ plants are the only dahlias in my garden this summer (my friend Libby’s mom’s red dahlia did not make it through our harsh winter).

In A Vase On Monday – Two Vases, One Bouquet

Zinnia Cut and Come Again continue to color the garden with fresh and long-lasting flowers, drawing hummingbirds, butterflies and other various insects. There is sign of powdery mildew on some of the leaves but the flowers power on. I used most of the zinnias I cut yesterday in a secondary arrangement, but several of the deep orange ones found their way into Monday’s vase, nestling among the purples of Angelonia and one stem of instensely blue-violet salvia.

In A Vase On Monday – Two Vases, One Bouquet

Two clusters of bright yellow Tansy flowers add a final touch.

In A Vase On Monday – Two Vases, One Bouquet

Many of my designs are viewed only from the front, but this one is meant to be seen from all directions.

In A Vase On Monday – Two Vases, One Bouquet

The asymmetry of this view looks more formal, yet gives a touch of personality.

In A Vase On Monday – Two Vases, One Bouquet

Some of the stems in today’s bouquet, especially part of the Angelonia and the dahlias, were not as long as I would have liked.  Concerned they may end of out of water at some point during the week, I decided after the photo shoot to trim all the stems evenly and place them into a different container.  Looking freer in this casual soup mug, the flowers will provide a cheery presence this week.

In A Vase On Monday – Two Vases, One Bouquet

Materials
Flowers
Angelonia ‘Purple’
Dahlia ‘Fireworks’
Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’
Tanacetum vulgare (Tansy)
Zinnia Cut and Come Again (Zinnia elegant pumila)
Containers
Lime green soup mug
Raku ware, unknown artist, circa 1978.

It is fun to share vases with others across the world. Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting each week. Visit her to discover what she and others found to place In A Vase On Monday.

In A Vase On Monday – Orange And White

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In A Vase On Monday – Orange And White

Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share an arrangement every Monday using materials collected from our gardens.

Zinnia Cut and Come Again are reliable for a profusion of summer blooms. Jason mentioned his were mainly white and orange and coincidentally those are the two colors I had selected for today’s vase. I seem to have a balanced mixture of colors this year, but the white is rare among the reds, pinks and yellows.

Zinnia Cut and Come Again (Zinnia elegant pumila

There are more oranges this year in the mix.

Zinnia Cut and Come Again (Zinnia elegant pumila

Heuchera villosa ‘Big Top Bronze’ is beginning to bloom in a dark corner behind other plants so I decided to bring a stem indoors.

Heuchera villosa ‘Big Top Bronze’ (Coral Bells)

For natural accents I reused a piece of bark from a previous arrangement, along with a seed pod from Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Plant) from a few weeks ago. The pod has transformed and burst open.

Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Plant)

A bunch of zinnias make a great summer bouquet, but even in small number they have great presence.

In A Vase On Monday – Orange And White

Materials
Flowers
Heuchera villosa ‘Big Top Bronze’ (Coral Bells)
Zinnia Cut and Come Again (Zinnia elegant pumila)
Other
Bark: Lagerstroemia (Crape Myrtle)
Pod: Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Plant)
Container
Porcelain Ikebana vase. Rectangle Blue Zen (6.75L x 3.75W x 2H inches)

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.

In A Vase On Monday – July Complementary

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In A Vase On Monday – July Complementary

Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share an arrangement every Monday using materials collected from our gardens.

Before thinking consciously of today’s vase in terms of complementary yellow and purple, I had in mind tall stems of fading sunny Rudbeckia, the green cone-heads featured prominently, and backed by a large purply patterned Canna leaf. I also wanted to use pieces of bark saved from a Lagerstroemia (Crape Myrtle), especially this lichen-covered section.

Lichen and Lagerstroemia (Crape Myrtle) Bark

Using two floral pins or frogs I began by inserting the bark.  Next the rudbeckia and canna went in as planned.

Before long I had rescued a stem of Tansy from last week’s vase for more yellow and more texture.

In A Vase On Monday – July Complementary

More purples slipped in—Angelonia and Euphorbia ‘Blackbird.’ Much of the bark which was expected to provide a strong impact receded in favor of the angelonia.

