I picked up a couple of these little vases for a song (well, cheap…you wouldn’t want to hear me sing).
The little raised polka dots show up better against dark stems and water.
Some nice weather led to time outside cutting things back. Skeletal remains of Joe Pye Weed were so lacy they nearly disappear in the vase, but if you look closely you can see little dots at the ends of each filament-like branch (gotta keep that polka dot theme going). As I was hacking back the 8′ stalks of Joe, an over-the-fence conversation yielded this question: “what do you use that for?” Um…to look at(?)
I had cut some Forsythia branches weeks ago to force into bloom. A smattering of yellow blossoms graced the arching twigs but the effect was underwhelming. Winter Jasmine was blooming more profusely on stiff, kind of awkward branches. The flowers are nearly identical. I got the look I was after by using a combination of the two.
I like my yellow in small doses, so the sparseness of the flowers strikes me as just right. I added a glass bowl of Lemonhead lemon drops and an actual lemon as props.
These winter bouquets last on and on and…on. I’m running out of places to put them as they are retired from center stage. This one is in the bathroom.
Remember this one? A gift exchange brought me the striped candles in colors that work perfectly, especially after adding a branch of Witch Hazel.
And this one is still going strong, with only a few petals having dropped from the Poinsettia. I think it lasts longer as a cut flower than it would have on the plant. I’ve passed a couple of past bouquets on to friends, one of whom passes on to me every vase that comes her way. The word is out, I guess, that I have become a flower cutting fool ever since joining Cathy in making a posy from the garden’s gleanings every Monday.
I love the clear vases with the “polka dots” – they make me think of water drops. I tend to over-stuff my vases but lighter arrangements like yours always seem more dramatic. Your foliage arrangements continue to look great too.
Kris~Stuffed, spare…I like it all. So much fun to see what others come up with.
This seems to me to be the perfect winter/spring arrangement. Sparse yet elegant, promising of things to come but with restraint
Christina~You bestow entirely too much praise on my humble offering…but I’ll take it. Thanks!
The hint of yellow – and of spring – is lovely in your vases, and the other vases really are still holding up well. I have also kept some of my winter Monday vases for several weeks.
Cathy~Yellow is a cheerful color. Mom Nature knew what she was doing when she flooded us with it in spring.
I cut some and they bloomed weeks ago and I was hoping to cut more but we are buried by snow. I love Joe Pye too especially the seedheads….lovely vases.
Donna~I was expecting more from forced branches. Do you do anything special?
Love them all, and it’s wonderful when an arrangement lasts so long. Are you a water changer? I always mean to but somehow never quite remember.
Loree~When an arrangement needs to be reworked, I’ll do the whole vase cleaning, water changing thing, but with these I’ve just been topping them off.
I can see our props becoming integral parts of every vase – I love how they have caught on and how you have tweaked the effect of your underwhelming forsythia. Great to see how well your other vases have lasted, especially that last one! Thanks for your continued enthusiasm rickii
Cathy~You opened my eyes to props…among other things.
Love this shot of yellow. Perfect tonic for the gray winter blahs. The lemon & lemon heads make it perfect! Love your use of props!
Peter~Not so many blahs this winter, but we’re in for a week of it. The shot of yellow should help get us through.
Beth~These blooms would probably go unnoticed during the blowsy season, but right now…they’re stars.
Hey ricki my emails to you are bouncing back. Did you change your email?
Hmmm…I got one today, but maybe that was forwarded by someone else. Same old email: ricklet@centurylink.net
I replied to all. Did you get that?
What time of day is the HPSO upcoming talk?