Tag Archives: flower arranging

In A Vase On Monday – Moscow Night

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In A Vase On Monday – Moscow Night

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

My camera failed late yesterday just as I tried to photograph a posy of echinacea, chrysanthemum, lavender, salvia and zinnias gathered from my autumn garden.  At this point in the season there are not many blooms of each kind, except for the pass-along pale yellow chrysanthemum that is just coming into its own. I had collected a fair showing so it is disappointing to have encountered this technical difficulty, but here is a photo of the chrysanthemum at early morning on Saturday.

Passalong Button Chrysanthemum

In place of the home-grown flowers I will share instead some store bought floral indulgences that I used Tuesday when hosting my book club. The book was A Gentleman In Moscow by Amor Towles. Do read it if you have not yet–I found it one to savor. The story of a count in post-revolutionary Russian, the setting was a grand hotel in Moscow called The Metropol.  In a wonderful bit of happenstance, one of our book club members stayed in that same hotel the week before and brought me a keepsake.

It was fun to prepare multiple arrangements as I imagined such a fine hotel would offer generous floral displays.

White stock, Eucalyptus, Spider Chrysanthemum and ‘Green Trick’ Dianthus stood in the foyer.

In A Vase On Monday – Moscow Night

In A Vase On Monday – Moscow Night

For the food table there were roses accented with Hypericum berries (photographed in the foyer).

In A Vase On Monday – Moscow Night

In A Vase On Monday – Moscow Night

In A Vase On Monday – Moscow Night

Book Club Night – A Gentleman In Moscow

A large vase of Alstoemeria, Eucalyptus, Spider Chrysanthemums and ‘Green Trick’ Dianthus sat atop the piano in the living room. A trio of smaller vases on the window ledge were filled with Eucalyptus.

In A Vase On Monday – Moscow Night

In A Vase On Monday – Moscow Night

Green Spider Chrysanthemum, Alstroemeria, Green Tick Dianthus

Materials

Flowers
Alstroemeria
Chrysanthemum (Button Chrysanthemums and Spider Chrysanthemums)
Dianthus barbatus ‘Green Trick’
Hypericum Berries
Matthiola incana (Stock)
Roses
Foliage
Eucalyptus
Container
Various crystal vases

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 – Autumn Pinks

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In A Vase On Monday – Autumn Pinks

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

While yellows, oranges and browns tend to dominate the autumn palette, I prefer instead the deep reds, so it is always a mystery to me to find so much pink when I stroll the garden borders.

In A Vase On Monday – Autumn Pinks

I could not ignore the pinks this week, as the sasanquas are entering their glorious time. The first bloom appeared about October 10 this year on the Camellia sasanqua ‘Hana-Jiman.’ The waxy, crinkly petals are milky inside deftly transitioning to pink edges. The flowers are lightly sweet. The foliage is deep green and glossy.

Camellia sasanqua ‘Hana-Jiman’

After several attempts I have managed this year to establish a nice stand of Chrysanthemum ‘Sheffield Pink,’ passed along from neighbor Nancy. These flowers have a lovely form and the plants maintain a nice height without becoming leggy.

Chrysanthemum ‘Sheffield Pink’ (Hardy Chrysanthemum)

Ants are attracted to both the camellia and the chrysanthemum, but I managed to snare a few pristine blooms for today’s vase.

Materials

Flowers
Camellia sasanqua ‘Hana-Jiman’
Chrysanthemum ‘Sheffield Pink’ (Hardy Chrysanthemum)

Foliage
Camellia sasanqua ‘Hana-Jiman’

Container
Small crystal vase

Camellia sasanqua ‘Hana-Jiman’

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 – Peach Dahlia Delight

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In A Vase On Monday – Peach Dahlia Delight

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

Technically I did not grow these peachy-hued  beauties, but they grew within a few hundred feet of my garden. My sweet neighbor Eileen shared with me some of her first dahlia blooms (that she has ever grown). Both of us were delighted by her success and I was touched by her generosity.

