Monday, June 27, 2016

In a vase on Monday, love those Eryngium

Readers of Peter's blog The Outlaw Gardener may recognize the small white vase below.

Peter shared images of the vase (with accessories) earlier in the month, and announced he'd be giving it away to celebrate the anniversary of his blog. Naturally I entered to win, which I did not, and naturally when I spied the same vase at Powell's last week I bought it. I mean how could I not, it's a barrel cactus!

Looking around the garden for something to put in it I seriously considered one of the many Opuntia blooming right now. But they're so short lived I couldn't bring myself to do it.

Ah, how about this spiky, ghostly, Eryngium maritimum...

And a few Eryngium agavifolium blooms for good measure?

I also cut a couple of the extra lethal E. venustum leaves. Ya, I do love me some Eryngium...

The finished grouping, which is VERY spiky.

As I worked – outside in the driveway – several bees dive-bombed me. It's kind of freaky how much they adore Eryngium flowers.

But then again so do I.

Especially the ones from E. maritimum.

Since the "cactus" vase is rather small I wanted something else to go with it...perhaps a vase filled with white flowers? I walked all around the garden but the only white flowers I could find were tiny and not really suitable for what I wanted to create. Duh.

Really? Could these Yucca flowers be any larger and in my face?

There was a third spike here, growing up and into the Fatsia, you couldn't see it, so it's the one I chopped to fill the vase.

There are also a few Eryngium agavifolium leaves (the wide serrated ones), and blooms and leaves from the E. venustum. My attempt at a little continuity between the two.

The final grouping, outside in good light...

And inside where they'll live.

After finishing and walking over to sit on the couch I realized how perfectly the colors went with the chair upholstery. Maybe I'm going to have to use that yellow vase more often!

As always "In a Vase on Monday" is hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden. Visit her blog for links to all the other bloggers putting together a vase with cuttings from their garden.

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

16 comments:

  1. AnonymousJune 27, 2016

    Oh Loree - both these are delightful! I thought your catus vase with the eryngium was so stylish but then you throw in those yucca flowers in the yellow vase too! Who would have thought these could be so attractive? And your little dish is the perfect finishing touch - stylish all round

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    1. Thank you so much Cathy! Upon further reflection I think the yellow vase would have been better with fewer blooms stuffed in there, oh well!

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  2. Loree I can understand wanting that white vase Peter showed us....and you found the perfect plant material to make it glow. I have never seen Yucca flowers in a vase and oh how absolutely stunning yours are!

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    1. And I've never used Yucca flowers in a vase before, now I know!

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  3. Perfect arrangement for the cactus vase (I thought of you when I got it) and who knew how beautiful yucca flowers could be in a vase? Great grouping as always!

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    1. Thanks Peter, and I am thrilled to have found a case of my own.

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  4. You're right - that's a perfect vase for you. Your karma came through even if your luck didn't. Your vignette couldn't be better. Your Yuccas also have me thinking that those should be high on my list of heat tolerant replacements for some of the plants I've lost.

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    1. They are great carefree, low maintenance, plants -- you really should ad a few!

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  5. Always coming up with tasteful and elegant arrangements you do! I do covet both vases as well.

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    1. Funny I can't remember where, or when, I picked up that yellow one. Or for that matter ever using it before. I know it made the move to Oregon with me so I've had it for quite awhile.

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  6. One of your best! Love the table color and chair fabric. I think it's hard to see big flower stalks as vase material. They feel like permanent parts of the garden that don't get touched. I realize I have lots of things that never get cut for vases.

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    1. Ah thank you! And I think you're right about the big flower stalks. However after doing this arrangement I also cut down a pair of stalks (they were leaning under the weight of the flowers and accumulated drizzle) and used them whole in a couple of huge vases. They're pretty fabulous.

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  7. Oh, man...prickles from below and bees from above: that's what I call dedication to a beautiful result. I noticed too late last year how beautiful the individual florets of the Yucca were. This year, no blooms, wouldn't you know.

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  8. AnonymousJuly 07, 2016

    I love the eryngium in a vase! Did they hold up?

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