Monday, February 13, 2017

In a Vase on Monday...foraged shades of brown

This week's vase was inspired by my reading the book Foraged Flora a few weeks ago (thanks Multnomah County Library!).

In one of their creations authors used some "less than fresh" foliage and flowers, which got me thinking about my sad Leucadendron foliage (below). Leucadendron 'Silvan Red' (on the right) had been an in-ground experiment that lasted through last winter and grew beautifully over the summer. This winter, not so much. L. 'Ebony' had been growing in a container since I picked it up at the Ruth Bancroft Garden during the 2013 Garden Bloggers Fling. It got too dry/and or didn't like the air in the basement while I was away goofing-off in California. Now they're both crispy. Interesting the different colors of the dried foliage...

The re-done mantlescape...

In the black container is a "dried on the shrub" Hydrangea flower cut from my neighbor's plant next to our driveway. The creamy white vase has several stems of Daucus carota from a nearby vacant lot, a few bits of my deceased Grevillea 'Ivanhoe' foliage and something that might very well be a weed that I cut from another neighbor's hellstrip.

The spiky Grevillea foliage almost looks spray-painted, it's a bit metallic.

I picked up a couple interesting black and white postcards at the Getty Center (a stop while in L.A.), this one of an etching, Navigating Life on the Moon, by Filippo Morghen.

The big vase holds more Hydrangea flowers, as well as more Daucus carota and Grevillea 'Ivanhoe', foliage from both Leucadendrons, and some sort of mini cattail-like weed.

I tried to imagine I was assembling a big romantic bouquet of living flowers and foliage.

I kinda love this.

The mini Circle Pot-like container came from a local shop, Digs Inside & Out. I'd first spotted it while doing some Christmas shopping but it was just SO GOLD, that I couldn't bring myself to buy it. Last week when I stopped in I realized it would go perfectly with my "shades of brown" theme so I picked it up.

Another postcard, this one a photograph by Garry Winogrand. The brass holders came from Schoolhouse Electric, I don't know that they ever actually sold these, Andrew brought them home from a "employees sale"...the perks of being married to a bigwig.

Had to share a close up of my fuzzy Tillandsia, which is (thankfully) still alive!

Not so much for my Resurrection Fern, Selaginella lepidophylla. I let it get too dried out, I forgot about it and years went by without it getting any moisture.

For more Monday Vase creations visit our hostess, Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.

Weather Diary, February 12: Hi 51, Low 31/ Precip 0

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

24 comments:

  1. I really like how you have put them all together - lots of thought, but looks effortless.

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  2. A true feast for the eyes - I really like how each one is and how well they all compliment each other. Well done!

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    1. You are very kind, thanks for stopping by!

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  3. So much to look at, the big vase arrangement is so sumptuous for a dried bouquet, I think the cattail like seed heads could be Ribwort Plantain? I enjoy my dried flower vases year round, they make me feel like I'm living in a garden. I like the white leaves on black vases, and the distressed gold vase.

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    1. Thanks for the name! I think you're right. I keep my dried Protea but doubt I will hand on to any of these. Still it was fun to do.

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  4. I went to a great garden talk last year called Brown Is a Color, Too. I have a brown arrangement in a hanging vase that I have been adding to for the last year. It's one of my favorites and your great display suggests how beautiful these combos can be.

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    1. That would be a fun talk! And it is, a very strong color.

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  5. All the leaves are brown and the sky is gray
    I've been for a walk on a winter's day
    I'd be safe and warm if I was in L.A.
    California dreaming on such a winter's day.

    I'm a fan of brown arrangements and I LOVE the gold mini circle pot. Must get to P town and visit Digs I & O again! As always, your mantle scape is fabulous!

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    1. Let me know if you want me to grab one of those mini-circle pots and bring it up to the NWFG Show for you...

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    2. That would be marvelous. Let me know how much I owe you.

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  6. How is it that you maken even dead things seem lush and lovely?

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    1. Ha! I would love to put this on a resume.

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    2. but you might leave out the typo

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  7. I always enjoy your mantlescapes - each and every one is a special work of art, and I'm going to continue to bug you about doing a picture book featuring them until you produce one! This mantle is a nice memorial cum act of defiance directed at the ravages of your very difficult winter.

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    1. Thanks so much for your ongoing appreciation and support! Speaking of ravages of winter, I tossed a bucket full of mushy severed Agave arms in the yard waste bin the other day. But not without first looking at their terminal spines and wondering what I could do with them...

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  8. I also enjoy seeing your mantelpiece tableaux and reading how you have put them together - you have such fun!

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  9. Looks fabulous, all the different elements together add up to special.

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  10. You are always so inventive; Maybe I should try something like your mantle shelf on my sideboard. A still life (but with fresh flowers - maybe or maybe not). thanks for talking us through the process.

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    1. Oh yes, please do! And then of course take pictures...

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  11. john in cranstonFebruary 15, 2017

    One can wait too long with a resurrection fern? Uh oh... I always figured that I still had time.

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    1. Parts of it opened, but parts did not...but it had really been years. Good luck with yours.

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