Monday, October 29, 2018

In a Vase on Monday; autumn bounty with a Halloween kick

Our shockingly beautiful October came to a crashing end last Friday with the return of the rain. I want to complain, but I know I should not. It is SO VERY DRY out there! And we've had such a run of blue sky and sunshine, I fell lucky. However, since the time I am able to spend outdoors is rapidly decreasing, I decided to bring some autumn bounty indoors to enjoy...

Canna 'Durban' leaves, bloom tassels from an unknown grass that grows on our neighbor's property next to our garage, and Clifford's leaves (Magnolia macrophylla)...

are joined by dried up blooms from the Sarracenia.

Pieces of the Clematis tibetana var. vernayi vine were also cut and tucked in.

It's at the silky seed head stage...

The unopened seeds/berries of Schefflera brevipedunculata were also added to the mix.

As well as a few stems of Amsonia hubrichtii, in all its golden glory.

I photographed this flowerless arrangement in the basement "studio" — since it was destined for a spot in front of the living room window, where decent photography is next to impossible.

But let's take a look at what else is going on up there, in the loving room...

I've had a Tetrapanax leaf on the mantle for five and a half weeks now. Not the same leaf of course, I think this is #4. The chartreuse turning to yellow stage is my favorite.

For those of you who've never seen a Tetrapanax leaf in-person, here's the back. It's so sturdy it reminds me a bit of tropical waterlily leaves.

Over on the dining table we've got a vase full of Solanum integrifolium from Trader Joe's, along with some fuzzy, lichen covered, sticks I picked up on a walk and...

...Canna stems, sans leaves. I thought they looked a little Halloween-ish with their black seeds bursting out.

The seed-theme continues with a seed-filled cone from the Magnolia.

A few Northern Sea Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) stems and more pumpkins on a stick are in a wine bottle vase (Carnivor, gotta stay on theme) over by the fireplace.

The jack-lantern candy bucket is sporting a Tillandsia wig.

And our vintage Mr. Scaredy-Cat is on the mantle.

The front door features my (very faded) reindeer moss wreath, with dried flower ornamentation. The wreath is providing a perch for the Halloween owl.

Yesterday I cut back some broken and yellowing stalks/pitchers of the Sarracenia and added those to the vase, they really improved it! Turns out vase arrangements, like the garden itself, are never static.

Weather Diary, Oct 28: Hi 63, Low 52/ Precip .26" (three day total for Fri - Sun: 1.87")

All material © 2009-2018 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

20 comments:

  1. All beautifully seasonal! Yes, I am glad to see the rain back, although I did enjoy those extra days of planting out some of my enormous pot ghetto. Now the rain can water them in. But it does seem like Mother Nature is rather a bit mixed up.

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    1. Did you guys get hail on Sunday? It was intense here, and there was a funnel cloud that touched down just a few miles away. Mixed up indeed.

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  2. You did a great job giving a Halloween-appropriate spin to your vases and table displays. The seeds are wonderful. I never knew Canna produced such great seedpods, another reason to grow them perhaps, despite their thirsty ways.

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    1. Those aren't the fancy leaf/floppy bloom cultivars (the Canna), just the straight species with the smaller (and I think better) flowers.

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  3. Very cool, so unique! I love all the seed pods and interesting textures.

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  4. A wonderful celebration of autumn! I love pumpkin on a stick and may have to go by Trader Joes to pick some up! Clifford's cone is stunning with all of the seeds in it. Many have been falling from my magnolia but the seeds are mostly gone by the time I find them.

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    1. Ya that one (the cone) was plucked from the tree because I could see the unusual dryness was causing all the seeds to fall before the cones did. It was odd to have it raining candy-colored Magnolia seeds!

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  5. Love your seasonal displays, Loree. Leaves (yes to Amsonia) and seed pods (esp. Canna, which I think I won't cut next summer, thank you) make wonderful autumn arrangements.

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  6. You do Halloween with exquisite taste...something that almost sounds like an oxymoron. I have a Tetrapanax leaf in an outdoor arrangement that is still going strong after 4 weeks.
    rickii

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    1. I've never thought to use a T-leaf in an outdoor arrangement, brilliant!

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  7. Loree , you just nailed every one of these. I swear if I had the space I'd get my very own Clifford if for no other reason than to have those leaves for arrangements !

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    1. Everyone should have a Clifford! (thanks Kathy)

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  8. What an inventive group of displays. All the seedpods are especially beautiful along with that Tetrapanex leaf.

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    1. I'm going to be sad when there are no more T-leaves to bring inside...

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  9. Autumnal decor, but fresh and contemporary. Very cool!

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    1. I do like dried up dead-stuff, it's an easy theme to watch decay around us.

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  10. Gorgeous displays in every corner. I think I like Amsonia best this time of year when it sports this amazing color. To the right of the Tetrapanax leaf and to the right of the cat: it looks to be the same plant. Could it be Stapelia?

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    1. Good eye, that's Monvillea spegazzinii, aka Cereus spegazzinii. No blooms on mine yet though.

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