Monday, February 22, 2016

In a Vase on Monday – a mash-up of multiples

I've done a little mantle modification since my last "In a Vase" post.

I was yearning for a full, "traditional-style" arrangement and this is what I came up with.

The base element (holding everything together) is a couple branches from Arctostaphylos densiflora 'Harmony'.

Providing texture and chartreuse floral punch are a few stems of Euphorbia rigida.

And bringing color that works with the fireplace tile, and other things nearby, a couple stems of Leucothoe fontanesiana 'Rainbow'.

The ingredients, combined. Oh and I tucked in a few sprigs of Black Mondo Grass, just because.

If you've ever cut fresh stems of Euphorbia rigida you know that white latex sap comes pouring out. I was careful to not get any on my skin, and when I cut the stem to the length needed for the arrangement I seared it with a flame, like I learned to do with cut Poinsettia stems in this tutorial. I figure it's supposed to help the Euphorbia live longer and it would certainly allow the water to stay fresher.

To fill a vase at the opposite end of the mantle I clipped a few branches from Arctostaphylos densiflora ‘Sentinel’, which is already in bloom. I thought about adding a few of the Euphorbia stems, or something completely different, but decided that I liked the tension between the full arrangement on one end and this simple one on the other.

Now for the centerpiece! Yes, more paper flowers. These are "growing" on branches from Poncirus trifoliata...(my what BIG thorns you have!)...

In the garden...

I had a lot of fun making these flowers, they're all different – some based on the ones I made for the wreath (tutorial here) or a second style discovered here.

Others I just started cutting, folding and gluing to see what I would end up with.

I also planned to cut more Monstera deliciosa (split-leaf Philodendron) leaves and make a plant, but decided three was enough.

However since I'd began trying my hand at making paper flowers with black and white pages I couldn't just let those flowers go to waste, so I made a few more and stuck them on another Poncirus trifoliata branch.

I wanted this vase to have a little foliage so I cut some Callistemon 'Woodlander's Hardy Red' branches, luckily there were seed pods too for additional interest.

The black and white pages also came from an old, falling apart, garden book.

With these creations I think I've worked the paper flower thing out, although no doubt come gift-giving season I'll be using them in my wrapping efforts.

So are you all familiar with the concept behind "In a Vase on Monday"? It's the creation of Cathy who blogs at Rambling in the Garden. She encourages us all to get out and see what we've got in our garden that can be cut and brought into the house to be enjoyed in a vase. It's a lot of fun, you should try it!

All material © 2009-2016 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

30 comments:

  1. I see you tried some of the spiral-type paper roses. I couldn't get those to work. I like the ones you made with yellow centers.

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    1. I loved how fast and easy the spirals were, what about them didn't work for you?

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    2. It would need a ton of glue to stop it unfurling.

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    3. Interesting. I think maybe my paper choice helped?

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  2. I'm loving your paper flowers!! Upon first glance of your centerpiece I thought to myself "Those are the biggest 'Red Storm' quince flowers I have ever seen!" Love your blog! I read and admire your posts every day!

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    1. Thank you, I love the quince thought! I knew they reminded me of something.

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  3. Really nice work on the arrangements and the flowers -- no surprises at that!

    My only "disappointment" (but that's not the right word) is that your creations only get to live out there for a week until you swap them out. Last week's should at least get to stay for a month I'd say. :D

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    1. Last week was my Bloomday post, so the vase before was up for as long as it looked good - over two weeks actually. I never toss them when they are still holding up. Sometimes they get moved around the house and reused in different formats for at least a month - maybe longer. So worry not!

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  4. The paper flowers on the poncirus, so chic! Also I was about to ask about the sap from the cut euphorbias then you mentioned about flame searing the ends which I never knew before but is a handy tip to know.

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    1. Chic, thanks! And that flame thing...it really works!

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  5. Loree ! The first thing I have to tell you is how happy I am to be on vacation upon reading this post! Lol. ....I don't feel as much of a total slacker this fine Monday morning. However now that I think about it even on your vacations you work overtime for us all to enjoy!
    Love this post - amazing and fun to see all of your interpretations - and thank you for the arcto sentinel - I don't have that one and must plant asap - what a pretty!
    I'm impressed by your cuts on the philodendron -
    do you want to join me in SF for the May exhibit at the de young??