Euphorbia ‘Blackbird’ (Spurge)

Dahlia ‘Fireworks’ has disappointed this year, giving only one or two blooms at a time, but the flowers called out when I was cutting materials and found their way into the design.

Dahlia ‘Fireworks’

Materials
Flowers
Angelonia ‘Purple
Dahlia ‘Fireworks’
Euphorbia ‘Blackbird’ (Spurge)
Rudbeckia laciniata (Green-Headed Coneflower)
Tanacetum vulgare (Tansy)
Foliage
Canna
Lagerstroemia (Crape Myrtle) Bark with Lichen
Container
Oasis Lomey 11″ Designer Dish, black, round
Two Three-inch floral pins (frog)
Black Stones

In A Vase On Monday – July Complementary

In A Vase On Monday – July Complementary

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.

In A Vase On Monday – Old-Fashioned Blooms

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In A Vase On Monday – Old-Fashioned Blooms

Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share an arrangement every Monday using materials collected from our gardens. Thunder and lightning was exciting briefly late Saturday night, but the activity brought very little rain.

Zinnias began flowering ten days ago, cheering up the garden with colorful old-fashioned loveliness.

In A Vase On Monday – Old-Fashioned Blooms

By early June when daffodil foliage had finally died back so I could reclaim some space, I was losing interest in gardening because it was so extremely hot. But I found an old packet of Zinnia ‘Cut and Come Again’ (Zinnia elegant pumila), packaged for 2017 by Botanical Interests, and sprinkled out the seeds. Simple, colorful, heat-loving and reliable—what could be easier?

In A Vase On Monday – Old-Fashioned Blooms

In-between the time of planting seeds and harvesting the flowers, I celebrated a birthday with lots of family. The container today is one of a pair of mugs I received during a big family get-together that unexpectedly turned into a bit of a birthday fest for me. The cups were crafted by my niece’s mother-in-law, featuring beautiful form and blue glaze. The blue batik table runner was made by my sister using special Japanese fabric.

Mugs and Table Runner

Light in the dining room was fading so for staging pictures I draped the table runner over a chair in the foyer. I decided to include another gift. This spring I began teaching yoga and meditation regularly so this Tibetan meditation chime from another sister was particularly thoughtful.

In A Vase On Monday – Old-Fashioned Blooms

Well back to this Monday’s design, a single stem of fern-like foliage of Tanacetum vulgare (Tansy) inserted into the mug created support structure that worked well to hold the zinnias in place. As well, there is a cluster of Tansy flowers just beginning to open.

In A Vase On Monday – Old-Fashioned Blooms

The flowers look sparser from the back but I love the color of this largest zinnia.

In A Vase On Monday – Old-Fashioned Blooms

Materials
Flowers
Zinnia ‘Cut and Come Again’ (Zinnia elegant pumila), Botanical Interests. Heirloom. (packed for 2017)
Foliage
Tanacetum vulgare (Tansy)
Vase
Stoneware mug. Mary Murray, Mountain Forest Pottery, Brevard, NC.

In A Vase On Monday – Old-Fashioned Blooms

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.

In A Vase On Monday – Purple, Orange, Pod and Bark

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In A Vase On Monday – Purple, Orange, Pod and Bark

I look forward each week to joining Cathy at Rambling In The Garden, along with other garden bloggers from around the globe, in sharing an arrangement every Monday using materials collected from our gardens.

After enjoying an exciting and special time with family during the weekend, I quickly pieced together a simple Ikebana design for today. A few Asclepias plants are still blooming despite very dry conditions in the garden, but pods are forming as well. One seedpod and one flowering stem were the starting point for today’s vase.

I paired the Asclepias with a section of bark from a crape myrtle from the front garden (another storm mishap for those of you who are familiar with the history of my poor trees–this one being a particularly galling incident considering how dry it is still).

Just before photographing the vase I tucked in two sprigs of angelonia to kick up the color impact. Angelonia is a great annual for summer color.

