Narcissus ‘Delnashaugh’ (Double Daffodil)
Narcissus ‘Delnashaugh’ (Double Daffodil)
Narcissus ‘Delnashaugh’ (Double Daffodil)
Narcissus (Mixed Large Daffodils)
Narcissus (Mixed Large Daffodils)
Narcissus (Mixed Large Daffodils)
Narcissus ‘Cheerfulness’
Twin Sisters / Cemetery Ladies (Narcissus x medioluteus)
Iris germanica ‘Raspberry Blush’
Iris germanica ‘Orinoco Flow’
Cornus florida (Flowering Dogwood)
Cornus florida (Flowering Dogwood)
In A Vase On Monday – Orchid With Redbud
In A Vase On Monday – Orchid With Redbud
Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share a vase of materials gathered from our gardens.
I am enjoying the garden’s daily transitions. Columbine is just about to open, as are the first bearded irises and peonies—all are caught in the almost stage.
Iris buds – Iris ‘Crimson King’
While scouting for today’s vase contents I found inspiration from a redbud tree, whose soaring branches are outfitted with ebullient flower clusters.
In A Vase On Monday – Orchid With Redbud
For several weeks I have been tempted by a moth orchid that has been flowering (indoors) for several months. Its color is almost jarring against other flowers, enough so as to make it a feature today. I do not expect it to last more than a few days, but chose it for the way it pulls out the pink in the daffodil’s trumpet and the magenta of the rosebud.
In A Vase On Monday – Orchid With Redbud
After photographing the flowers I went back and added a white daffodil and a grape hyacinth. The arrangement seemed to need the brightness of the white flower, but I am not satisfied with the placement. It was too late in the process to start fiddling.
In A Vase On Monday – Orchid With Redbud
In A Vase On Monday – Orchid With Redbud
In A Vase On Monday – Orchid With Redbud
In A Vase On Monday – Orchid With Redbud
In A Vase On Monday – Orchid With Redbud
Materials
Flowers
Cercis canadensis (Eastern Redbud)
Helleborus x hybridus
Iris germanica (Tall bearded iris)
Muscari
Narcissus
Phalaenopsis (moth orchid)
Foliage
Aquilegia canadensis (Eastern red columbine)
Container
Black metal suiban. 4 x 9.5 x 6.5 inches. Japan. With floral pin holder.
In A Vase On Monday – Orchid With Redbud
Thanks to our host Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for encouraging us to share our vases. Visit her to discover what garden surprises she and others are enjoying this week.
Narcissus (new this year from mixed bag of large daffodils)
In A Vase On Monday – Rose and White
In A Vase On Monday – Rose and White
Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share a vase highlighting what is growing in our gardens.
Virgie was my mother’s first cousin and she shared her love of gardening and lots of plants with me over the years. Her passalong rose is blooming this week and it seemed destined to feature in today’s vase.
When I began photographing the arrangement the heuchera leaf front and center at the lip of the vase seemed much too dark; I added a white snapdragon so it would not leave a black hole. Later I decided I liked the balance of the other flowers without that central snapdragon. Now I cannot decide so thought I would show both ways. The top two images show the original design and these next two show the modified one with the additional snapdragon.
In A Vase On Monday – Rose and White
In A Vase On Monday – Rose and White
Accompanying the roses is a branch of Flowering Dogwood. Dogwood is native to North Carolina and serves as our state flower.
In A Vase On Monday – Rose and White
Other white flowers include a late blooming narcissus, whose name I wish I knew, and the aforementioned snapdragon, Speedy Sonnet White.
In A Vase On Monday – Rose and White
In A Vase On Monday – Rose and White
A few pink and red dianthus were added for accent and texture.
In A Vase On Monday – Rose and White
As concealer foliage I used young leaves of Big Top Bronze Heuchera with their reddish undersides, along with spring green fern-like tansy leaves (one is visible in the upper right corner).
Heuchera villosa ‘Big Top Bronze’ (Coral Bells)
Materials
Flowers
Antirrhinum majus ‘Speedy Sonnet White’ (Snapdragon)
Cornus florida (Flowering Dogwood)
Dianthus Ideal Select Mix
Narcissus
Rose
Foliage
Heuchera villosa ‘Big Top Bronze’ (Coral Bells)
Tanacetum vulgare (Tansy)
Vase
Ceramic Urn Stamped “Vintage 4”
In A Vase On Monday – Rose and White
In A Vase On Monday – Rose and White
In A Vase On Monday – Rose and White
Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting and giving us an opportunity to share flower-filled vases across the world. Visit her to discover what she and others found to place in a vase this week. Good health and peace to you.