In A Vase On Monday – Peach Dahlia Delight

A few sprigs of chrysanthemums from my front porch were a perfect color to accompany the dahlias and added some nice textural contrast. Stalks of rich green fern provided movement and line to the design.

Chrysanthemums

In A Vase On Monday – Peach Dahlia Delight

Materials

Flowers
Chrysanthemum
Dahlia

Foliage
Fern leaves

Container
Porcelain Ikebana vase, Georgetown Pottery, Maine. Triangle Black Wave (6.5 W x 6.5 L x 2H)

In A Vase On Monday – Peach Dahlia Delight

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 – Red Wine

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In A Vase On Monday – Red Wine

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 – Red Wine

Again this week the prolifically blooming wine-red pass-along dahlias carry the day, supported by some of the last of the summer zinnias.

Zinnia ‘Giants Mix’

Zinnia elegans ’Cactus Flower Blend’

The glass container is a red-tinted champagne flute from a set purchased at a Vietri warehouse sale years ago.

In A Vase On Monday – Red Wine

Materials

Flowers
Dahlia
Zinnia elegans ’Cactus Flower Blend’
Zinnia ‘Giants Mix’

Container
Champagne flute

I really like the impact of the orange zinnia playing against the red dahlia.

In A Vase On Monday – Red Wine

In A Vase On Monday – Red Wine

In A Vase On Monday – Red Wine

In A Vase On Monday – Red Wine

In A Vase On Monday – Red Wine

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 – Lost Meaning

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In A Vase On Monday – Lost Meaning

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

At dayspring as sun entered the garden, gentle bees were slumbering on yellow petals. I gathered flowers carefully in the crisp morning air.

Helianthus angustifolius (Swamp Sunflower)

Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage). Canna leaves wrap the vase.

I arranged the flowers in a mood of contentment and joy.

In A Vase On Monday – Lost Meaning

In A Vase On Monday – Lost Meaning

Then I learned the news of another senseless killing in the United States. Las Vegas.

Sorrow, grief, mourning.

Meaning is lost.

Helianthus angustifolius (Swamp Sunflower)

 

Materials

Flowers
Helianthus angustifolius (Swamp Sunflower)
Muhlenbergia capillaris (Pink Muhly Grass)
Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage)

Foliage
Canna
Hedychium coronarium (Ginger lily)

Container
Flared, crystal vase

In A Vase On Monday – Lost Meaning

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 – Blue Mug Petites

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In A Vase On Monday – Blue Mug Petites

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

Dainty in demeanor the flowers in this collection are true workhorses. Requiring little care they bloom and bloom.

Begonias and cyclamen were the starting point for today’s vase.

Two oversized pots of wax begonias near the front steps have performed reliably this summer, despite infrequent watering. One pot is filled with pink, the other is white. Begonias are so commonly used in landscaping they may seem ordinary perhaps, but planted en masse in large blue containers they have been striking.

In A Vase On Monday – Blue Mug Petites

These cyclamen are from plants that live indoors. Enjoying indirect light from a sunny west-facing window they have been flowering continuously all summer.

In A Vase On Monday – Blue Mug Petites

Several weeks ago large pots of inexpensive chrysanthemums began showing up for sale at my local grocery store, too good a bargain to pass up. The terracotta-rust blooms fade to a darker red as they age.

In A Vase On Monday – Blue Mug Petites

The rusty coloring of this young heart-shaped begonia leaf complements the chrysanthemums.

In A Vase On Monday – Blue Mug Petites

Zinnias have appeared so frequently this summer in my Monday vases I tried to avoid them today; however, playing off the hue of the chrysanthemum, a small terra cotta zinnia and another in red seemed destined to be companion flowers.

