With the holidays behind us, I've stepped up my activity in cleaning up my garden. I've been pruning the shrubs I allowed to get out of control, tidying up others, and pulling out plants that have just become too woody (or too trashed by remodel-related damage) to salvage. My first vase contains the byproducts of some of these efforts.
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| I've hard pruned my pink Cuphea, which blooms continuously but gets ratty during the course of the year. I also cleared out some of the twiggy growth on my Hong Kong orchid tree. It's flowers don't last long in a vase but they look flashy for a few days. |
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| Back view: I kept this vase simpler than most |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the left: Bauhinia x blakeana (aka Hong Kong orchid tree), Coleonema pulchellum 'Sunset Gold', Cuphea x ignea 'Starfire Pink', and Lavandula multifida (aka fernleaf lavender) |
My second arrangement features the vase I received from a good friend as a Christmas present. It has a relatively small opening, which I stuffed with bits and pieces scavenged from different corners of my garden.
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| It's not so much an arrangement as a collection of miscellaneous cuttings |
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| Back view: The green Chrysanthemums I purchased at the supermarket 2 weeks ago are past their prime but I tucked some of the most presentable stems here too |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Digitalis purpurea 'Dalmatian White', Argyranthemum frutescens 'Everest', noID Chrysanthemum, noID Narcissus, Pittosporum tenufolium 'Silver Magic', Polygala fruticosa 'Petite Butterfly', and noID Viola |
With the introduction of our kitchen island, I now seem to feel compelled to have a vase there, as well as in the front entry and on the dining room table. Luckily, I still have a steady supply of Amaryllis (
Hippeastrum 'Zombie') blooming in my shade house so I've been able to refresh the dining room display as needed. What am I going to do when that supply dries up?!
Visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to find more "In a Vase on Monday" creations.
All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
