Tag Archives: flower arranging

In A Vase On Monday – Delicate Quietude

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In A Vase On Monday – Delicate Quietude

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

In A Vase On Monday – Delicate Quietude

A second group of irises abruptly opened all at once on Saturday. My first thought was to showcase them in a lush bouquet, but as springtime settles in there is competition for what enters the Monday vase. So this week only one stalk of iris stands sentry. This is Iris germanica ‘Raspberry Blush’ (and friends).

In A Vase On Monday – Delicate Quietude

A late-blooming narcissus and Solomon’s seal were two surprises I had not remembered to expect.  Finding them changed the direction today’s vase took. The pair proved challenging to combine but I like the echo of yellow between the trumpet of one and the broad leaves of the other.

Narcissus and Polygonatum biflorum (Solomon’s seal)

The Solomon’s seal is a 2-year old passalong from my friend Chris.

Narcissus and Polygonatum biflorum (Solomon’s seal)

I stair-stepped the narcissus faces in parallel with the dangling flowers of Solomon’s seal; eventually the effect was lost to the greater cause of trying to balance the overall design.

In the end the physical limitation of the floral pin in the vase dictated the final look.  There just was room to add a slender stem of Phlox stolonifera ‘Sherwood Purple.’

In A Vase On Monday – Delicate Quietude

Materials
Flowers
Iberis sempervirens (Candytuft)
Iris germanica ‘Raspberry Blush’
Narcissus
Phlox stolonifera ‘Sherwood Purple’
Polygonatum biflorum (Solomon’s seal)
Foliage
Leucanthemum x superbum (Shasta Daisy)
Vase
Porcelain Ikebana vase, Georgetown Pottery, Maine. Rectangle Blue Zen (6.75L x 3.75W x 2H inches)

In A Vase On Monday – Delicate Quietude

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 – Iris And Raindrops

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In A Vase On Monday – Iris And Raindrops

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

If I had to choose one flower I most enjoy in the garden it would be iris. So when I returned home Friday from a memorable 3-day beach yoga retreat, it was thrilling to discover the first of this year’s irises are in bloom. After waiting most of our wet, soggy Saturday for a break in the weather which never came, I finally ventured into the rain to admire the flowers up close.

Iris germanica ‘Orinoco Flow’

Pattern, detail, line, color, contrast—Iris germanica ‘Orinoco Flow’ has a lot to appreciate. There is a slight fragrance as well. This iris was a lucky trade in a neighborhood plant exchange a few years ago.

Edges of the falls resemble embroidery stitching.

I decided to rescue a handful of the irises and put them to good use as my Monday vase offering.

In A Vase On Monday – Iris And Raindrops

For good measure I included several sprigs of May Night salvia which had also opened while I was away.

Salvia nemorosa ‘May Night’ (Hardy Sage)

Using a 2-inch pin holder to hold the stems in place, the design went together quickly. With raindrops still clinging, the flowers were placed on a round shiny black dish among scattered black stones.

In A Vase On Monday – Iris And Raindrops

Materials
Flowers
Iris germanica ‘Orinoco Flow’
Salvia nemorosa ‘May Night’ (Hardy Sage)
Foliage
Iris leaf
Vase
2-inch round holder with integrated floral pin
Oasis Lomey 11″ Designer Dish, black, round
Black stones

Iris germanica ‘Orinoco Flow’

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 – Easter White

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In A Vase On Monday – Easter White

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

Several stems of Anemone coronaria ‘Mr. Fokker’ join nearly 3 dozen Narcissus ‘Thalia’ for a simple presentation prepared for Easter weekend. The Thalia were meant to be today’s star, but once I tucked the purplish blue flowers at the neck of the jar, the character of the arrangement shifted.

In A Vase On Monday – Easter White

Just a hint of Phlox subulata ‘Emerald Cushion Blue’ softens the vase’s edge, uniting container and flowers.

In A Vase On Monday – Easter White

 

Materials
Flowers
Anemone coronaria ‘Mr. Fokker’
Narcissus ‘Thalia’ (Thalia Daffodil)
Phlox subulata ‘Emerald Cushion Blue’
Foliage
None
Vase
Handmade ceramic lidded jar

 

Three stages of Anemone coronaria ‘Mr. Fokker’. Lower left one is from last week’s vase.

I like the simplicity of this combination.

In A Vase On Monday – Easter White

With another nod to Easter celebration, I pulled out my daughter’s childhood cup to hold leftover tufts of phlox along with the year’s first blooms of Aquilegia canadensis (Eastern red columbine).

Aquilegia canadensis (Eastern red columbine)

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 – Anemones With Lenten Roses

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In A Vase On Monday – Anemones With Lenten Roses

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

The starting point for today’s vase is a small glass bowl I found in the NCMA gift shop while visiting Art In Bloom this week. The glass is translucent white and has a pleasing low profile, rounded form.

Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten Rose)

I have been enjoying the striking blooms of Anemone coronaria ‘Mr. Fokker.’