    Those thorns..... Oh my. I'm way to clumsy to have anything like that around - I'd poke my eye balls out. I say this still suffering from a cactus attack on my thumb when I knocked a small one off the windowsill and tried to catch it! Sigh

    Will you teach a class on the paper flowers?? :)
    Btw anthro at Bridgeport has a nice hanging installation in the back of their shop right now if you happen to be over there - it's fun to gaze upon - it's in a little skylight bay - it gives the sense they are falling out of the sky.

    Happy Monday from Big Sky - :) thanks for the cheer. Love this!
    Oh btw our friends drive here from Vancouver BC and stayed over in Spokane - they had a great time there - and - the inflight magazine on Alaska is featuring whole spread on Spokane they did a really nice job. I should grab one for you on the return flight if you haven't seen it.

    Oh and have you tried searing in boiling water? I haven't yet. I tried searing using a candle and kept putting my candles out .... Lol.

    I've been meaning to ask you - What is your airplant watering protocol??

    did I send this twice?? Can't tell on my phone :(. But if so just read the last two comments ;)

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    1. You get the award for longest blog comment ever! Re: SF...sadly not an option for me...sounds fun though! Teach a class...ha! I'm not that good. Really the tutorials I linked to are great. Thanks for the heads up about Anthropologie, I'll check it out. Boiling water...sounds like too much work! I used one of those flame "guns" people use to start gas grills, worked like a charm. Tillandsia watering - they get a nice long soak in the kitchen sink once a week. Then they're tipped upside down to dry on a towel. That's a very important step to keep them from rotting out in the center.

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  6. Wow! You've been busy! Lots of cool stuff in vases this Monday. Love them all. The paper flowers on the Poncirus trifoliata branches are really stunning!

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    1. Thanks Outlaw...I thought of you and your magical snowflakes as I was folding and cutting the paper.

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  7. I laughed at the reference to a "traditional-style" arrangement, knowing that yours would be anything but traditional in execution. I love the combination of plants you put together and would dearly love to have that Leucothoe were it not such a thirsty creature. Your paper and thorn creation is magnificent too - after reading a tutorial on creating hellebore flowers, I decided I lack the patience to create paper flowers but they are pretty!

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    1. I think I read that same tutorial, and I do not have the patience for such a thing! Mine are really really simple...I think you should take a crack at them! (linked above)

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  8. Such creativity. I spotted that paper flowers arrangement...what a beauty. As is that traditional vase. I am so taken by your unusual plants especially the foliage of Leucothoe fontanesiana 'Rainbow'.

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    1. Thanks Donna...it's interesting how much color variation there is in a single L. fontanesiana 'Rainbow' plant.

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  9. I was amazed to realize those flowers were more of your paper creations. They look fabulous with all those killer branches. I must say, however, that the Leucothoe fontanesiana 'Rainbow' looks great in the vase but I don't think I could live with it in my garden. And you can grow those beautiful Arcostaphlos; they look like Pieris flowers to me. We can only grow the ground cover bearberry version, so the size and variety in your climate continually surprise me.

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    1. Too much color on the Leucothoe fontanesiana 'Rainbow'? I hated it for that very reason (too busy) up until about a year ago when I decided I loved it. The Arctostaphylos are native here...I love them for the bark, the flowers are only sort of "meh" but the hummingbirds and bees love them so that's good enough for me.

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  10. Wow and wow again - I was admiring the way you put your centrepiece together but then got as far as your paper flowers and the philodendron leaf...absolutely wonderful! I haven't made paper flowers for years but after seeing yours I am seriously itching to do so again and will bookmark your page so I can look at your tutorials. Thnak you so much - and tfor the reference to searing stems in a flame, something I have not cme across before. And that Poncirus thing looks LETHAL!

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    1. Oh I hope you do make some paper flowers and share them. I love how they all turn out differently, well, mine do. I see the professionals can turn out multiples of the same.

      The Poncirus looks especially lethal this time of year. Once it leafs out it's less so.

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  11. I fear Mother Nature may grow jealous.

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  12. Loree, I salute you. This is damn fabulous.

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    1. Thank you! When are you going to start participating in this meme?

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  13. You have succeeded in making that monstrously thorny Poncirus branch look so pretty and tame! I love those paper flowers - such a great idea!

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    1. It is monstrously thorny isn't it? But that's why I love it...

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  14. What a great use of paper flowers! Your mantle-scapes are Martha Stewart worthy, I think.

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  15. I'm surprised at how much I love your paper flowers. That jolt of strong red is also just what the mantel needs at this season.

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