In A Vase On Monday—Vintage PurpleEach Monday Cathy from Rambling In The Garden invites us to share a vase assembled from materials collected in our gardens.
Iris germanica ‘Orinoco Flow’ was the starting point for today’s vase. With inky coloring outlining a stitching pattern around the edges of the falls, this iris, which just began opening this week, commands attention.
I. ‘Orinoco Flow’Clematis ‘Jackmanii’ opened abruptly after sporting fat buds promisingly for days. It deserves attention as well, and made a nice focal flower for the design near the base.
In A Vase On Monday—Vintage Purple
In A Vase On Monday—Vintage Purple
In A Vase On Monday—Vintage Purple
Sweetly scented late-blooming narcissus are used as secondary flowers adding contrast in color, value and form. Several stems of the first iris to open this spring, a solid purple iris hybrid pass-along, made it into my Monday vase again this week.
In A Vase On Monday—Vintage Purple
Through the years I have admired on others’ blogs the graceful way tulips age. Finally I am able to enjoy up-close the late-stage beauty of Tulip Triumph ‘Negrita.’ Fresh Anemones always delight.
In A Vase On Monday—Vintage Purple
Materials
Flowers
Anemone De Caen ‘Mr Fokker’
Clematis ‘Jackmanii’
Iris germanica (Tall bearded iris)
Iris germanica ‘Orinoco Flow’
Muscari ‘Armeniacum’
Narcissus
Tulip Triumph ‘Negrita’
Foliage
Buxus microphylla var koreana ‘Wintergreen’ (Winter boxwood)
Stachys Byzantine (Lamb’s Ear)
Container
Ceramic Urn Stamped “Vintage 4”
6-inch clear Lomey dish
eco-friendly Oasis floral foam
In A Vase On Monday—Vintage Purple
Many 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 – February Exuberance
Each Monday Cathy from Rambling In The Garden invites us to share a vase assembled from materials collected in our gardens. Today I almost picked red Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’. It opened in late October and never do I remember having it still in bloom as it is now at late February.
But hellebores are at their peak and seem deserving of the limelight this week.
In A Vase On Monday – February Exuberance
Fragrant Daphne odora and and cheerful narcissus are used as companion plants. A stem of Arum provides a bit of foliage interest.
In A Vase On Monday – February Exuberance
In A Vase On Monday – February Exuberance
In A Vase On Monday – February Exuberance
In A Vase On Monday – February Exuberance
In A Vase On Monday – February Exuberance
In A Vase On Monday – February Exuberance
Materials
Flowers
Daphne odora (Winter daphne)
Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten rose)
Narcissus
Foliage
Arum italicum
Container
Red/black raku vase, Charles Chrisco, Chrisco’s Pottery
Apologies for not responding yet to comments last week. Sometimes we just have to pause. I have been taking care of my husband who continues to meet health challenges with grace and good humor. Please know I appreciate hearing from you and look forward to catching up on your posts soon.
In A Vase On Monday – February Exuberance
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 – Paperwhites
Each Monday from Rambling In The Garden Cathy invites us to share a vase assembled from materials collected in our gardens.
Today’s vase is from my indoor garden courtesy of my beautiful niece Julie and her family who surprised us with a Christmas gift of paperwhite Narcissus, preplanted in an old wooden box.
In A Vase On Monday – Paperwhites
The bulbs have opened at different rates, beginning with a particularly eager one that sprouted greenery 3 or 4 times faster than the others. It bloomed for a few days alone in its splendor, until several others could catch up. In hindsight I think the paperwhites may have wanted a sunnier location than our east-facing kitchen window, but all in all they have been happy.
In A Vase On Monday – Paperwhites
We have been enjoying the fresh springlike blooms though spring weather feels far away.
In A Vase On Monday – Paperwhites
Materials
Flowers
Narcissus (Paperwhites)
Container
Wooden box
In A Vase On Monday – Paperwhites
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 – 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 – Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten rose)
Each Monday brings the chance to join Cathy’s In A Vase On Monday to share an arrangement using materials gathered from the garden. After last Monday’s snow, sleet and ice covered the garden once more, the weather relented, and the days since have been mild and mostly sunny.