In A Vase On Monday – Blue Mug Petites

In A Vase On Monday – Blue Mug Petites

Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower) are not normally categorized as diminutive but this small specimen stood out this morning. The coneflowers have kept insects and American gold finches busy all summer.

In A Vase On Monday – Blue Mug Petites

Materials

Flowers
Begonia (Wax Begonia)
Chrysanthemum
Cyclamen persicum (Persian cyclamen)
Dahlia sp.
Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower)
Zinnia ‘Cut and Come Again Mix’

Vase
Stoneware mug by potter Nancy Redman, Redman Pottery.

In A Vase On Monday – Blue Mug Petites

In A Vase On Monday – Blue Mug Petites

Thank you 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 – Blue Mug Petites

In A Vase On Monday – Blue Mug Petites

In A Vase On Monday – Curves And Whorls

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In A Vase On Monday – Curves And Whorls

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

Against a backdrop of curving fronds from a potted fern, a ruby-red, passalong Dahlia (from Libby) stars in this mid-September offering.

In A Vase On Monday – Curves And Whorls

The dahlia’s deep rich color is intense, its strong geometric form is perfection.

Whorls of Dahlia

Zinnias in bold hues of orange, yellow and even pink create a secondary layer of interest in the arrangement.

In A Vase On Monday – Curves And Whorls

The container is a stoneware pitcher glazed with bands of cream, green, blue by well-known local potter Jim Pringle.

In A Vase On Monday – Curves And Whorls

Materials

Flowers
Dahlia. Passalong, possibly ‘Wisconsin Red’
Zinnia ‘Cut and Come Again Mix’
Zinnia elegans ’Cactus Flower Blend’

Foliage
Dracaena deremensis warneckii ‘Lemon Lime’
Fern leaves

Vase
Stoneware pitcher. Pringle Pottery, North Carolina, circa 1977

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 – Late Summer Color Burst

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In A Vase On Monday – Late Summer Color Burst

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

The zinnias are again the highlight of the garden this week, so I went out to gather a colorful bunch.  The foliage is looking spotted after August’s heat and dry spells, but there is no powdery mildew as would normally be seen by now.

But a surprise awaited—Iris germanica ‘Immortality’ was blooming, slightly past its prime, blooming nonetheless. I thought it would be nice to include it in today’s vase.

A second surprise was seeing the Clematis ‘Niobe’ is finally back in bloom. This red clematis is supposed to bloom throughout the summer, but mine sulks, its foliage scorches to a deep brown. September’s cooler nights and shorter days has awakened Niobe and I was able to collect several flowers and buds and was able to weave the fresh foliage up and through the display.

In A Vase On Monday – Late Summer Color Burst

The native beautyberry is growing too tall, spreading too wide and its offspring are sprouting up in inappropriate locations. It is full of magenta-purple berries and I grabbed a couple of stems for today’s vase.

In A Vase On Monday – Late Summer Color Burst

Rather begrudgingly I selected a flower from another native, Physostegia virginiana (Obedient Plant) that has overtaken the north border.  This passalong is something I have enjoyed for decades, but in the last couple years it has become nuisance-grade.Natives are not always well-behaved. I found a spot for it on the right-hand side of the design.

In A Vase On Monday – Late Summer Color Burst

The final selection for this week’s vase is another passalong Purple Heart, from a friend and former colleague Kathryn. The dark purple foliage provided just the right color accent and its form added a quirky, off-kilter spark the design needed.

In A Vase On Monday – Late Summer Color Burst

I regret not taking a photograph to share of the container (a birthday gift from my sister earlier in summer), but it is visible in the images above and below. The underpainted glazed ceramic dish features a floral decoration on the interior.

Flowers adorn the glazed platter’s interior.

