The red hellebores in my front garden grabbed my attention this week and I created my first arrangement to play off them. I kept discovering suitable companions, snipping as I went until I had more flowers than I needed.
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| As I selected the relatively diminutive china vase featuring a woman's elegantly manicured nails, I should have used fewer flowers to show them off. I did jettison some flowers in the process of arranging them but not enough to highlight the vase itself. |
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| I included one fat stem of Daphne odora in the back just because I couldn't resist bringing its scent into the house |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Anemone coronaria 'Admiral', Boronia crenulata 'Shark Bay', Daphne odora 'Leucanthe', Grevillea sericea, Helleborus 'Anna's Red', and Pelargonium sidioides. (Stems of Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata' foliage were also included but not shown in closeup.) |
Two of the Echium handiense I grew from cuttings last year after taking out the woody plant in my back border have started to bloom and, as both plants can benefit from being cut back at this stage, I went ahead and cut three stems for a second vase. The flowers of this Echium are bright blue, tinged with just a touch of pink at their base, so I cut a few stems of Camellia williamsii 'Taylor's Perfection' to add to the mix but subsequently changed my mind, sticking with a simple blue and white (and purple) combination.
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| I cut all the flowering stems of the Osteospermum '4D Silver' that self-seeded in the dirt path behind my backyard border as I'm planning to dig the plant up and move it this week. This is my all-time favorite Osteospermum but I haven't been able to find it in local garden centers for some time. |
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| I filled out the back of the vase with 2 stems of Limonium perezii (aka sea lavender). These plants are just starting to get their bloom on. |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: noID Ceanothus, Echium handiense 'Pride of Fuerteventura', Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata', Limonium perezii, and Osteospermum '4D Silver' |
The leftover materials from both arrangements went into the small vase on my kitchen island.
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| It contains 3 stems of Camellia williamsii 'Taylor's Perfection', one pink Alstroemeria, and leftover Boronia, Pelargonium, and Prostanthera stems |
For the record, the Triplets are still in place on my living room mantel. With one small exception they look just like they did three weeks ago.
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| The Kalanchoe in the smallest Triplet's chapeau has developed delicate pink roots. All the succulent cuttings will be replanted in the garden this week as the Triplets retreat to the privacy of their closet. |
For more IAVOM creations, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2022 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
I adore those hands clutching the blooms in your first vase, Kris, but I am also amazed at the variety of blue blooms you are always able to find to create a vase. No twigs or dried material needed for your vases!
ReplyDeleteAs long as there's water, I should have flowers of some kind year-round, Cathy. If the day comes that I have to rely completely on succulents, floral displays will become much more seasonally limited.
DeleteI've been resorting to Trader Joes for flowers that last few weeks, mixed with greens from my garden. Just about zero blooms going on here except for the Hellebores, and I don't usually cut those except to float. The Freesias are budded though so I have that on the horizon. I love you little succulent vase !
ReplyDeleteYou definitely need to pot up some Hippeastrum bulbs next fall to brighten your winter days, Kathy! I'm looking forward to the Freesia blooms here too.
DeleteNobody arranges "this and that" more elegantly, Kris. Your vases are all beautiful especially the first one featuring my favourite colours. I envy you a little for all those flowers, our January has been unusually cold. Fingers crossed for milder weather. Have a good week!
ReplyDeleteThanks Annette. I hope you get warmer temperatures and that we get more rain!
DeleteAll the vases are beautiful but I am loving the pinks. I miss all my hellebores.
ReplyDeleteThanks Donna. Maybe you could try growing a hellebore in a large pot?
DeleteBeautiful arrangements! I'm curious how your hellebores are holding up. I always have mixed results when cutting them early.
ReplyDeleteAll but the smallest and tightest hellebore buds have opened, Loree, although the pretty filaments at their centers have dropped relatively quickly. Overall, the hellebore flowers are holding up much better than the Camellia flowers, which dropped the first evening after being cut.
DeleteIt is always a joy to see your Osteospermums, but the first vase is especially lovely too… the combination of those gorgeous red hellebore blooms with all the other pinks and reds is so eye-catching. It would be hard to find such pristine hellebores by the time the other flowers would be in bloom here. The deep red Pelargonium is really pretty. :-)
ReplyDeleteI'd ignored the tiny flowers of the Pelargonium for some time, Cathy, but I thought they mixed well with the hellebore flowers. I can't say they hold up particularly well in a vase, though.
DeleteBoth beautiful vases Kris. The hellebore flowers looked so good with the anemones. I hope that those triplets are not out of action for long. They are such characters.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the Triplets will return during the summer when I can create headpieces using strawflowers. Outfitting them with anything that needs water to survive is more of a challenge ;)
DeleteIt's exciting to see new flowers coming on board... spring! The hellebore and anemones are esp. wonderful and the blue/purple combo is lovely. I got a kick out of the triplet who looks like he is blowing his 'hair' away from his face. :)
ReplyDeleteI was amused by those pink roots in the small Triplet's face too, Eliza, but it was a signal that I should probably get those succulent cuttings in the ground.
DeleteI love the composition and color of your first vase. That Echium is a great color and looks wonderful with your chosen companions. Sweet, lovely camellias.
ReplyDelete'Taylor's Perfection' is a truly beautiful Camellia but unfortunately the stems I cut rather promptly dropped all their blooms.
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