In a Vase on Monday — once more with autumn before I jump off the deep-end into Holiday glam...

In the interest of full disclosure I put together this arrangement before Thanksgiving. We spent the holiday with my family in Spokane, Washington, and I didn't want to come home to the remains of what had been on the mantle.

Which was still looking darn good after more than two weeks...

Who knew mums have such a long shelf life? Not bad for a cheap grocery store bouquet.

It was time though,  and any thought I gave to reusing the mums faded when I saw their stems had turned to a sort of semi-solid goo (I've spared you a photo of that). Besides, I'd been eyeing these fabulous post-bloom structures on the Leonotis leonurus...

The plant is still pushing out all sorts of new growth, I'm assuming it will be cut back by our first frost? (this is my first year growing it)

My haul...

The Grevillea juniperina ‘Molonglo’ is getting a bit out of hand, in a good way.

I've been trying to put off trimming it back until those fat little buds open.

But what the heck. They're only just getting started and s.l.o.w....

That green plant between the two Yuccas (the yellow and the purple) is Salvia clevelandii 'Alpine Form' and there were a a couple of fabulous little seed heads there I'd been waiting to harvest.

The time seemed right.

Oh and these! Grevillea victoriae 'Murray Queen', had to find a couple of small branches I could trim.

The velvety buds are as cool as the open flowers.

The finished product...ya. I neglected to talk about the inclusion of the grass seedheads because I can't remember its name. I didn't plant it, it just showed up. My grassy friend Scott identified it for me awhile back but then I forgot what he'd told me. (*update: Scott says Calamagrostis brachythricha*)

Isn't the Leonotis leonurus fabulous? Oh...and I snuck in a few leaves from the Quercus dentata 'Pinnatifida’ (Cutleaf Emperor Oak) too.

I meant to make a wreath with the oak leaves but never got around to it.

The hummingbirds are going nutty for these flowers, I'm so glad there is something out in the garden for them right now.

The dried Tetrapanax leaf was salvaged from the previous bouquet, it was too fabulous to just toss.

This will be the last autumn vase arrangement, now that Thanksgiving is behind us I'm ready to jump into my holiday decor ASAP! (cue the Christmas music and open the eggnog...)

And visit Rambling in the Garden for links to all the bloggers putting together a Monday vase!

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