Anemone coronaria ‘Mr. Fokker’

My plan was to showcase anemones alone, but the result was so stark, I revisited the garden to collect a few hellebores to fill out the arrangement.

Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten Rose)

Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten Rose)

Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten Rose)

Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten Rose)

A stem of Leucojum is tucked among the hellebores.

Leucojum, Hellebore and Anemone

 

Materials
Flowers
Anemone coronaria ‘Mr. Fokker’
Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten Rose)
Leucojum (Snowflake)
Foliage
Lavender
Vase
Rounded white glass bowl

It was worth refashioning the design. In the end the colors of the hellebores brought out the purple hue of the anemones, resulting in a richer, more satisfying Monday vase.

In A Vase On Monday – Anemones With Lenten Roses

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 – March Subtlety

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In A Vase On Monday – March Subtlety

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

In contrast to last week’s frilly arrangement, today’s vase features a limited color palette, one that I enjoy: a restful combination of blue/violet, green and white.

In A Vase On Monday – March Subtlety

The starting point was Anemone coronaria ‘Mr. Fokker.’ Only a couple plants came back this year, so I must be sure to plan for more.  They are very difficult to grow in my garden and now I do not want to live without them.

Anemone coronaria ‘Mr. Fokker’

 

White flowers work well in arrangements and I love them in my garden. Iberis sempervirens (candytuft) is dotted around the borders. Sometimes it survives for years, other times only one season. I have been unable to figure out a perfect formula, but a sweet yoga friend, Suzanne, increased my candytuft holdings with a generous gift from her yard last summer.

In A Vase On Monday – March Subtlety

I was not planning to repeat yet another pale yellow hyacinth, but it was needed to help balance the design. As violet’s complementary color I knew it would fit in well, but the color is so soft it nearly comes off as white.

In A Vase On Monday – March Subtlety

Other white blooms today include my favorite pure white Thalia Daffodils, which have just begun to open, and several stems of Leucojum, which I was pleased to see are continuing to bloom.

Narcissus ‘Thalia’

Muscari (Grape Hyacinth) sprang into action this week. I came across them only at the last minute, when searching for a few more stems to complete today’s design.

Muscari (Grape Hyacinth)

Materials
Flowers
Anemone coronaria ‘Mr. Fokker’
Hyacinthus orientalis (Hyacinth Sunrise Mix)
Iberis sempervirens (Candytuft)
Leucojum (Snowflake)
Muscari (Grape Hyacinth)
Narcissus ‘Thalia’ (Thalia Daffodil)
Foliage
Narcissus leaf
Phalaenopsis (moth orchid) leaves
Vase
Footed ceramic dish, charcoal gray matte finish

Two broad, dark green leaves of Phalaenopsis orchids create a backdrop for the flowers.

In A Vase On Monday – March Subtlety

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 – Spring Frills

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In A Vase On Monday – Spring Frills

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

Springtime flowers and colors can be a bit frilly, but I resisted the urge to create something more abstract and restrained this week. As we set the clocks ahead this weekend to enjoy more daylight I decided to acknowledge and embrace the generosity and bounty of spring

In A Vase On Monday – Spring Frills

It has been too cold and wet to enjoy the garden much recently and I have postponed much-needed weeding and other chores. Browsing around the borders on Friday I noticed 5 or 6 stems of lavender hyacinths had all flopped down toward the ground. Whether something was eating the roots or recent cold temperatures had caused the collapse I could not determine. Other colors nearby seemed fine. So it remains a mystery, but I rescued them for today’s vase. They seem to be taking in water and continue to look fresh.

In A Vase On Monday – Spring Frills

The pale yellow hyacinth continues to be a favorite, but it is joined this week by a more buttery yellow that is quite nice.

In A Vase On Monday – Spring Frills

In A Vase On Monday – Spring Frills

Bursting with flowers, bridal wreath spiraea was used to achieve height and textural relief.

In A Vase On Monday – Spring Frills

A small patch of Leucojum has been blooming recently. These are pass-alongs from my sisters’  garden. I gathered a few and tucked them into the vase for a little surprise when viewing at close range.

In A Vase On Monday – Spring Frills

Materials
Flowers
Hyacinthus orientalis (Hyacinth Sunrise Mix)
Leucojum (Snowflake)
Spiraea prunifolia (bridal wreath spiraea)
Foliage
None
Vase
Glazed ceramic vase

In A Vase On Monday – Spring Frills

Colors Of Spring Trio -March 4, 2018

Many readers were interested to know how long last week’s submerged flowers would last.

I had prepared the vases on Sunday mid-day. The anemone began fading after a day and a half, but kept intact. After another half-day (Tuesday morning), it was done and the water was colored purple.

The hyacinth lasted until Wednesday.

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 – Colors Of Spring Trio

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In A Vase On Monday – Colors Of Spring Trio

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

Today’s trio of vases features pastel hyacinths and golden daffodils, punctuated by jolts of deep purple anemones. I removed one pink hyacinth that clashed with the daffodils to a separate vase off-camera.

Between the smaller vases, hyacinths and anemones trade spaces in and out of the water.

