Monday, July 13, 2015

In a vase on Monday - "just can't stand the heat" edition

You may have heard...it's been hot up here in the Pacific Northwest. Even when one does their best to stay on top of watering, things will flop. Case in point several Syneilesis aconitifolia stems had gone horizontal. Rather than risk them getting walked on I snipped them, off and brought them inside.

They add a little zing to the dining table.

There were a few more, so they joined the Canna bits in a vase on the mantle. The Canna flower buds proved too heavy for their stems and they just couldn't stay upright, by the time I noticed they were bent in half. It's my fault, had I paid attention I would have given them enough water to keep them happy.

It's a strange arrangement but I do like it. For some reason it makes me think of the vintage flamingo print I always meant to buy...

This one! I'd buy it now but Andrew is not a fan.

This is really is a silly arrangement to share here, as it's obviously just garden "scraps"...but hey, if it encourages someone else to plop something in a vase rather than toss in in the compost then great!

The flowers as they open are shockingly bright.

The small vase in front holds a stem from my Ludisia discolor, it's been rooting in water. I added a Syneilesis aconitifolia leaf, and then one of the Canna blooms just fell into place. How perfect is that?

With these completely unplanned (and very odd) arrangements I'm joining up with Cathy at Rambling in the Garden where other, more prepared and talented, bloggers post photos of arrangements pulled from their garden. Check it out!

All material © 2009-2015 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

33 comments:

  1. That little vase in front (fantastic!) does give it the flamingo feel. Really great! BTW, "rooting in water" is one of my favorite things about putting foliage in vases. :)

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    1. Ah yes, I bet that vase is what had me reminiscing about the flamingos!

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  2. I love your impromptu arrangements, Loree! Of course, it helps that you have some of the most beautiful foliage on the west coast. I've been taking a hard look at many of the large-leafed plants lately as my garden has little of that kind of dramatic foliage. So many of them want a steady supply of water, though. I'm thinking maybe I could go for a Manihot...

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    1. A Manihot! Oh yes, those are wonderful. Gerhard (in Davis, CA) grows a beautiful specimen, I bet he could tell you what their water needs are like.

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  3. Your canna arrangement really does have that "vintage Hawaiian barkcloth" vibe to it. And I always enjoy sneaking peaks of your indoor style as well. :-)

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    1. Oh...barkcloth! Yes that's the feel. I do love that stuff too.

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  4. Stylish gal, outdoor and in! Those syneleisis leaves look like miniature palms!

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    1. Yes they do, and that's why I love them. Or at least part of why.

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  5. AnonymousJuly 13, 2015

    Eclectic indeed - and I can see just where you are coming from! What a great idea - and really thinking out of the box. Thanks so much for sharing

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  6. I call them deadhead arrangements
    I first started gardening here at this house because I wanted some blooms to pluck and bring inside - then I realized a couple of things ... One our steep hillside is a lot of work and Sammys, Trader joes, Zupans, New Seasons and Hilary Hovartth are down the street and I go to these places anyway - so after the amount of time and money spent both in plants and and water I could have probably accomplished a lot more putting my energy elsewhere and of course conserved resources at the same time.
    Second I found that once flowering beautifully and full of life with the birds, bees and other beneficials, I didn't want to cut the buggers! :(. And we spend more time outside anyway .... (Except for this year trying to escape the heat!)

    Alas - my arrangements consist of flowers and plants that need deadheading!
    It does take the pressure off though and gives freedom to put some random whacky things together or simple foliage arrangements which I love.

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    1. It's amazing how inexpensive you can find great cut flowers and those locations. I used to work right by a Zupans and loved the selection there. Of course New Seasons and yes, even Trader Joes, do a fine job as well. Deadhead arrangements...that's rather perfect!

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  7. I love impromptu arrangements too, and try to add flowers that I find fallen or I have to remove...even so called weeds are fun. This is a wonderful vase very exotic looking.

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    1. Weeds! Glad to know I'm not the only one.

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  8. As everyone else has said, love your impromptu displays.

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  9. Great arrangement! Colors perfect, wonderful shapes.

    Is that green tile on your fireplace? Looks good.

    The flamingo print is one of the earliest memories I have of Grandma and Grandpa--they had that on their living room wall over the sofa. I wish I'd inherited it.

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    1. The green is paint, tile would be wonderful! Did the rest of your grandparents interior match the feel of print? If so you had very stylish grandparents! Sorry you didn't end up with the print.

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  10. see, now you should have cut a deal with Andrew re: the flamingo print. He could go out and acquire something of the same size that you don't like , and you do a rotation---yours goes up for a month and then his goes up for a month. I love the arrangement and love the vase ---who is the maker of that do you know ? I have a white pottery collection (mostly Bauer) and always looking for more that I don't need or have room for !

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    1. Yikes! I don't know if I could do that. What if the colors were all wrong on what he chose? You're a braver woman than I. The white vase I do not know, something of the McCoy ilk.The pink and black one is Royal Copley.

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  11. I love all three! The Syneilesis alone is fantastic, especially in the first photo with the light shining through. Look at you, propagating an orchid!

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    1. Yes I suppose I am. It's actually my second go as the first was potted up and given away at the spring swap!

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  12. AnonymousJuly 14, 2015

    Nice vases you have put together

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  13. Your garden scrap arrangements are gorgeous! You have an amazing eye and style sense. My compost never looks that good. I'm going out to pull up a ton of Hedera helix today but don't think it would look very good in a vase.

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    1. I disagree, I bet you've got a great vase to display a bunch in!

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  14. If we can't keep it happy outside, we might as well let it keep us happy inside, right?

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  15. Your "garden scraps" look good to me, but then I'm a sucker for red flowers.

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    1. Come to think of it I think those are the only red flowers in my entire garden.

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  16. What an inspiration, definitely not compost material!

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  17. Yeah, I can never put anything vase worthy in the green bin. Your photos reminded me that I've successfully killed my one and only tillandsia. It was a Christmas gift from my sister and I'm quite distraught over it. :(

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  18. I think the arrangements with Syneilesis are beautiful!

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