Angelonia (Summer Snapdragon)

Materials
Flowers and Seedpod
Angelonia (Summer snapdragon)
Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Plant)
Bark
Lagerstroemia (Crape Myrtle)
Vase
Porcelain Ikebana vase, Georgetown Pottery, Maine. Triangle Ikebana Blue Wave (6.5 W x 6.5 L x 2H inches)

Walking down the hall toward this vase after I had already finished this post, I noticed the the design is much more engaging from the side, than from head on the way it was designed. More rhythm, more interest. If it were not so late I would be tempted to experiment from this angle, but there is always next week.

In A Vase On Monday – Purple, Orange, Pod and Bark

I will finish with an homage to our little crape myrtle out front. Until I photographed the bark I had not really noticed the little heart. I think it loves me too.

Crape Myrtle Bark

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting each week, allowing us to share our passion. Visit her to discover what she and others found to place In A Vase On Monday.

In A Vase On Monday – Pink Florals

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In A Vase On Monday – Pink Florals

Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share an arrangement every Monday using materials collected from our gardens. After weeks of hot, dry weather there finally were rain sprinkles on the Fourth of July just as everyone was getting excited about fireworks. The rain quickly moved on that evening, hurrying north toward town. Since then there have been several other showers, none bringing much precipitation.

Indifferent to the preceding, long dry spell, Cleome hassleriana has opened in the meditation circle and throughout portions of the borders. I gathered a dozen or more stems to feature in today’s vase.

Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower) With Liatris

Some of the flowers come out white.

Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower)

Companions include fresh cuttings of Lathyrus latifolius (Perennial Sweet Pea) along with several clusters of Hydrangea macrophylla left over from last week.

Sweet Pea, Hydrangea and Artemisia

Lathyrus latifolius (Perennial Sweet Pea)

Soft silvery gray foliage of Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ (Wormwood) mixes into the soft gray-green band of glaze of the stoneware pitcher.

Hydrangea and Artemisia

Materials
Flowers
Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower)
Hydrangea macrophylla
Lathyrus latifolius (Perennial Sweet Pea)
Liatris spicata (Gayfeather)
Foliage
Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ (Wormwood)
Vase
Stoneware pitcher glazed with bands of cream, green, blue. (pitcher and 4 cups, Pringle Pottery, North Carolina, circa 1977).

In A Vase On Monday – Pink Florals

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.

In A Vase On Monday – Vintage

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In A Vase On Monday – Vintage

Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share an arrangement using materials collected from our gardens. Today’s vase is filled with a selection of old-fashioned flowers, all rescued from the heat on Saturday.

The starting point was a fading border of shasta daisies. The shastas were nice for a few weeks but now most are wilting in the hot sun. I have lost interest in keeping them deadheaded and watered, so picking the freshest blooms to enjoy indoors seemed a good idea.

To accompany the daisies I cut some stems of Rudbeckia laciniata (Green-Headed Coneflower), whose yellow petals are just beginning to unfold this week.

Rudbeckia laciniata (Green-Headed Coneflower)

I wish I had taken a picture at that stage. The Green-Headed Coneflower paired with the daisies made a winsome combination and I had planned to stop there. The arrangement ended up distinctly different though when I tested to see what would happen if I added some of the other flowers I had gathered, starting with Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers.’

The panicles of this oakleaf hydrangea sported quite a bit of red color this summer, but without enough rain they recently began to turn brown.

Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’

Other flowers added were small clusters of Hydrangea macrophylla, Liatris spicata (purchased as ‘Alba’ yet not white after all), and some under-performing calla lilies.

Shasta Daisy and Coneflower With Addition of Liatris, Calla Lily, and Hydrangea

In A Vase On Monday – Vintage

The container for today’s arrangement is a cream-colored, crazed ceramic urn on which “Vintage 4” has been stamped. Why “4” is unclear but I like the vase’s shape.

In A Vase On Monday – Vintage

In A Vase On Monday – Vintage

Materials
Flowers
Calla Lily
Hydrangea macrophylla
Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’ (Lil’ Ruby dwarf Oakleaf Hydrangea)
Leucanthemum x superbum (Shasta Daisy)
Liatris spicata (Gayfeather)
Rudbeckia laciniata (Green-Headed Coneflower)
Verbena bonariensis (Tall Verbena)
Foliage
None
Vase
Ceramic Urn Stamped “Vintage 4”

In A Vase On Monday – Vintage

In A Vase On Monday – Vintage

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.