Anemone coronaria ‘Mr. Fokker’ With Hyacinthus orientalis (Dutch hyacinth)

Anemone coronaria ‘Mr. Fokker’ With Hyacinthus orientalis (Dutch hyacinth)

Materials
Flowers
Anemone coronaria ‘Mr. Fokker’
Hyacinthus orientalis (Dutch hyacinth)
Narcissus ‘King Alfred’
Foliage
Dracaena deremensis warneckii ‘Lemon Lime’
Iberis sempervirens (Candytuft)
Vase
2-inch round holder with integrated florist’s frog
Clear glass vodka shot glasses

In A Vase On Monday – Colors Of Spring 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 – Harbinger of Spring

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In A Vase On Monday – Harbinger Of Spring

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

Narcissus ‘Tete-a-Tete’ and ‘King Alfred’ signal spring in this southern garden.

Narcissus ‘King Alfred’, Narcissus ‘Tete-a-Tete’ and Hyacinthus orientalis

A few hyacinths are blooming also and this pale, pale yellow one is actually the starting point of today’s vase.

Hyacinthus orientalis (Dutch hyacinth)

Stems were inserted into a florist’s frog and placed on a white ceramic square dish for a quick arrangement, as in the first image.

I tried two different vase options—I like both. Here is a shallow blue ceramic dish with purple overtones.

In A Vase On Monday – Harbinger Of Spring

Materials
Flowers
Hyacinthus orientalis (Dutch hyacinth)
Narcissus ‘King Alfred’
Narcissus ‘Tete-a-Tete’
Foliage
Daffodil leaf
Vase
Florist’s frog
White ceramic square dish / Blue ceramic vase

Another One

A generous mixed bouquet in a large porcelain vase graced the refreshment table this past Saturday as I participated in an all-day silent yoga retreat. The retreat was a lovely experience, a great mix of yoga, sitting and walking meditation, journaling, mediation and more yoga.  At the end of the day I was offered the chance to select some flowers to bring home. Not wanting to break up the arrangement, I chose just this one, richly colored perfect Gerbera daisy.

Gerbera From Silent Yoga Retreat

I paired the gerbera with a branch from the native eastern redbud, added the first anemones of the year and tucked in a sprig of soon to bloom candytuft.

In A Vase On Monday – Harbinger Of Spring

Materials
Flowers
Anemone coronaria ‘Mr Fokker’
Cercis canadensis (eastern redbud)
Gerbera
Foliage
Iberis sempervirens (Candytuft)
Vase
White ceramic square dish. Florist’s frog in black plastic cup

Have a great week everyone. I am behind reading blogs but trying to catch up soon. Love seeing what you are up to in your own gardens.

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 – Branch And Bloom

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In A Vase On Monday – Branch And Bloom

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

Many Daffodils are beginning to show color around the garden, but only one sunny flower had ventured to open by the time I gathered items for today’s vase. On the other hand Hellebores have been making strong headway all week and I resigned myself to using them again this week. They worked out nicely in this late winter design.

In A Vase On Monday – Branch And Bloom

Responding to some sunny, warm days, a large spirea in the western border soon will burst into blossom. I enlisted several of its branches to add shape and structure to the vase.

In A Vase On Monday – Branch And Bloom

A small florist’s frog inserted into a small black plastic dish keeps the materials in place. A white ceramic square serves as the vase.

In A Vase On Monday – Branch And Bloom

Materials

Flowers
Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten rose)
Foliage
Spiraea prunifolia (bridal wreath spiraea)
Vase
White ceramic square dish. Florist’s frog in black plastic cup

In A Vase On Monday – Branch And Bloom

In A Vase On Monday – Branch And Bloom

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 – Hellebores

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In A Vase On Monday – Hellebores

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

Trying to beat the rain I entered the garden yesterday morning to scout for flowers for today’s vase and immediately was rewarded with the sight of a bright yellow crocus.

Crocus Species (Snow Crocus Mixture)

The crocus was left safely in place as hellebores were already my pick of the week.

Hellebores were blooming last winter by January 7, 2017. This year the first one opened February 6, 2018—a full month later.

Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten rose)

The winter has been much colder for longer periods of time so imagine my surprise it was seventy degrees F. by 10 a.m. With gray skies threatening I took advantage of the mild weather to trim away old leaves from the hellebores and clean up around some daffodils. Long way to go but finally I took that first step toward getting the garden ready for spring. Daffodils were flowering last year at least by February 8, but this year they are timid.

Narcissus ‘King Alfred’ (trumpet daffodil)

Back to the matter at hand, for the vase I cut all three hellebores that were open.

Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten rose)

Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten rose)

Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten rose)

Husker Red Penstemon foliage hearts (think celery hearts) anchor the design and reflect the red hue of the hellebores. Other supporting material, recycled from an arrangement from a few weeks ago, are Beefsteak Begonia heart-shaped leaves and a pine branch.

In A Vase On Monday – Hellebores

Materials

Flowers
Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten rose)
Foliage
Begonia ‘Erythrophylla’ (Beefsteak Begonia)
Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ (Beardtongue)
Pine branch
Vase
Porcelain Ikebana vase, Georgetown Pottery, Maine. Triangle Ikebana Blue Wave (6.5 W x 6.5 L x 2H inches)

The overhead views were interesting.

