Monday, June 13, 2016

In a Vase on Monday, can I do blue?

Blue has never been a color I can cozy up to. I just don't get its appeal.

But since Andrew has been working on a new series of night pictures – which are largely deep blue paint on a black background – I decided to challenge myself to see if I could embrace that most cool of colors for this week's vase.

Oh that my Parahebe perfoliata was still blooming! But it's not. So I set out looking for something in blue. Finally I settled on the Hydrangea next to our driveway, technically belonging to the neighbor. However since I've kept them alive  (just barely) by watering them over the last few summers I do feel some sense of ownership.

Cutting flowering branches I let a few drop to the ground intending on picking them up when I was done – that's when I saw the undersides of the leaves. Yuck!

They are huge!

Hydrangea scale? Some websites say they might also attack Magnolias, that is not good. Not at all.

Determined I cleaned off the leaves and brought the blooms in side.

Joining them are a few fronds from a recently acquired Blechnum chilense. The stems were snapped part way down and rather than just toss 'em I worked them into the arrangement.

My Lucida discolor needed a little trimming, there were a few stems getting a little long.

So into the vase(s) they went...where they'll root and I'll have new plants.

I don't usually appreciate these Hydrangea until later in the season, when their colors darken and purple starts to take center stage.

Blue cactus are featured in the new artwork.

And more of the light bulb figures, here an early Edison bulb is joined by a female guide.

Another picture – another bulb and another guide...

As for the arrangement I should note there are also a few sprigs of Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' tucked in. Chartreuse is always a good thing.

I'm not entirely at peace with the blue, it's still a little shocking...but it's growing on me.

In a Vase on Monday is hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden...check out the links!

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

32 comments:

  1. Took me awhile to 'warm' up to blue too but now I like it. Lovely arrangement, and you have made Hydrangea Blue look exotic!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Hydrangea Blue"...it really is a color isn't it? At least for gardeners.

      Delete
  2. It's good to shake things up a bit on occasion, Loree. I find blue is often hard to photograph but you did well there too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have a great deep purple blooming annual that I tried to photograph the other day. It came out a sickly blue. You're right, getting the blue/purple balance right can be difficult. For some reason though these photograph perfectly.

      Delete
  3. Very nicely done, especially since you aren't fond of blue. Blue shocking? Like blue sky?

    ReplyDelete
  4. The hydrangea does pick up nicely the blue in the artwork. I love your green mantelpiece!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I do not know if the artwork or the arrangement is more interesting--both, great! Blue is good.

    Thank you so much for the Lupine seeds!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah, I'd forgotten all about the Lupine seeds, glad they made it to you.

      Delete
  6. Now see I love blue and especially blue hydrangeas....so this vase had me smiling especially with the foliage you chose!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They are lovely, I have to admit they're growing on me.

      Delete
  7. Yeah, what Peter said: Blue? Shocking? Wonderful how we all have our own our perceptions and reactions to color. I think blue is like the holy grail in the plant world: blue flowers and blue foliage-dreamy.
    Thanks for sharing Andrew's artwork. Love it. Really. That blue on the black is amazing and the fanciful creatures, especially the bulb-fiends, put a huge smile on my face. Give that man a raise and a pat on the back!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yep, I'm sticking with shocking. When there is nothing else that color in the house (well, except for my husband's eyes) it kind of stands out, in a shocking way. But now that you've brought up blue foliage, yes. That I love! (and I'll let Andrew know he get's a raise, and a pat on the back)

      Delete
  8. I love it!!...but I'm definitely a blue-go-to kinda gal. Hence why I also really enjoy seeing the different color schemes you come up with on a weekly basis t(hat I could never dream of in my blue box) 😊

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think it's terribly interesting how we gravitate to different colors.

      Delete
  9. I'm with you, but my color issues also include lavenders and most shades of pink. The deeper the color the more tolerant my brain seems to be these days. Maybe it comes from living in shady areas most of my life and now I have the sun and orange makes my heart sing? BUT... Andrews art ROCKS! That shade of blue on black is perfection!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh pink...ya, I'm with you there too. And so many fabulous foliage plants have pink blooms!

      Delete
  10. We can't do blue hydrangeas here so I find it a shocking flower, rather over the top. I would add those darks to get it under control as well. How big are Andrew's pieces? Gouache? Mixed media? 2D, 3D, books etc. After this tease I need more info.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The size varies, naturally. The two shown here are roughly 18" wide by 6" tall and 4" by 6" (the cylinder). His work consists of carved wooden figures (although he's experimenting with figures cast from a paper pulp product) on paper with pencil and watercolor drawing/painting -- or sometimes just the drawing/painting with no figures. Here's an older piece I wish would have stayed here with us: http://www.thedangergarden.com/2011/05/silence-is-suddenly-broken-by-bird.html

      Delete
  11. I had to have a look around my house …no blue ! I do very much like Andrew's night scene though , I'd find a spot for that blue. And your flower arrangements always beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Linda, and you know what...I am kind of surprised you aren't a blue lover. For some reason I would have thought you one.

      Delete
  12. i love love love you and Andrew's creative "blue" themed art!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. AnonymousJune 13, 2016

    I used not to 'do' blue either - but that's long since gone! Andrew's artwork is fascinating and so unique and I trust he is delighted to have you complementing his blue work with a blue themed vase. Such a nice idea and as always you have just 'thrown' the perfect foliage in with the hydrangeas - thanks for sharing. Hope you win the war against the hydrangea scale :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ugh...that scale. I need to get working on that.

      Delete
  14. AnonymousJune 14, 2016

    You have such a great eye for color and design Loree. Blue and green look striking together. I've been lamenting that my hydrangeas finally bloomed after three years and are pink, was hoping for blue. susie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Susie! And you've brought back memories of my inherited (and long gone) Hydrangea in our backyard. It was a lacecap and started out blue then turned to a sickly pink as the summer wore on. Ugh.

      Delete
  15. AnonymousJune 14, 2016

    But I could swear I've seen blue garden features in your garden in the past? Perhaps I'm wrong ... anyway, it's a 'desiderata' for some of us! (Although I 'm not that fond of hydrangeas). Your vases are lovely and imaginative (I will try to delete the pictures of the scale insect from memory)- great to enjoy the foliage plants that I can't grow at home. And thanks to both you and Andrew for sharing his wonderful artwork.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Perhaps you're thinking of the Ceanothus? It blooms a lovely shade of purpley blue. And it's not that I'm against blue in general, I just don't typically invite it into my house. Glad you enjoyed and thanks for commenting!

      Delete
  16. AnonymousJune 14, 2016

    But I'm sure blue garden feature have figured on your blog in the past? Anyway - lovely arrangement. Although I'm not that fond of hydrangeas in that particular blue, I have to be astonished at the soil that produced the colour and your wonderful use of foliage plants that I can only dream of. And thanks to both you and Andrew for allowing us to appreciate his wonderful artwork.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I have it on good authority that blue is the most beloved color and sales of garden artifacts at JC would seem to bear that out. Say we have five bird houses, one of which is blue. Only the blue one has sold. Since you seldom deal in the ordinary, your neglect of blue is right in character. When you do go blue, you make it your own by throwing in unexpected companions. Now what say we tackle pink? It's an even bigger challenge, say I.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to comment. Comment moderation is on (because you know: spam), I will approve and post your comment as soon as possible!