Monday, December 23, 2019

In a Vase on Monday: A Zombie Christmas

There's still very little going on in my garden when it comes to floral displays.  I've got seedlings coming up here and there but it'll be a good month or two before I start to see vase-worthy blooms from those so I've made do this week with twists on flowers I've been using over the past several weeks.

My husband and I held our annual Christmas smörgåsbord on Saturday and I prepared an arrangement for the new kitchen island to great our guests.  The arrangement was constructed around a single stem of Hippeastrum 'Zombie'.

As I did in early December, I combined the 'Zombie' Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) with Grevilleas but this time I added Australian fuchsias (Correa) and a different mix of foliage

Back view: I used 2 cultivars of Grevillea this time

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Hippeastrum 'Zombie', Correa pulchella 'Pink Eyre' (shown with Corokia x virgata 'Sunsplash'), Grevilleas 'Peaches & Cream' and 'Superb', and Euryops virgineus 'Tali' (Stems of Coleonema pulchellum 'Sunset Gold' were also included but aren't shown in close up here)


On Sunday morning, in response to warnings about another rainstorm headed our way, I gathered a few more blooms for a second small arrangement.

The white snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) are making their seasonal debut with this vase.  Planted from plugs several weeks ago, I never know how long they'll last in my garden as they're magnets for rust here no matter how widely spaced they are to allow air circulation.

In retrospect, I like this back view of the vase better than the one I selected as the front view

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Antirrhinum majus, Eustoma grandiflorum (Lisianthus), Argyranthemum fruticosa 'Everest', Osteospermum 'Berry White', Leptospermum scoparium 'Pink Pearl', and Westringia fruticosa 'Morning Light'


Last week's dry vase did only so-so.  The succulents were fine of course but the small amount of water in the floral tubes used to sustain the berries and Coprosma was rapidly depleted and, as they couldn't be refilled without deconstructing the entire vase, those plants shriveled.  The Leucadendron stems fared somewhat better but I'd be hesitant to create a wreath of them, at least for use inside.  Outside, without exposure to the dry furnace air, they might hold up better.

For more of this week's IAVOM creations, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.



All material © 2012-2019 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party



22 comments:

  1. At least you have some things blooming! I seriously want that first arrangement: It warms my heart. Happy Holidays!

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    1. Amaryllis are a joy this time of year, even in my relatively mild climate. 'Zombie' has proved to be a generous bloomer, at least the first time around, producing 2-3 stems per bulb.

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  2. Well you certainly have enough blooms for two beautiful Christmas arrangements. Happy Christmas in your lovely, finished at last home Kris.

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    1. Yes, at least the home remodel schedule made the Christmas deadline, if not the original Halloween or subsequent Thanksgiving deadlines!

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  3. 'Pink Eyre' is a perfect match for the Hippeastrum, which I think deserves a better name than Zombie'! Beautiful pinks all around.

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    1. I've been wondering where the 'Zombie" name came from. Perhaps the bulb comes back from the dead?!

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  4. I have seedlings coming up too-unfortunately most of them are shotweed.Wouldn't it be nice if rust-resistant snaps were actually rust resistant ?

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    1. Hopefully, the seedlings in my cutting garden are larkspur, Orlaya, Nigella and Lathyrus but I imagine that a lot of those coming up in the main garden are Santa Barbara daisies, a prolific, if pretty, weed here. As to the snaps, I've yet to find one that holds up long against rust, Kathy - my only hope is to get some decent blooms for a few weeks while temperatures remain on the cool side.

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  5. More rain Kris? Despite any damaging effect you must be thrilled! How lovely to be able to show off the long-awaited revamp of your home and as always you have made the most of your blooms in your lovely vases. It's always intriguing to find that some vases definitely do have better sides!

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    1. I never paid much attention to the "back views" of vases until I started following your IAVOM meme, Cathy!

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  6. Once again beautiful flowers filling vases this time of year. I am happy for you that you got to use your remodel for a holiday celebration. I bet everyone enjoyed seeing the remodel and it is always fun to have family and friends over. Merry Christmas!

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    1. Yes, the remodel reveal was a draw for the smorgasborg this year, Lisa! We had a good time.

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  7. Both pretty vases Kris although I especially like the oh so subtle colours of the first.
    Wishing you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas and a happy and peaceful New Year! I hope that 2020 brings just the right amount of rain for your garden xxx

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    1. We got 1.2 inches of rain from the storm that began Sunday night, Anna, which is stellar for us! Another storm is on its way for Christmas too.

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  8. What an impressive Hippeastrum bloom <3 Both vases are lovely, reminding me that we are now on our way to spring, hurrah!
    Hope you all (Pipig, too) have a relaxing holiday and the year ahead holds delightful wonders!

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    1. Pipig had her stitches out and her "sausage suit" off yesterday afternoon, Eliza. Sadly, she was prescribed another 24 hours in the plastic cone collar but, even then, she's a little more herself already.

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  9. Little going on in your garden? You must be kidding, Kris ;) Your arrangements make me turn a little green with envy. They're gorgeous as always. Looking forward to more of them in 2020. Wishing you a merry christmas and all the best in the new year x

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    1. Everything is relative, Annette ;) Best wishes to you for a happy Christmas and a wonderful new year as well!

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  10. Beautiful Hippeastrum, and I love the foliage you have used in both vases too. Happy Christmas Kris!

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  11. I could say this virtually every week, so let me do it now: Your floral creations beat any florist that I've been to, hands down! And there's always a story! That's what I love most.

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