In A Vase On Monday – Hellebores

In A Vase On Monday – Hellebores

Nearly as soon as I finished photographing the vase I knocked one of the flowers out, breaking the stem, so I decided to float it in a red flute. Beneath the glass is a poppy-themed placemat that just happened to be on the table. I love the way this image turned out.

In A Vase On Monday – Hellebores

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 – Rearrangement In Salmon and Pink

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In A Vase On Monday – Rearrangement In Salmon and Pink

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

In A Vase On Monday – Rearrangement In Salmon and Pink

As winter continues to be well, winter, plants that normally are blooming by now remain tightly closed buds. For this Monday’s vase I repurposed flowers from the last two arrangements, both arrangements had held up nicely.

The hot pink cyclamen from last week continues to look perky.

Cyclamen persicum (Persian cyclamen)

The salmony moth orchid from two weeks ago lost one of its blooms but lasted better than expected as a cut flower.

Phalaenopsis (moth orchid)

Daphne looks worse for the wear after the extreme cold this winter and several snows.  Most of the leaves are browned and damaged. Buds display pink color but not even a random one has opened yet. But to use for foliage today I managed to pick a branch from a few that sit beneath the eave of the house. Just a few inches difference in position means it has been moderately protected from the elements.

Daphne odora (Winter daphne)

A few pieces of Lamb’s Ear drape near the opening of the container.

In A Vase On Monday – Rearrangement In Salmon and Pink

Again this week I have chosen an Ikebana vase to showcase the design. Its integrated floral pin or frog make positioning the materials quick and secure.

In A Vase On Monday – Rearrangement In Salmon and Pink

Materials

Flowers
Cyclamen persicum (Persian cyclamen)
Phalaenopsis (moth orchid)
Foliage
Daphne odora (Winter daphne)
Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ear)
Vase
Porcelain Ikebana vase, Georgetown Pottery, Maine. 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 – January Pink

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In A Vase On Monday – January Pink

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

That winter here has been colder is evident. As month’s end approaches, hellebores, usually a reliable choice for vase material in early January, thus far are content merely to tease with a display of nice fat buds.

So once again I have looked to indoor plants for inspiration. This Monday cyclamen flowers provide a lyrical line and a colorful lift.

In A Vase On Monday – January Pink

Strips cut from edges of aucuba leaves and an aucuba seedpod, along with a crisp cyclamen leaf accent the design.

In A Vase On Monday – January Pink

Materials

Flowers
Cyclamen persicum (Persian cyclamen)
Foliage
Cyclamen persicum (Persian cyclamen)
Aucuba japonica ‘Variegata’ (Gold Dust Aucuba)
Vase
Porcelain Ikebana vase, Georgetown Pottery, Maine. Triangle Ikebana Blue Wave (6.5 W x 6.5 L x 2H inches)

Of the three Ikebana vases by this pottery in my collection, this blue is particularly decorative and beautiful.

In A Vase On Monday – January Pink

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 – Color In Winter

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In A Vase On Monday – Color In Winter

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

Wednesday brought a second winter snow to Chapel Hill and this time there was no messing around with a couple of inches. The garden was graced with spectacular 9.5 inches of snow. By Sunday the snow was nearly gone and the day was a pleasant 67°F.  

Snowy Beauty – On Thursday the sun returned.

The starting point for today’s vase was a piece from a large, broken branch of crape myrtle, a 3-inch circumference victim of the heavy snow. The crape myrtle wood is red and smooth and after the stark white snow it seemed especially appealing.

Crape Myrtles suffered damage from heavy snow.

I decided to sacrifice a stem from a salmon-colored phalaenopsis to set off the polished red bark. Unfortunately the portion of the crape myrtle branch that prompted this choice, the part that was interesting and colorful, was also much too thick and heavy for me to use.

In A Vase On Monday – Color In Winter

I ended up with a couple of branch tips that serve valiantly but lack the innate beauty of the red bark.

In A Vase On Monday – Color In Winter

Still I like the richness of the flowers against the gray stems. And outdoors in the garden, tucked deep within cold-touched gardenia shrubs, I found several sets of lush green leaves to fill out the design.

In A Vase On Monday – Color In Winter

Materials

Flowers
Phalaenopsis (moth orchid)
Foliage
Lagerstroemia (crape myrtle) branch
Gardenia jasminoides
Vase
Porcelain Ikebana vase, Georgetown Pottery, Maine. Triangle Black Wave (6.5 W x 6.5 L x 2H)

In A Vase On Monday – Color In Winter

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 – Foliage Variations

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In A Vase On Monday – Foliage Variations

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

Usually at this time of winter Hellebores and Daphne have begun offering up their flowers, but there are no flowers outdoors this week. A single white cyclamen from an indoor plant stands in to represent the winter garden flora.

