Monday, December 7, 2020

In a vase on Monday; memories...

Thanks to nudge from Kris of Late to the Garden Party, I've saved a photo from most of my In a Vase on Monday creations in a folder, the idea being that someday I might want to do some type of compilation. I think she was leaning towards a book, but as much fun as that would be, I don't think it's going to happen. However, I was looking through that folder recently, for a specific photo, and it hit me just how many delightful arrangements I had done. I don't mean that in a boastful way, these are not professional arrangements, but they are creative and "of the garden"...so here is a look back at a few I especially liked. 

This one included several pieces that did not come from my garden, but were purchased at the market. I'm sharing it anyway.  

This crazy busy mantlescape is made up of nothing but plants I owned.

Ditto here.

The Arbutus unedo (strawberry tree) branches came from gorgeous old tree—which has since been chopped down—growing in a nearby vacant lot. Everything else was from my garden.

I worked a windfall of agave pups into this mantlescape.

Here I think I was on a mission to prove even dead things can be beautiful.

I had to go back and find the original post to figure out what the variegated stems are—Leucadendron Jester. It's time in my garden was brief, and it grew in a container.

This low orange vase was a gift and I value it tremendously—it's also a great shape to work with and shows up in many of my IAVOM creations.

A combination of things from my garden and big beautiful protea blooms from the market.

Drama baby! All things from the garden. Photographed on the ironing board with a sheet thrown over it.

Another creation entirely garden-made.

And again.

This one I gave away right after I made it, I thought it was rather lovely. The ornamental kale was not from my garden.

This creation was made from succulents that grew in the garden over the summertime, but weren't going to make it once temperatures dropped. They're framed by castor bean leaves, also doomed to death with the cold.

Small spring-time posies.

Showing off late summertime bounty here, all garden-found or nearby scavenged.

I need to make a habit of using yucca flowers when they're in season. The huge towering spikes look so intimidating, but here's evidence they can be brought down to manageable size.

This is another that I can't quite place. I think it's a mix of things from the garden (the sarracenia) and flowers Andrew bought for me at the market?

Definitely garden items here, of the autumn variety.

A neighborhood walk turned up these bits, from a tulip tree, aka Liriodendron tulipifera.

A ginormous Tetrapanax papyrifer leaf is the star this week.

Aerial shot of garden items on the dining table.  

This one is from when I was having fun making paper flowers. The spiky stems are from the Poncirus trifoliata (that's its fruit above) and the others are callistemon branches.

And last a tiny Edgeworthia chrysantha 'Nanjing Gold' arrangement. I hope you enjoyed this partial IAVOM retrospective as much as I did.

Weather Diary, Dec 6: Hi 45, Low 37/ Precip .02 

All material © 2009-2020 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

31 comments:

  1. You should maybe add custom arrangements to your Upcycle site. You have a great eye for colour and texture on the miniature scale. Very inspiring.

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    1. Thank you for the kind words and great suggestion!

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  2. Boast and brag away, you earned it. Many look totally professional, fitting the Flower and Garden festival, (which you predicted correctly is postponed to 2022). As a fan of miniatures, that mini arrangement in the final photo, next to the vintage camera, is a contender for best in show. Love the dark scabiosa flowers (pic 18)!

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    1. I wish scabiosa did better for me, I do love those flowers.

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  3. I still think there's a book in there, Loree - one featuring your magnificent mantlescapes as well as your foliage/floral arrangements in vases and containers. With the new book only now launching, I expect you need a good break before embarking on another one but best to keep your photo file current! You have an ability to look at things in your garden (and not) and conceive arrangements in a way I cannot (although I may try to channel your aesthetic one day). You may be amused to learn that, of those depicted here, my favorites are 2 of the all-foliage arrangements, #11 and #19.

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    1. If I'm counting the same way you are, there are actually flowers in both of those, although not big "flowery" ones. I only point that out as a way of saying that what passes for flowers in my garden is very different than what's in your garden—and this no doubt changes how we think of putting together a vase.

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  4. I always love your vignettes.
    Beauty is all around us.
    ≋;>

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  5. These are so beautiful, Loree. You have a great artistic eye and are more of a 'pro' than a lot of florists out there, IMO.

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  6. What a delightful post! Just the eye candy I need right now; thanks.

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  7. These are beautiful, and that's a great idea to keep files for memories and records. Your arrangements and your photographs are stunning and professional, Loree.

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  8. Those are fabulous. You are great at arrangements!

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  9. So many unique and interesting arrangements. My favorites are the mantle piece, the one with the flowering maples and the one with the pale green zinnias.

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    1. I love those zinnia! Perhaps I'll need to grow them again next year.

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  10. I just did a double take on that last photograph, I have that same camera!

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    1. How interesting! I think this one might have been my moms? Or perhaps I picked it up at a thrift shop.

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    1. I thought I remembered a lot of what I'd done, but some were surprises to me.

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  12. You sure have many talents, Loree! Do you have that Arbutus from the vacant lot in your own garden? It is so beautiful!

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    1. I do not. It gets quite large and there's not room here.

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    2. What is Upcycle site that I saw referred to above?

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    3. Thanks for asking! Last spring I put together a collection of planted, recycled ("upcycled") items. I intend to do more in the future, perhaps in combination with book signing events in the spring (COVID permitting). Here's a look at the items: http://www.thedangergarden.com/p/whats-new-in-dg-shop.html

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    4. Just amazing and creative! It must take a lot of time to decide on "found items" to use, create design with the plants, hold it all together, and photograph them as you do. Your prices are too cheap!!

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    5. I heard that from a few folks regarding the price! It was my first time selling, and also right at the beginning of COVID, so I wanted to keep them low. People needed some cheer!

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    6. That is very kind of you. I hadn't thought of that. I am sure the buyers were cheered by them!

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  13. I printed out a bunch of my favorite vases and pasted them in a little Kolo brand book. This IVOM idea was a great way to do things we might never have thought of. Love the dead vase and the ironing board display.

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  14. Loree, enjoyed seeing this collection of your Monday vases. I thought I'd seen all the participant entries, but have been missing out. The displays are distinctive and creative.

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