Materials

Flowers
Callicarpa americana (American beautyberry)
Clematis ‘Niobe’
Iris germanica ‘Immortality’
Physostegia virginiana (Obedient Plant)
Tradescantia pallida ‘Purpurea’ (Purple Heart)
Zinnia ‘Cut and Come Again Mix’
Zinnia elegans ’Cactus Flower Blend’

Container
Glazed platter with floral decoration

Mechanics
Small black plastic Solo bowl – vase insert
Assorsted 2 and 3-inch florist’s frogs (floral pin holders)
Black stones

The white iris was supposed to be the focal point of today’s vase. I designed this arrangement from the left side, imagining it would not fill the dish completely. So from this angle the iris is most visible.

In A Vase On Monday – Late Summer Color Burst

I had not planned to use many zinnias, only one large orange cactus zinnia, but the design evolved as I added more and more, moving further toward the other end of the platter. Flowers were inserted into two florist’s frogs so I had some flexibility to negotiate their positions within the dish and as the arrangement grew I was able to just add a third frog.

In A Vase On Monday – Late Summer Color Burst

I love the way the garden rallied this week with a colorful burst of energy.

In A Vase On Monday – Late Summer Color Burst

In A Vase On Monday – Late Summer Color Burst

As always a big 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 – Persimmon Afloat

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Zinnia elegans ’Cactus Flower Blend’

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

A shaggy persimmon-hued zinnia appears to float in a dark shallow pool.

Zinnia elegans ’Cactus Flower Blend’

Perspective shifts and the flower floats above the container’s edge, following sinuous lines and graceful curves.

Zinnia elegans ’Cactus Flower Blend’

Materials

Flowers
Zinnia elegans ’Cactus Flower Blend’

Mechanics
Shallow, charcoal gray, footed dish
Florist’s frog

What color would you use to describe this flower? First I chose saffron which I think of as reddish orange, but wikipedia describes it as golden yellow. Tangerine came to mind, but that is not red enough. Maybe red-orange is what I needed, but I found myself settling on persimmon.

Zinnia elegans ’Cactus Flower Blend’

Sensory impressions are fascinating. My daughter recently posted a picture on a social media site of a beetle. Admiring its “iridescent green” she gave it a parenthetical comment,
“(incidentally a color very close to the letter P)” and tagged the entry #synesthesia, to which someone commented,
“We’ve had this discussion before- it’s clearly a number 9#synesthesia.”
That exchange made me smile and wonder about the world in color.

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting and giving us a chance to express our colorful 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 – Late August Glow

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In A Vase On Monday – Late August Glow

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

Zinnias have been reliable as easy bouquet builders this summer and they continue to bloom gloriously. But for something different today I feature two other garden mainstays, echinacea and rudbeckia.

A small out-of-bloom Phalaenopsis orchid tucked into a shiny glazed black container was the starting point of this design.

A freshly emerged purple coneflower was inserted next. Many coneflowers are dotted around the garden, most of which are sporting dried seedheads at this point in the season to the delight of the local American Goldfinches.

Three stems of Rudbeckia laciniata or green-Headed coneflower were tucked among the dark green orchid foliage.

In A Vase On Monday – Late August Glow

In A Vase On Monday – Late August Glow

A couple of patterned Lemon Lime warneckii leaves were used to add some height and color variation.

In A Vase On Monday – Late August Glow

Materials

Flowers
Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower)
Rudbeckia laciniata (Green-Headed Coneflower)

Foliage
Dracaena deremensis warneckii ‘Lemon Lime’
Phalaenopsis Blume (Moth orchid)

Vase
Glazed ceramic pot

In A Vase On Monday – Late August Glow

As always a big 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.

Solar Eclipse

To follow up on last week’s solar eclipse I thought I would share a few pictures. Yes, I do wish we had bought glasses so we could have viewed the eclipse directly, but we had fun.

Here is an image through a pinhole in a paper cup.

Solar Eclipse August 21, 2017 – paper cup pinhole

My husband’s hand.

Solar Eclipse August 21, 2017

And, a kitchen colander.