There was more choice for foliage. I settled on broad, patterned leaves of aucuba, a stem tip cut from sarcococca (with flower buds), a dried piece of eucalyptus and a pine branch scavenged from a holiday evergreen gift from treasured friends. The pine seemed to call for an Ikebana vase and I chose a blue rectangular one that I have used many times before.

In A Vase On Monday – Foliage Variations

The design transitioned multiple times and is still in a state of flux. This one has many paths and I am still searching.

In A Vase On Monday – Foliage Variations

This is is current state, simplified, and featuring sarcococca.

In A Vase On Monday – Foliage Variations

Cyclamen With Pine and Sarcococca ruscifolia

Materials

Flowers
Cyclamen persicum (Persian cyclamen)
Foliage
Pine branch
Sarcococca ruscifolia (Fragrant Sweet Box)
Aucuba japonica ‘Variegata’ (Gold Dust Aucuba)
Eucalyptus
Vase
Porcelain Ikebana vase, Georgetown Pottery, Maine. 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 – Form and Flower

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In A Vase On Monday – Form and Flower

Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share an arrangement using materials collected from our gardens. Like much of the United States my state of North Carolina  has been in deep freeze, literally setting records for number of consecutive hours under freezing.

Soon these snowy sidewalks and unfriendly temperatures will be just a memory. By Friday we should see 66 degree Fahrenheit. While waiting for that promised warmup I turned once again to the holiday Hippeastrum (amaryllis) featured in last week’s Monday vase.

At that time the amaryllis sported 4 blooms, sadly it was down to one yesterday. After cutting it from the bulb, I stuffed the inside of the stem with cotton to help it absorb water and placed it into a small Ikebana holder. I fashioned foliage for the normally bare-stemmed flower using bright green and white striped leaves from a Warneckii ‘Lemon Lime.’

For inspiration I chose a special sculptural form to serve both as container and focal point for today’s design.

In A Vase On Monday – Form and Flower

Our multi-talented daughter is the artist. Now an architect in L.A. she also is a fine woodworker.

The outer casement of her box is mahogany—surface carvings add texture and depth.  A drawer insert made of zebrawood slides opens from either side, revealing three deeply carved pockets (though not pictured, the middle one has a lid).  Because of the dual openings our daughter named this piece, “ambi.”

The Ikebana holder nestles comfortably into the leftmost pocket.

In A Vase On Monday – Form and Flower

The three large red seedpods seemed necessary to complete the design. 

In A Vase On Monday – Form and Flower

Materials

Flowers
Hippeastrum (amaryllis)
Seedpods of unknown variety
Foliage
Dracaena deremensis warneckii ‘Lemon Lime’
Container
Carved Box, mahogany and zebrawood

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 – Another Year Blossoms

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Hippeastrum (amaryllis) December 30, 2017

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

Today’s vase is from my indoor winter garden, a holiday peppermint from my sister Cindy. She has a good record of coaxing Hippeastrum (amaryllis) bulbs into bloom.

I had hoped to feature this amaryllis as my Christmas day vase last week, but I had to prepare the post several days early. At that time three buds were visible but only one was beginning to unfold, thwarting my plan. The next day, Christmas Eve, the first flower opened to reveal a green-tinged center, creamy stripes and dark pink accents.

Hippeastrum (amaryllis) December 24, 2017

During the week my husband and I enjoyed watching the expanding show as a second bud opened. (Wouldn’t you know, I failed to get a photo when the third bud opened on Friday.)

Hippeastrum (amaryllis) December 26, 2017

Then, Saturday morning, I was completely taken by surprise to find a fourth flower had inserted itself. How did I miss that last bud? 

Beautiful symmetry.

Hippeastrum (amaryllis) December 30, 2017

Eventually the amaryllis will be planted outdoors. With luck it may bloom and again find its way into a Monday vase.

Hippeastrum (amaryllis) December 30, 2017

Materials

Flowers
Hippeastrum (amaryllis)
Vase
Metal container

Hippeastrum (amaryllis) December 30, 2017

If you are one to enjoy looking back at last year, here is the entire collection of 2017 Monday vases.

With gratefulness for your encouragement and friendship I wish you happiness, health and peace in the new year.

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting and giving us another year of flower arranging pleasure. Visit her to discover what she and others found to place In A Vase On Monday.

In A Vase On Monday – Cyclamen and Everlasting

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In A Vase On Monday – Cyclamen and Everlasting

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

In A Vase On Monday – Cyclamen and Everlasting

To finish out 2017’s flowery Mondays, I relied on indoor pots of cyclamen. Even their blooms are sparse at the moment, but the plants hold many promising buds.  For a quick arrangement I harvested the only two flowers available, one pink, one red, and dropped them into a small clear bottle.

Cyclamen persicum (Persian cyclamen)

Cyclamen persicum (Persian cyclamen)

Filling out the vase this week are royal purple, dried everlastings from last year.

Limonium sinuatum (statice) and Cyclamen

Materials

Flowers
Limonium sinuatum (statice), dried
Cyclamen persicum (Persian cyclamen)

Container
Sauer’s Almond Extract bottle, 1 fl. oz.

