Monday, December 20, 2021

In a Vase on Monday: Best wishes for a Merry Christmas!

I was leaning toward an arrangement featuring Grevillea 'Superb' this week but I knew if I did that it was going to end up looking very much like the one I created just before Thanksgiving just based on what's currently available in my garden.  Instead, I selected Leucadendron 'Blush' as my starting point to create an arrangement featuring tones of pink and burgundy.

The appearance of a single rose bloom, shown here at the front of the arrangement, was pure serendipity.  To the best of my recollection, this is the first time 'California Dreamin' has bloomed this year.

Back view, highlighting the burgundy elements of Plectranthus scutellarioides 'Vino' (aka coleus) and Pennisetum advena 'Rubrum'

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Correa pulchella 'Pink Eyre', Leptospermum scoparium 'Pink Pearl', Leucadendron 'Jubilee Crown', L. salignum 'Blush', Pennisetum advena 'Rubrum', Persicaria capitata (aka knotweed), Plectranthus scutellarioides 'Vino', and Rosa 'California Dreamin'

I also picked a few stems to create a new arrangement for the kitchen island.

A single stem of the orchid, Oncostele 'Wildcat', kicked off this arrangement.  As new floral stems are developing and this one had already been blooming for at least 2 months, I didn't feel bad about cutting it.  

Rear view: I selected the red berries to play off the red color in the orchid

Top view

Left to right: noID Cotoneaster, Oncostele 'Wildcat', and Phylica pubescens (aka featherhead)

For more IAVOM posts, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.


Best wishes for a safe and happy Christmas!


All material © 2012-2021 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

24 comments:

  1. I love the burgundy and pink together, an elegant alternative to traditional red/green. The phylica are a sweet, fuzzy flower...a fun arrangement.
    Have a great week!

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    1. I love Phylica. I bought 3 plants when I came upon them in relatively well-priced 1-gallon pots after losing my original plant years ago. I'm hoping they do better than the original (sited elsewhere), which never got much bigger than it was at the start.

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  2. The first arrangement is Stunning: wonderful range of colors from dark to light, and shapes from soft to pointy. The vase perfectly complement the bouquet.

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    1. I was pleased with that arrangement myself, and I hadn't had much hope for it when I was assembling the materials :)

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  3. Really love the first one Kris. The Coleus and Pennisetum add some lovely texture and velvety chocolate colour. A very pretty rose too. :-)

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    1. The rose was such a surprise, arriving as it did so late in the season without producing a single bloom earlier in the year. That it echoed the color of the 'Blush' Leucadendron was pure luck.

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  4. I love the Leucadendron and rose combination. Beautiful design and colors are so lovely.

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    1. Thanks Susie. The 'Blush' Leucadendron shines in the garden's lower light and it manages to do so in a vase as well.

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  5. I love the colors today, a burgundy is a wonderful counter to the other colors, I am California dreamin about the rose..Lovely! I always have mixed feelings about cutting orchids - during the summer I waited too long dithering and something ate the flower. Happy Holidays.

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    1. Because the orchid flowers last so long (absent the intervention of a naughty critter!), I usually let them alone too but the new flower stems on the same plant nudged me to take the older flower stem while it still looked presentable. I only just tossed the arrangement I created 3 weeks ago featuring another orchid bloom.

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  6. Yes, the peachy blooms of the first vase work so well with the Plectranthus and the grasses,bringing a subtle warmth, whereas the second vase is bright and sunny but somehow without that warmth - most intriguing!

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  7. Two lovely vases and the grass heads in the first one gives a strong but airy movement. Happy Christmas Kris.

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  8. Leucadendron 'Blush' is definitely a wonderful base for the first arrangement, and I don't think I'd be able to stop touching the Phylica pubescens stems. Merry Christmas Kris!

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  9. Lovely vases, Kris - that rose is pretty darn nice! Hope your holidays go well and you have a joyous Christmas.

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    1. The rose was an unexpected delight, Barbara. I hope you enjoy the holidays too!

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  10. My heart skipped when I saw the first arrangement! The flowers and elements are stunning, and the vase as a vessel really compliments its contents. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to you and yours!

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    1. Thanks Beth. The first arrangement turned out better than I'd expected. Best wishes for a merry Christmas to you!

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  11. Beautiful flowers as always Kris. Wishing you a most Happy Christmas too - sending you love and light xxx

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    1. Thanks Anna! We could all use a strong blast of light these days!

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  12. Wow, that first bouquet is a pure masterpiece, Kris! So very gorgeous!I fell for three pretty, white ornamental cabbages at Trader Joe's the other day, but have yet to actually make a real bouquet with them. It's always nearly dark when I get home, so I haven't had a chance to botanize for complementary greenery. Hopefully I'll get to it before they perish.

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    1. I've been eyeing the ornamental cabbages at my local garden center too, Anna, but not knowing where to put them while they bulk up I've yet to bring any home. It's too wet to plant anything at the moment anyway (yay!) but I expect that'll change in January.

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