Solar Eclipse August 21, 2017

In A Vase On Monday – Sunlight And Color

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In A Vase On Monday – Sunlight And Color

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

It is a special Monday: Eclipse Day, Monday, August 21, 2017.  Not since 1918 has a total solar eclipse swept the whole width of the United States. Those lucky enough to live in or able to travel to an approximately 70-mile wide path from Oregon to South Carolina will experience a total solar eclipse lasting up to 2 minutes and 40 seconds.

Chapel Hill is not within the path of totality, but the entire United States will experience a partial solar eclipse for up to a few hours today as the moon passes in front of the sun. Here the spectacle takes place between 1:16 pm – 4:06 pm, with maximum coverage at 2:44 pm. We did not get any special viewing glasses so we will not be looking directly at the sun, yet the effect is sure to be felt.

I was swept up by sunlight on Saturday. In the morning I had gathered zinnias and dahlias and left them on a counter in a canister for conditioning.

In A Vase On Monday – Sunlight And Color

Before I had time to arrange the blooms, late afternoon sun began spilling across the room from westerly windows, illuminating the flowers and accentuating the colors.

In A Vase On Monday – Sunlight And Color

Creating an arrangement seemed secondary to enjoying the light as it played on the petals.

In A Vase On Monday – Sunlight And Color

In A Vase On Monday – Sunlight And Color

Materials

Flowers
Dahlia sp.
Zinnia ‘Cut and Come Again Mix’
Zinnia elegans ’Cactus Flower Blend’

Vase
Red coffee canister

 

In A Vase On Monday – Sunlight And Color

In A Vase On Monday – Sunlight And Color

In A Vase On Monday – Sunlight And Color

As always a big 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 – Mini-Mood

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In A Vase On Monday – Mini-Mood

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 – Mini-Mood

Although Monday is long past, I finally have a minute to share a mini-container of zinnias for this week.

In A Vase On Monday – Mini-Mood

Materials

Flowers
Zinnia ‘Cut and Come Again Mix’
Zinnia elegans ’Cactus Flower Blend’

Vase
Black matte container, integrated pin holder (approx. 2-in diameter)

And what excuse for being so tardy? My sisters invited me to spend a few days with them at the beach. As you can see from the video, it was magical. Thanks sisters!

Morning On The Beach

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 – Patchwork

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In A Vase On Monday – Patchwork

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 – Patchwork

I had a weekend trip to the coast for a college friends reunion. We had clouds and daily rain showers, but also sun, rainbows, and ospreys nesting just in front of the house.  Lots of fun reconnecting with these smart, witty women and remembering what it was like to be eighteen—good stories, some uncontrollable giggles. On our last morning together we managed to practice yoga and meditate outdoors under a blue sky.

Back home in Chapel Hill the garden is in need of a good soaking. A half-dozen gladiolas opened while I was away so I tried to create a mixed arrangement using them along with some sweet peas and zinnias. Zinnias are producing more and more blooms. They tolerate heat and lack of water, though even they seem tired of this dry spell. Gladiola are awkward in such a social setting, so I ended up letting them rest on the sideline. A patchwork quilt of zinnias moved into the spotlight.

Materials

Flowers
Gladiolus
Lathyrus latifolius (Perennial Sweet Pea)
Zinnia ‘Cut and Come Again Mix’
Zinnia elegans ’Cactus Flower Blend’

Vase
Stoneware pitcher glazed with bands of cream, green, blue.  (Pringle Pottery, North Carolina, circa 1977)

In A Vase On Monday – Patchwork

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 – Summer Serenity

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In A Vase On Monday – Summer Serenity [color filter: Instant]

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

The first two of an all white gladiolus collection planted in early summer have begun to open. In a season when bright hot colors usually dominate, these clean, fresh flowers evoke a sense of purity and calm.

In A Vase On Monday – Summer Serenity

Each white flower is accented with purple pollen grains and violet brushstrokes at the throat.

