Monday, December 18, 2017

In a Vase on Monday: flowers and vases and blooms — this time of the year I can't get enough of it all...

The holiday season is all about abundance. Lights and ornaments and gifts and cookies and parties, and, and...and. I take this as my queue to indulge in flowers and foliage. More, more, more!

Ever since I discovered the magic of using Poinsettia as cut flowers (during the Poinsettia Challenge) I can't stop. They're so much more interesting tucked into a vase with other foliage, rather than just plopped down "as-is" in their paper-covered plastic pots.

This variegated foliage number gets to share it's "vase" (actually an old silver teapot) with some pepper-berries from the market.

A stem from another plant, along with pepper-berry foliage, adds a bit of festive to the bathroom shelf.

This mess was my attempt to bring some of my garden into the mix.

There are a few stems from the Cryptomeria japonica 'Rasen'...

Foliage cut from the Brachyglottis greyi (Senecio greyi).

Branches of Grevillea australis.

And a few flower stems — now with berries — from the Mahonia gracilipes.

The latter was an attempt to add Christmas color before I bought the pepper-berries from the market.

The table looked like this for a day or so.

Then I remembered that ceramic frog I bought a couple years ago, and dug out the silver champagne glass, it was a good fit. I foraged some rose hips nearby...

And went to work. Funny I'd never noticed I had Rob & Jean's cup, I wonder what they were celebrating when this cup was engraved? (I picked it up at a thrift shop)

I purchased this Stoke's Aster recently at Garden Fever, from their 40% off table (last summer's perennials that are in decline).

While it's a plant that I would never give a second glance in flower, I love LOVE these seed-heads (?). I hope the flowers aren't too irritating.

Since I wasn't getting to enjoy those seed-heads outside they were cut to go in the cup arrangement.

And were joined by the unknown foliage with little white flowers, which I cut from a nearby shrub (in an empty lot).

It's an odd combination of things, but I think it's festive.

I also added a few Leucadendron stems to the tall vase.

They were only $2.99 for five at Trader Joe's, so why not?

The abundance of the season, adding more and more layers, I love it!

Visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for links to other gardener's vases today.

Weather Diary, Dec 17: Hi 49, Low 41/ Precip .02"

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

27 comments:

  1. Oh you have realy gone to town Loree - I have so enjoyed browsing through your pictures. What great ideas you have - thank you so much for sharing

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    1. Thanks for inspiring bloggers everywhere with your meme Cathy.

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  2. Glorious abundance done to perfection. It motivates me to come up with something for the holiday table. After seeing all this, a potted Poinsettia just wouldn't do.

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  3. Very festive and, as always, masterfully done!

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  4. It's things like this that put one in the right seasonal frame of mind so I say: keep at it! I was surprised by the Stokesia seedheads - it's not a plant I often see for sale here (although Sunset says it'll grow in zone 24 with "regular water") but now I may have to look for it too. But what really made me smile was $2.99 for a Leucadendron stem - maybe I've found a way to fund next year's plant purchases!

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    1. I edited my sentence after reading your comment. That was $2.99 for 5 stems, not per stem...

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  5. I've been really intrigued for the first time by all the variety in Poinsettias this year, but I never would have thought to use them as cut flowers. Maybe I'll buy a couple in pots and cut them for use in a vase. I'm going to point out that you have in fact given a second glance to Stokes Aster in flower, when you photographed it in Tammy's garden during the Fling and posted about it. She has both the yellow and blue in her garden. Go back to your post and you'll see it.

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    1. I am thrilled you noticed the Stokes Aster connection Alison, I never would have. Now I feel better about having bought that plant! If you do cut stems of a Poinsettia be sure to seal them with a flame, it helps them to last longer and keeps the water from getting all milky with their sap.

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  6. You saved my decorating day, thank you Loree. I completely forgot about cutting the poinsettia flowers and sticking the stems into water. More importantly, you deserve the 'most tasteful Christmas decorating award for 2017'. I love it all.

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    1. Thank you Sheila, have fun with your Poinsettia!

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  7. I feel the same way. Just added more vases and more things to what I already had. That aster seedhead is so graphic. I have a feeling the flowers won't equal it. It certainlly adds a lot to your display, however.

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    1. I have no doubt the flowers will be boring by comparison, but that's okay. They'll bloom when there's plenty of other things going on in the garden and then...fabulous seed-heads later!

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  8. Christmas decorating is so much fun - yours are beautiful, Loree! Have a wonderful week celebrating all things Christmas!

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    1. Thank you Eliza, Happy Holidays back at cha!

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  9. I like your cactus and agave Christmas tree!

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    1. Thank you! (btw the star is an Aloe not an Agave)

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  10. The poinsettia-containing arrangements are appealing and inspirational, but that prickly-pad Christmas tree steals the show, particularly when the "star" is lit. Our tree goes up today; cutting it yesterday was a pleasant chore with temps back in the fifties. Not super seasonal, but the scent of the cedar inside should make up for it.

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    1. We're definitely missing that Christmas scent this year. I considered getting candles with the smell of fresh cut tree but I don't like the fake chemical smell that's unavoidable.

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  11. Looking good. Love the idea of cutting the poinsettas out of the pot and into a vase. FUN...

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    1. If you do it just seal them with a flame, they last longer and the latex doesn't pollute the vase water.

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  12. I still don't even have a tree up, which is a first. Not helping the mood is wanting to give about 60 million people lumps of coal in their stockings this year. Thanks for the much-needed inspiration!

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    1. Just 60 million? Hope the spirit hits you soon.

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  13. Gorgeous. As usual. You have such a way with design.

    Cheers

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  14. Absolutely love the vibrant blooms and beautiful vases! This time of year has me completely obsessed with flowers – can't get enough! 🌸💐 #FlowerLove #InaVaseOnMonday

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