In A Vase On Monday – Cyclamen and Everlasting

In keeping with the theme of everlasting, today I am remembering my beautiful mother, Vera, a smart, gentle woman who was born on Christmas Day and who died much too young. She taught me much about love and grace. The nicest compliment anyone ever paid me was to say I had my mother’s smile.

Vera (December 25, 1919-July 19, 1974. Graduation photo.

Sending holiday wishes to every one of you.

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting and encouraging our flower arranging passion. Visit her to discover what she and others found this week in their gardens to place In A Vase On Monday.

In A Vase On Monday – Yuletide Greetings

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In A Vase On Monday – Yuletide Greetings

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

In A Vase On Monday – Yuletide Greetings

With limited bloom options this week I again selected the Yuletide camellia. Despite very cold temperatures of late freshly opened buds were easy to find.

I was in search of something diminutive so I could use a new vase, a recent gift from my friend Chris.

In A Vase On Monday – Yuletide Greetings

Standing approximately 2 inches tall this runner vase is composed of three bottles decoratively wired together.

In A Vase On Monday – Yuletide Greetings

The blue glass adds to the charm of the vase.

In A Vase On Monday – Yuletide Greetings

A holiday tea towel, several sprigs of rosemary and small candles lend a seasonal touch to this week’s vignette.

In A Vase On Monday – Yuletide Greetings

In A Vase On Monday – Yuletide Greetings

Materials
Flowers
Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’
Foliage
Rosemary
Container
Runner vase, 2-inch high blue bottles

In A Vase On Monday – Yuletide Greetings

In A Vase On Monday – Yuletide Greetings

In A Vase On Monday – Yuletide Greetings

In A Vase On Monday – Yuletide Greetings

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting and encouraging our flower arranging passion. Visit her to discover what she and others found this week in their gardens to place In A Vase On Monday.

In A Vase On Monday – Ruby Slippers

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In A Vase On Monday – Ruby Slippers

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

Friday it rained, snowed and sleeted Friday with no accumulation. Meanwhile through the window glass I was admiring the way Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’ is living up to its name this year, the ruby part at least. Before snow resumed on Saturday afternoon, I ran out to collect a branch of red leaves to feature in today’s vase.

Next I checked and yes, looking unscathed by the wintry weather, Erysimum ‘Sugar Rush Purple’ and ‘Sugar Rush Primrose’ were going about their flowery business.  I highlighted these a couple weeks ago when they had just started blooming. This time I could detect a light fragrance.

Erysimum ‘Sugar Rush Purple’

What made the red leaves so lovely outdoors was the glowing effect of light streaming though them. In the pictures, without the backlit setting, the leaves are less compelling, but in person they are rather winsome. Husker Red penstemon was added at the lip of the vase, continuing the red foliage theme.

In A Vase On Monday – Ruby Slippers

The design needed more. More flowers. More height. Vertical interest. But the snow had returned and rather than going back into the garden, I made do by incorporating some saved pieces of mossy, lichen-covered wood.

In A Vase On Monday – Ruby Slippers

In A Vase On Monday – Ruby Slippers

These helped a bit, but I lost interest in working on this vase any further. I took it as far as I could.

In A Vase On Monday – Ruby Slippers

Today’s container is a ceramic ikebana vase with 3 integrated ceramic tubes, built-in stem holders, with openings near the base to allow water to flow into the tubes easily.

Ikebana Vase
Ikebana Vase

Materials

Flowers
Erysimum ‘Sugar Rush Primrose’ (Wallflower)
Erysimum ‘Sugar Rush Purple’ (Wallflower)

Foliage
Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’ (Lil’ Ruby dwarf Oakleaf Hydrangea)
Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ (Beardtongue)

Container
Ceramic ikebana vase has 3 integrated ceramic tubes, built-in stem holders

Erysimum ‘Sugar Rush Primrose’

One more thing: A thoughtful garden club friend, Debbie, recently surprised me with a gift. She is downsizing as she prepares to move to another home and so passed along her Ateco 612 12″ revolving cake stand to use with my flower arranging. The stand is five inches high with a cast iron base and aluminum top. I have seen florists use a similar stand to assist when designing, rotating the arrangement frequently to check all sides. Today I used the stand while photographing my flowers and found it very helpful. Thanks Debbie!

Ateco 612 Revolving Stand

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting and giving us a chance to express our flower arranging passion. Visit her to discover what she and others found this week in their gardens to place In A Vase On Monday.

In A Vase On Monday – December Gifts

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In A Vase On Monday – December Gifts

Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share an arrangement using materials collected from our gardens. December gifts are those special wonders one finds in the landscape this time of year.

Yesterday a friend mentioned some of her hellebores are already full of buds so I though I might find some to feature today. None were available but I did harvest some of the hellebores’ young, tender, pale green foliage, along with some lovely patterned leaves of Arum italicum and a few stems of fresh aquilegia greenery.

In A Vase On Monday – December Gifts

The red and black container is from my collection of five red and black raku pots by North Carolina potter, Charles Chrisco. I inserted a tall drinking glass into the vase to help hold and support the stems without using floral foam.