In A Vase On Monday – Summer Serenity

These purple attributes are reinforced in the design by the amethyst swirls of a Caithness glass bud vase and spires of lavender-blue Russian sage.

In A Vase On Monday – Summer Serenity

The camera enunciated a pale yellow characteristic that barely registers when viewed in person, but which complements nonetheless.

Materials

Flowers
Gladiolus
Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian sage)

Vase
Caithness glass bud vase

In A Vase On Monday – Summer Serenity

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting and giving us a chance to release 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 – Green and Blue

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In A Vase On Monday – Green and Blue

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

To encourage more flowers I gathered all available zinnias this weekend. In the end only a few made it into today’s design.

Zinnia

Underlying today’s arrangement is Little Lime hydrangea, which continues to boost the summer garden. Originally I paired it with half-dozen 2-inch red dahlias, in a low green vase. The effect was so awkward I almost liked it. Unable to stop tweaking and adjusting, before I could photograph the result I had rearranged it beyond recognition or repair.

Beginning again I added a small blue companion vase. I edited the flowers heavily, keeping some hydrangeas, foregoing the dahlias, selecting a few zinnias.

In A Vase On Monday – Green and Blue

Stems of Pink Muhly Grass added for height also contributed an element of movement, though it proved more stiff than graceful.

In A Vase On Monday – Green and Blue

Materials

Flowers
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Little Lime’
Zinnia ‘Cut and Come Again Mix’
Muhlenbergia capillaris (Pink Muhly Grass)

Containers
Ceramic vases: Hand-thrown Seagrove Pottery (olive-artichoke) and an Eno Festival find (dark periwinkle blue)

In A Vase On Monday – Green and Blue

Hope you are enjoying summer. Heat for the past several weeks has been oppressive. Yesterday’s surprise afternoon rain was welcome.

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 – Zinnia Zest

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In A Vase On Monday – Zinnia Zest

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

I love the sunny disposition zinnias bring to the garden. These began flowering this past week just as many other blooms succumbed to recent hot and dry weather. They will continue well into October.

Zinnia ‘Cut and Come Again Mix’

Zinnia elegans ’Cactus Flower Blend’

Bright and cheerful, long-lasting as cut flowers, zinnias add color and zest to summer vases.

In A Vase On Monday – Zinnia Zest

These stems are pinned into a florist’s frog to hold them in place. Several fronds of fern add flair and help balance the design.

In A Vase On Monday – Zinnia Zest

Materials

Flowers
Zinnia ‘Cut and Come Again Mix’
Zinnia elegans ’Cactus Flower Blend’
Fern leaves

Vase
Straight-sided round black vase
Ceramic bowl, black matte exterior, red glazed interior

In A Vase On Monday – Zinnia Zest

In A Vase On Monday – Zinnia Zest

In A Vase On Monday – Zinnia Zest

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 – Summer Bouquet

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In A Vase On Monday – Summer Bouquet

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

Summertime flowers spill into each other throughout the borders.

In A Vase On Monday – Summer Bouquet

Passalong dahlias and everlasting sweet peas are particularly lush this year.

Lathyrus latifolius (Everlasting sweet pea)

Dahlia – passalong from Libby

Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’ has been a star in the garden for several months. Echinacea too are having a good year, encouraged by frequent rain.

Tucked in the back–Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’ and Echinacea

Most of the Lamb’s ear (another passalong) has long ago faded, but several fresh flowers are forming.

Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ear)

A few gladioli are flowering here and there. This one is from last season. I planted quite a few new corms but they have not begun to bloom.

