Monday, January 9, 2017

In a Vase on Monday — slim pickins

Since my garden is a frozen wasteland at the moment (as of this writing on Friday the 6th, low 20's with another ice storm on the way for the weekend), I decided this Monday's vase would be a recycle of last weeks creation...after all the Euphorbia rigida are doing just what I hoped they might and are attempting to bloom...

Plus I have this new toy to play with! I picked it up at an antique shop over the holidays...

I liked it's bulky size and was pretty sure it would match my green orb vase.

The lower leaves on the Euphorbia were turning yellow, so I thought a shallow bowl would show off the green "frog" and be perfect to contain shorter stems.

It worked beautifully.

Next I had to come up with something to fill the green vase, but what!? Ah...maybe the seedy growth on my Trachycarpus?

Hmm, yes! I snipped one of the stems on the back of the tree, preserving the cool view from the front.

Heading back to the house my gaze fell on the Acacia baileyana 'Purpurea' — it had made it through the cold night previous (19F, maybe a little lower) but the next night was predicted to be even colder. Maybe it was time to at least snip that branch that's been hitting me in the face ever since the ice storm bent the tree out of shape?

Yes, I did it.

I think they work well together...

I wonder if there's any chance the Acacia flowers will open like some of the Euphorbia's have? (I know, I shouldn't get greedy).

The two vases, along with a Tillandisia xerographica, are living on the dining table. Oh and as you know by now, visit Rambling in the Garden for links to all the Monday vases!

Weather Diary, January 8: Hi 34, Low 27 / Precip .25 - mix of ice pellets/freezing rain/rain

All material © 2009-2017 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

21 comments:

  1. Your vases are a wonder. Every day lately I think of you and your garden trying to extend the zones. Ice storms, freezing rain, nothing could be worse. It must be unexpressably sad to lose so much of your beloved garden.

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    1. It's been a crazy month+ in the garden, that's for sure. I there are a couple of Agaves I am sure are toast, but it will take awhile for most of their damage to appear. Also several not-really hardy things are gone, like the Echium and a couple of Grevillea. I'm still kind of in the holding my breath phase. Thank you for your thoughts!

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  2. Great new find & matches your green vase perfectly. You found quite a bit of vase-worthy material in the frozen wasteland. I especially like the acacia/palm bits combo. Although it's now above freezing for a while, plants are looking pretty sad right now in my garden.

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    1. Have you gotten the ice and snow combo that we've been getting? Or just the cold?

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  3. I love your vignette, especially the Acacia, but I'm wondering just how you got that great overhead view.

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    1. I held the camera up over the table and awkwardly attempted to lean out of frame.

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  4. Thank you for braving the cold to fill vases for us and show off your lovely new frog (glorious colour!). It is always good to reminded that green is a valuable colour in the garden and you have shown this so well. The overhead view looks really effective and a great way to show off your trio of vases - thanks for sharing

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  5. Who needs flowers when the lovely, green ceramic frog is so dang cute!?!

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    1. Ha, thanks! And considering frogs are so collectible the prices wasn't bad either.

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  6. If you didn't tell us the weather was awful and you were trying to make do, no one would ever guess. Those are as attractive as any of your many great vases. And I love the shot from above which turns the table and chair tops into a graphic statement.

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    1. Thank you! The palm seeds have since turned purple, which has added another dimension to the whole ensemble.

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  7. Now there's a flower frog worthy of the name 'frog'! Especially the shot of it in action with just the first stems -- half-submerged just like the real thing.

    The arrangement's colors are a nice echo of those subtle tones in Greg Shepherd's garden, which makes the glossy deep green an enriching accent rather than overpowering-rainforest-atmosphere.

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    1. Wow, I'm kind of in love with your critique Nell!

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  8. Well, for something you call slim pickings, you came up with a great, if simple, arrangement.

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    1. Thanks Alison. The jury is still out on whether or not that Acacia is gonna live. We will see!

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  9. You always seem to make a silk purse out of a pigs ear. Always enjoy your in a vase posts.

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    1. Ah you take me back with that expression! Thanks Mary.

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  10. What an amazing collection of things to put together - works brilliantly. Do you do anything to condition the Euphorbia; I don't have much success using my W rigida in a vase.

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    1. Thanks Christina, and yes. After I cut the Euphorbia stems I singe them with a flame. I should have ran the flame up the stem a bit to, to get the spots where I removed the leaves. Instead I just dumped and refilled the water a couple of times until it was clear.

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  11. Beautiful, just crocus and snowdrops starting here in Denver between arctic balsts

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