The Coral Delight Camellia featured last week with rescued, faded blooms is back with a fresher look. And Hellebores deserve a share of spotlight as they are at last coming into full flower in the garden.
Late February Profferings
As I gathered these cut flowers on Sunday morning I intended to work them all into a single arrangement. But after conditioning them in water (while my husband and I ran out to brunch with a friend), it seemed quicker and more manageable to keep the two main types of flowers separated.
There were a half-dozen camellias in bloom, perfect for displaying in a set of footed cordial glasses.
In A Vase On Monday – Camellia x ‘Coral Delight’
In A Vase On Monday – Camellia x ‘Coral Delight’
Camellia x ‘Coral Delight’ has a semi-double flower, deep coral pink in color. The plant is slow-growing, aspiring to 6-8 feet high. This one is about 4.5 feet tall after about ten years, with dark, shiny foliage.
The blooms are brushed with white markings on the petals.
Camellia x ‘Coral Delight’
Camellia x ‘Coral Delight’
Hellebores in my garden have been reluctant to open this winter. I visited a hellebore farm yesterday with a friend and we were surprised to find fewer blooming plants than imagined. When I have organized my pictures I will write more about the visit and purchases.
Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten rose)
Only one daffodil was blooming yesterday, but many more are about to burst onto the scene. I included it with the hellebores for a sparkle of color. Purple stems of statice from a store-bought bouquet from last month and a piece of Shorty Euphorbia from last week’s vase were used as filler.
Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten rose)
The hellebores were placed into a Portmeirion Botanic Garden vase, detailed with pansy motif and leaves around the rim.
Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten rose)
Materials
Camellia x ‘Coral Delight’
6 Cordial glasses (footed) with silver caddy
Euphorbia ‘Shorty’ (shorty Spurge)
Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten rose)
Limonium sinuatum (statice)
Narcissus ‘King Alfred’ (trumpet daffodil)
Portmeirion Botanic Garden vase
Thanks to Cathy for hosting this weekly flower arranging addiction. Visit her at Rambling In The Garden to discover what she and others are placing In A Vase On Monday and feel free to join in.
In A Vase On Monday-Camellia x ‘Coral Delight’
Each Monday brings the chance to join Cathy’s In A Vase On Monday to share an arrangement using materials gathered from the garden. Today I have two small, but colorful, vases to share.
Camellia x ‘Coral Delight’
The first vase honors a Coral Delight camellia that burst in bloom Friday despite frigid temperatures.
Camellia x ‘Coral Delight’
I cut the three semidouble flowers that were open and brought them indoors Saturday. By Sunday when I photographed them, they had faded significantly, but in a graceful, dignified way that I find compelling.
Camellia x ‘Coral Delight’
Once again a cutting of Daphne odora fills out the vase.
Daphne odora (Winter daphne) and Camellia x ‘Coral Delight’
In A Vase On Monday – Tiny Blooms
It was 15°F Saturday night yet anemones were freshly budding when I went out early Sunday morning to check out the garden. The anemone stems were only two or three inches above the soil and their flowers were tiny, the size of my thumbnail.
Anemone coronaria ‘Mr. Fokker’
Across the way a couple of undersized, misguided daffodil buds revealed their yellow petals. Daffodils have been very hesitant to open in this unpredictable weather. Usually by now many more would be open and the flowers would be much larger.
Narcissus ‘King Alfred’ (trumpet daffodil)
Together the anemones and daffodils were barely enough to form a miniature posy. For a bit of greenery I added the tip of a flowering Euphorbia ‘Shorty.’
In A Vase On Monday – Tiny Blooms
I chose a vase with a fairly small neck, yet the flowers sink and are a bit overwhelmed by the size of the container (4.25 inches high x 2.25 inches wide).
A. coronaria ‘Mr. Fokker’ is more lavender than these photographs portray. I experimented with a setting the color option on my camera to “vivid” and I like the resulting strong color, but the flower’s blue is overstated in these images.
In A Vase On Monday – Tiny Blooms
Materials
Camellia x ‘Coral Delight’
Daphne odora (Winter daphne)
Anemone coronaria ‘Mr. Fokker’
Anemone coronaria ‘The Bride
Euphorbia ‘Shorty’ (Shorty Spurge)
Narcissus ‘King Alfred’ (trumpet daffodil)
Thanks to Cathy for hosting this weekly flower arranging addiction. Visit her at Rambling In The Garden to discover what she and others are placing In A Vase On Monday and feel free to join in.
Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten rose)
Recently my yoga teacher suggested the class think of the phrase everything is new as we moved through the poses. The idea was to pay attention to every aspect of each asana as if we were experiencing the posture for the first time.
I brought home the phrase to use with my garden. Adopting everything is new will not require starting over with new plants nor throwing out accumulated knowledge from my few years of gardening. The phrase simply inspires me to pay attention without overthinking everything.
Observe. Take time to notice.
Everything is new reminds me to focus on the joy of being in the garden and experience gardening anew.
Narcissus
One thousand daffodil bulbs sit in my garage awaiting planting this weekend. Happily I am not responsible for the actual planting. Who knew how heavy bulbs can be?
The grounds committee for my neighborhood, of which I am a member, ordered 500 Ice Follies and 500 King Alfred to be distributed among our central common areas and around our eight cul-de-sacs.
Ice Follies and King Alfred
I pushed for one large river of daffodils, but am satisfied these bulbs will make a nice welcome in spring.
Narcissus bulbs will brighten the neighborhood in spring.
Cathy’s weekly challenge entitled In A Vase On Monday encourages gardeners to create floral designs from materials gathered in our own gardens. Looking for inspiration late yesterday, after a cold, rainy and windy weekend, the grass squished under my feet while I gathered blooms and foliage from around the garden’s edges.
There were not large quantities of any one flower, but in the end I collected an adequate sampling of spring blossoms for Monday’s display.
White Narcissus ‘Thalia’ are only just beginning to open and a sole hyacinth escaped the winter’s chill.
Hyacinth
For containers I selected four footed cordial glasses from a set of six, a well-loved and often-used wedding present from a dear friend. I also chose a small crystal vase that belonged to a maternal aunt.
To use as a feathery, airy filler I cut freshly emerging Achillea leaves. From a nearby container I also selected a few leaves of Salvia Dorada ‘Aurea’ (Golden Sage) that had not been damaged by the rough weather.
Achillea leaves contrast with tight form of Muscari racemes
In foreground, leaves of Salvia Dorada ‘Aurea’ (Golden Sage) merge with those of Iberis sempervirens
The vase holding the Thalia and several Tete-a-Tetes made a pleasant individual arrangement, with the daffodils hovering above a base of Iberis sempervirens.
Narcissus ‘Thalia’, Narcissus ‘Tete-a-Tete’ and Iberis sempervirens (Candytuft)
Narcissus ‘Thalia’, Narcissus ‘Tete-a-Tete’ and Iberis sempervirens (Candytuft)
Picked from the path of the meditation circle, purple violas with deep golden centers proved difficult to photograph, their rich dark color resisting the camera, but this image reflects the strong hue fairly accurately.
Violas
The grape hyacinths are extra small this year and scarce, but these few fan out to make a large impact when paired with Iberis.
Muscari and Iberis
Muscari and Iberis
I find the flowers of Iberis sempervirens (Candytuft) so charming and I admire the pure white, creamy petals. Repeating Iberis among multiple vases ties the arrangements together.
Creamy white flowers of Iberis sempervirens (Candytuft)
It was fun to collect and disperse these spring flowers among a set of vases this Monday.
Materials List
Achillea x ‘Appleblossom’ (Yarrow)
Hyacinthus orientalis (Dutch hyacinth)
Iberis sempervirens (Candytuft)
Muscari (Grape hyacinth)
Narcissus ‘King Alfred’
Narcissus ‘Tete-a-Tete’
Narcissus ‘Thalia’
Salvia Dorada ‘Aurea’ (Golden Sage)
Viola
crystal vase, acrylic doughnut-shaped stem holder, footed cordial glasses
Thanks again to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting. Enjoy visiting her site to see her arrangement this week and see what other participants are placing In A Vase On Monday. I am headed over there right now.
Cathy’s In A Vase On Monday encourages gardeners to collect and arrange flowers or other plant specimens from their gardens each week. What is in your vase this week?
At this mid-March juncture with the equinox only a few days away, I gathered fresh lavender and branches of almost-open spiraea, along with narcissus and Daphne odora. The daphne currently is in full bloom and carries a magnificent lemony fragrance; however, once I began creating an arrangement for this week, it was the narcissus that drew me in.