Sweet Pea, Dahlia and Gladiolus

 

Materials

Flowers
Dahlia
Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower)
Gladiolus
Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’ (Lil’ Ruby dwarf Oakleaf Hydrangea)
Lathyrus latifolius (Perennial or Everlasting sweet pea)
Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ear)

Vase
Dark blue ceramic vase

In A Vase On Monday – Summer Bouquet

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 – A Little Lime

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In A Vase On Monday – A Little Lime

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

After hot days in February and cold snaps in March, the old-fashioned mophead hydrangeas again this year lost their buds. Disappointed, I determined it really was time to invest in a couple of hydrangeas that bloom on new growth.

So in early April I added a  dwarf ‘Limelight’ hydrangea called Hydrangea paniculata ‘Little Lime’ and another dwarf, Hydrangea paniculata ‘Bobo’.  Both received plenty of rain this year and appear to be adapting to their new home.

Little Lime is the stronger of the two so far and I was able to trim several stems for today’s vase. Bobo is not blooming as profusely so I cut only one stem. It is barely discernible in the lower left portion below. It has whiter, more delicate petals.

In A Vase On Monday – A Little Lime

For accompaniment there are gladiolas. My glads have faded quickly in the summer heat but I was able to salvage the top portions from several stalks that had mostly dried up. The tips were still very fresh.

In A Vase On Monday – A Little Lime

In A Vase On Monday – A Little Lime

Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’ adds a striking bit of color to one of the vases, especially directly against the greenish hydrangea.

In A Vase On Monday – A Little Lime

Materials

Flowers

Gladiolus
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Bobo’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Little Lime’
Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’

Vases
Two porcelain Ikebana, rectangle and triangle

In A Vase On Monday – A Little Lime

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 – Cleome

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In A Vase On Monday – Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower)

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

A day late I am sharing what stood out most in my garden when I returned home yesterday from the Garden Bloggers Fling, which by the way was filled with magnificent gardens and people. It will take a few days to sort through all the photos.

Self-seeded Cleome has taken over the center of the meditation circle. Hummingbirds are darting all around it as are the bees.

Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower) In Meditation Circle

Materials

 

Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower)
Porcelain Ikebana vase, Georgetown Pottery, Maine. Triangle Black Wave (6.5 W x 6.5 L x 2H)

In A Vase On Monday – Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower)

In A Vase On Monday – Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower)

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 – Garden Variety

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In A Vase On Monday – Garden Variety

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

First I am happy to report I graduated from an intensive 3-week long, 200-hour yoga teacher training on Saturday. It was an amazing, exhilarating experience.  I have appreciated your good wishes and encouragement the past few weeks and am looking forward to catching up on your blog posts soon.

There has been little time to reconnect with my garden but stepping out to gather items for this week’s vase, I noticed suddenly lantana, buddleia and phlox are in flower along with monarda, echinacea and shasta daisies. From among these I picked Phlox paniculata to share today.

In seeking companions for the phlox, I abandoned my usual restraint, including a mix of whatever flowers said hello as I walked through the borders.

The result is an untamed garden variety of shapes, sizes and colors. The flowers were left unarranged in a water glass just as they were placed when I collected them.

Materials

Dahlia, a passalong, possibly ‘Wisconsin Red’
Gladiolus
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Jane’ LITTLE LIME
Lathyrus latifolius (Perennial Sweet Pea)
Phlox paniculata ‘Robert Poore’
Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’
Zantedeschia ‘Orange Blend’ (Calla lily)

(Click on an image below to view a slideshow.)

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 – Rosy Tri-tone

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In A Vase On Monday – Rosy Tri-tone

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

Gladiolas are an old-fashioned flower I adore, reminding me of many mornings spent with my maternal grandmother. She kept a kept a colorful vase of mixed gladioli on her indoor porch just off the kitchen, where we shelled butterbeans and peas and scraped, never peeled, the skins from tiny, new potatoes.

In A Vase On Monday – Rosy Tri-tone

Materials

Flowers
Gaura lindheimeri ‘Passionate Blush’ (Butterfly Gaura)
Gladiolus
Stem of spent orchid

Vases
Straight-sided round glass vase
Slender glass square bottle

Hope you enjoy the week ahead.  This is the last week of my 200-hour yoga teacher training program. Soon Garden Bloggers’ Fling will begin. Looking forward to meeting some of you there.