The foliage took no time to set in place. With the dynamic shape and texture of the arum, the green materials could have stood alone if necessary. There is very little blooming now so the choices were chrysanthemums (fading), Erysimum (scarce), or sasanqua camellias (best potential).

In A Vase On Monday – December Gifts

Many readers have been enamored of this red Yuletide camellia when I have used it in the past. It has been a prolific bloomer this year. The weather has not been too severe yet so many of the flowers were in good condition this morning.

Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’

Of the two sasanquas in my garden I favor the more fragrant and delicate looking Hana-Jiman. It blooms earlier though than Yuletide and is nearly finished for another year.

Camellia sasanqua ‘Hana-Jiman’

Camellia sasanqua ‘Hana-Jiman’

The camellias cooperated without much struggle and I was satisfied with the result. I snapped one portrait in the kitchen before moving the arrangement to the foyer to catch the natural light of early morning.

In A Vase On Monday – December Gifts

Materials

Flowers
Camellia sasanqua ‘Hana-Jiman’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’

Foliage
Aquilegia canadensis (Eastern red columbine)
Arum italicum
Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten rose)

Container
Red/black raku vase, Charles Chrisco, Chrisco’s Pottery

In A Vase On Monday – December Gifts

In A Vase On Monday – December Gifts

A black and white view is always instructive. This one is from overhead.

In A Vase On Monday – December Gifts

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting and encouraging our flower arranging passion. Visit her to discover what she and others found this week in their gardens to place In A Vase On Monday.

In A Vase On Monday – Variations

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In A Vase On Monday – Variations

Note:  After some upgrades and ad blocker installations I’m having difficulty leaving comments on websites other than WordPress. Will continue to try to resolve the issue, but meanwhile please know I’m enjoying your posts.

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

Spiraea branches caught my attention last week and I decided to play with them again.

Spiraea prunifolia (bridal wreath spiraea)

From the window overlooking the garden the aging leaves look deep orange, up close they range from golden to rust. For some reason the sections I cut are more uniform in color.

Spiraea prunifolia (bridal wreath spiraea)

This variation of today’s design is closest to my original concept of featuring a nearly bare branch to explore rhythm and curves.

In A Vase On Monday – Variations

It seemed to need more. In adding Wintergreen boxwood I fumbled the lichen-covered branch and never got it back into good position. Securing the materials in place would have saved extra work, but I opted to keep moving, taking the opportunity to experiment. In the end today’s designs are about process more than result.

In A Vase On Monday – Variations

I do like this orange and purple pairing, marigold and lavender.

In A Vase On Monday – Variations

In A Vase On Monday – Variations

The fragrance of lavender adds another layer to the pleasure of creating with flowers.

In A Vase On Monday – Variations

The lichen branch here is moved toward toward the back of the dish where it no longer works to counterbalance the rightmost stem of spirea. I decided that piece of spirea could be removed altogether.

In A Vase On Monday – Variations

Also here an echinacea seedhead moved from front and center to the tip of the lichen branch. Offering interesting texture and color close-up, it did not have much impact to the overall design.

Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower)

The lichen branch had lost its purpose and effectiveness, so I removed it and the other lichen bits entirely.

In the next iteration a still green cutting of Clematis ‘Jackmanii’ sweeps out gracefully in this version. The originally favored bare branch of spiraea has been removed, simplifying the line. The spare quality here interests me and this is the stage I kept to display in the foyer.

In A Vase On Monday – Variations

Originally I had planned to use a small companion arrangement, formed simply from a young Husker Red penstemon tucked into a small black holder. It did not add much until I came back to the mostly bare branch of spiraea.  Adding the tall stem changed the dynamics and energy once again.

In A Vase On Monday – Variations

By moving the point of view slightly the composition shifts significantly.

In A Vase On Monday – Variations

Ultimately I returned to a simplified version, replacing the quilted runner underneath with a white linen towel.

In A Vase On Monday – Variations

Clematis ‘Jackmanii’

Clematis ‘Jackmanii’

Materials

Flowers
Lavender
Marigold

Foliage
Buxus microphylla var koreana ‘Wintergreen’ (Wintergreen boxwood)
Clematis ‘Jackmanii’
Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower), Seedhead
Lichen covered branch
Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ (Beardtongue)
Spiraea prunifolia (bridal wreath spiraea)

Container and Mechanics
Small black plastic Solo bowl – vase insert
3-inch florist’s frog (floral pin holder)
2-inch round holder with integrated florist’s frog
Black, green stones
Black glazed square
Quilted runner (made by my sister)

Spiraea prunifolia (bridal wreath spiraea)

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting and encouraging us to express our flower arranging passion. Visit her to discover what she and others found this week in their gardens to place In A Vase On Monday.

In A Vase On Monday – Thanksgiving Sugar Rush

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In A Vase On Monday – Thanksgiving Sugar Rush

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

This week we will celebrate Thanksgiving Day in the United States. Today’s sugar rush is from the discovery of Erysimum ‘Sugar Rush Purple’ preparing to bloom. I included a couple of stems along with another surprise, a sprig of Meadow Sage ‘May Night.’