Narcissus requires no embellishment. This venerable herald of spring evokes simple design and pure color. First I selected a tall ceramic pot that was a special gift from my daughter. Matte-finished and blue-black in color, this container was the perfect size to hold two of my daffodil varieties, ‘King Alfred’ and an unknown kind featuring white perianth with a ruffled, pale yellow cup (I had been thinking of it as ‘Thalia’ until I looked it up today. This one is not pure white, so it is possibly Narcissus ‘Ice Follies’ or Narcissus ‘Mount Hood’?).
Initially I used a small matte-finish, periwinkle blue vase to hold a group of miniature Narcissus ‘Tete-a-Tete’. Later I exchanged that vase for a dark green glossy one that seemed better able to handle the greenish hue of the Tete-a-Tetes.
As an aside, i would mention I photographed the flowers today in a niche in our foyer, a spot that normally holds a bust of Thomas Jefferson. Mr. Jefferson is a strong interest of study for my husband. Nearby is a modern chair made of cherry, maple and walnut, designed and built by my daughter while earning her industrial design degree.
Thanks very much to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting. Visit her site to see her arrangement this week and see what other participants are placing In A Vase On Monday
Petite Flower Arrangement
It is late in the day but forging ahead, once again I am joining Cathy’s In A Vase On Monday challenge. Today I assembled a group of petite flowers arranged among several pieces of my daughter’s childhood tea set.
I was not sure what would be blooming this week, but immediately following an ice storm we have finally had three gorgeous blue sky, sunny days that encouraged the Narcissus ‘King Alfred’ to begin blooming. Although I was reluctant to cut these first flowers, eventually I gathered the courage and collected a couple dozen daffodils. I filled a favorite ceramic vase for a quintessential example of spring.
But while I was collecting them I also came across the first little Narcissus ‘Tete-a-Tete’ and nearby, an Iberis Sempervirens (Candytuft) showing a few open flowers.
Their dainty size appealed to me today, so I gathered them along with several sprigs of lavender and a single Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten rose).
Narcissus ‘Tete-a-Tete’
Narcissus ‘Tete-a-Tete’ and Iberis
Iberis Sempervirens (Candytuft)
Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten rose)
Despite my hesitation to cut the Narcissus ‘King Alfred’ I am enjoying them indoors after all. They are very fragrant. These have been growing in the garden for many years, but most of the flowers seem much smaller than in years past.
These bring smiles nevertheless.
Narcissus ‘King Alfred’ (trumpet daffodil)
Thanks very much to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting. Visit her site to see her arrangement this week and see what other participants are placing In A Vase On Monday.
Camellia
Last summer when I visited their new home my sisters’ garden was a cool green respite from the August heat. When I visited this week their shrubs and early bulbs were providing plenty of seasonal color in these last days of winter.
The garden, filled with mature plantings, has been a joy for them as plant surprises unfold regularly. Numerous Camellias have provided a progression of blooms.
One exciting surprise for me was seeing they have Snowdrops Snowflakes
growing in a sunny front border along with a variety of Narcissus. I let my sisters know my garden has none but could use a Snowdrop Snowflake or two when these need to be divided. [Note: Pauline helped me identify these correctly as Leucojum (Snowflake), not Galanthus (Snowdrop). Thanks so much Pauline!]
In the back part of the garden tall palm trees intermingle with hardwoods, pines, and magnolias. On this day robins, cardinals and numerous other birds darted overhead from tree to tree or pecked along the ground, filling the air with their chatter. Sonorous wind chimes sang along. Secluded and peaceful, this garden inspires calm and serenity.
Palm Canopy
New Growth On Magnolia
Along the side of the property golden Forsythia flowers stand out against the deep green English Ivy. English Ivy is widespread in this garden and is invasive in the Southeast. My sisters have begun hand-pulling the vines this winter and will probably be dealing with it a long time.
Forsythia and English Ivy
Several garden sculptures bring personality and charm to the setting.
Inside the house is a collection of orchids in the sun room. They are all beautiful, especially this one with its rich, exotic color.
This is a lovely garden and in a few weeks irises, dogwoods, rhododendron and azaleas will be the stars. I am looking forward to the next visit with my sisters.
pbmGarden 