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 – Apricot And Plum

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In A Vase On Monday – Apricot And Plum

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

Blooming this week are more Calla lilies from a collection labelled ‘Orange Blend.’ Except for the yellow calla, the dark exotic colors are true to the package photo. The center of the leaf of the deep plum calla is the same rich color as the flower.

In A Vase On Monday – Apricot And Plum

Materials

Flowers
Echinacea ‘Big Sky Sundown’ (Hybrid Coneflower)
Orchid
Zantedeschia ‘Orange Blend’ (Calla lily)

Foliage
Zantedeschia ‘Orange Blend’ (Calla lily)

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

In A Vase On Monday – Apricot And Plum

Hope you all have a great week. As mentioned last Monday I am involved in a 3-week intensive 200-hour yoga teacher training program.  The first week was challenging but fun, a great exploration of yoga and a special personal journey.

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 – Accent Orange

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In A Vase On Monday – Accent Orange

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

Gardenias are in full bloom on the north side of our house. There are two shrubs each reaching over 7 feet tall. One can smell them from the street the scent is so intense.

Gardenia jasminoides (cape jasmine)

Gardenia then seemed a perfect choice for today’s vase.

Gardenia jasminoides (cape jasmine)

After several tries at combining gardenias with asclepias and calla lilies, I decided to regroup. I separated the flowers and created two arrangements, keeping brightly colored orange asclepias in common with both.

Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Plant)

In the first vase gardenias and asclepias are inserted into a black floral frog that holds water. The frog in turn is placed into a new small gray footed dish with a graceful, sinuous curve.

Gardenia jasminoides (cape jasmine)

The second vase features my first ever Calla lilies. Foliage of Aucuba japonica ‘Variegata’ is used to highlight the yellow Callas.

In A Vase On Monday – Accent Orange

Of the three calla lilies that have bloomed so far from a package labelled ‘Orange Blend’, two flowers are yellow. The photo on the cover promised they would be more exotic, but I am happy they bloomed.

Zantedeschia ‘Orange Blend’ (Calla lily)

Zantedeschia ‘Orange Blend’ (Calla lily)

Materials

Flowers
Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Plant)
Gardenia jasminoides (cape jasmine)
Zantedeschia ‘Orange Blend’ (Calla lily)

Foliage
Aucuba japonica ‘Variegata’ (Gold Dust Aucuba)

Vases
Porcelain Ikebana vase, Georgetown Pottery, Maine. Triangle Blue Wave (6.5 W x 6.5 L x 2H)
Footed ceramic dish, gray matte finish

The next few weeks will be busy away from the garden, on a special journey—an intense 200-hour yoga teacher training program.  I am beyond excited. As my focus shifts I hope to be able to create Monday vases and continue reading your posts though I may not get a chance to comment often. Soon after the yoga training ends, the Garden Bloggers’ Fling will begin.

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 – Fragrant Pair

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In A Vase On Monday – Fragrant Pair

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

Recently I identified a peony that has been perplexing me. When it bloomed for the first time several years ago I expected to see the dark red flower of Paeonia lactiflora ‘Black Beauty’ (Nightlife Peony). A rich pink double bloom, lovely in its own right, greeted me instead.

The plant, I believe, turned out to be Paeonia ‘Madame Emile Debatene,’ hybridized by Dessert-Doriat in 1927. I cut this and several other peonies in bud and have been storing them in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. Today this one appeared eager to make its way out of cold storage and into the world.

Paeonia ‘Madame Emile Debatene’

The peony is paired with a branch of gardenia, laden with promising buds.

 

In A Vase On Monday – Fragrant Pair

Materials

Paeonia x ‘Madame Emile Debatene’
Gardenia jasminoides

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 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.