Meadow Sage, Erysimum

Meadow Sage, Erysimum

Thinking there would be nothing else flowering except the previously featured chrysanthemums and camellias, I planned to concentrate on foliage today. The Spiraea shrub has been gloriously orange this week; lavender is producing fresh young leaves; Gold Dust Aucuba leaves maintain year-round interest. From the back screened porch I also harvested a few leaves from a potted Begonia, a cutting from a succulent (that ended up hidden at the base) and fronds of fern.

In A Vase On Monday – Thanksgiving Sugar Rush

The focal flower of the design, a soft yellow chrysanthemum, picks up the aucuba’s yellow accents.

Chrysanthemum With Begonia, Aucuba, Lavender Foliage

Several dried coral roses saved from a purchased bouquet complete the color harmony.

Dried Roses With Spiraea Leaves

Materials

Flowers
Chrysanthemum
Erysimum ‘Sugar Rush Purple’
Meadow Sage ‘May Night’
Rose (dried)

Foliage
Aucuba japonica ‘Variegata’ (Gold Dust Aucuba)
Begonia
Fern
Lavandula x intermedia ‘Dutch’ (Dutch Lavender)
Spiraea prunifolia (bridal wreath spiraea)
Succuclent (unknown)

Container
Porcelain Ikebana vase, Georgetown Pottery, Maine. Rectangle Blue Zen (6.75L x 3.75W x 2H inches)

In A Vase On Monday – Thanksgiving Sugar Rush

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting and giving us a chance to express our flower arranging passion. Visit her to discover what she and others found this week in their gardens to place In A Vase On Monday.

In A Vase On Monday – Evasive Challenge

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In A Vase On Monday – Evasive Challenge

Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share an arrangement using materials collected from our gardens. Today marks Cathy’s fourth anniversary of posting and hosting In A Vase On Monday and to celebrate she has challenged participants to create an anniversary contribution in something other than a vase.

I pondered over this task a lot the past few days and finally chose a memento from my daughter’s childhood that I just happened upon yesterday. This blue glazed hand was traced in clay from her own little hand for a very early elementary school project. Hooked onto the bathroom wall, it held her toothbrush for a time when she was a child.

In A Vase On Monday – Evasive Challenge

My idea for using the hand to hold flowers turned into more of a conceptual piece as time ran out to actually hang it on the wall. Instead I posed blossoms around it and took pictures from above.

Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’

Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’

Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’

Although we had two consecutive nights of temperatures in the upper 20sF. on Sunday I was able to gather quite a few camellias, which I arranged and rearranged.

In A Vase On Monday – Evasive Challenge

MaterialsFlowers
Begonia
Camellia sasanqua ‘Hana-Jiman’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’
Container
“Handmade” ceramic art

In A Vase On Monday – Evasive Challenge

In A Vase On Monday – Evasive Challenge

Congratulations and many thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting IAVOM with such enthusiasm. Visit her to discover what she and others found this week in their gardens on this vaseless Monday.

In A Vase On Monday – November Gifts

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In A Vase On Monday – November Gifts

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

My husband and I attended an annual reunion of first cousins over the weekend and it is always a treat to get together with these special family members. Among those present were my three sisters, one of whom surprised me with a large green, urn-shaped vase she had discovered at a thrift shop. Thanks Judy! What a treat it is to have this November gift as inspiration today.

In A Vase On Monday – November Gifts

In A Vase On Monday – November Gifts

There were many more flowers than I had expected, nature’s own November gifts. Although the weather continues to be quite dry, the nights are cool and days are comfortably warm—no freeze yet this fall.

In A Vase On Monday – November Gifts

Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage) and Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’ enjoy these conditions and are blooming freely.

Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’

First appearing by mid-October, Camellia sasanqua ‘Hana-Jiman’ was featured several weeks ago is now in full bloom. Unexpectedly I noticed this week the red Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’ is already coming into flower.

In A Vase On Monday – November Gifts

The passalong Button Chrysanthemum from my garden mentor Virgie has been a fall staple now for several decades. It always wants to rotate toward the back in any arrangement, but eventually I convinced it to cooperate, more or less.

Begonias planted in containers at the front porch did well all summer and continue to thrive. A few Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower) have emerged.

In A Vase On Monday – November Gifts

Achillea foliage drapes along the rim of the vase. A plug of freshly emerged Lamb’s Ear adds color and textural contrast, as does a stem of Eucalyptus. I do not grow Eucalyptus but had some on hand (from last week’s book club arrangements).

In A Vase On Monday – November Gifts

 

Materials

Flowers
Begonia
Button Chrysanthemum
Camellia sasanqua ‘Hana-Jiman’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’
Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower)
Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage)
Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’

Foliage
Achillea filipendulina (Fern-leaf Yarrow)
Eucalyptus
Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ear)

Container
Large green vase

In A Vase On Monday – November Gifts

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting and giving us a chance to express our flower arranging passion. Visit her to discover what she and others found this week in their gardens to place In A Vase On Monday.