The frogs are just beginning to tune up their vocal chords. I hear a random “ribbit”…nothing like the full chorus of mating season. It reminded me of this little glass frog and a color-coordinated round vase. The cutwork cloth is something that was embroidered by a friend of the family (can you imagine?).
By filling the vase with clear glass marbles, I was able to arrange some twigs of Stachyrus praecox and have them hold their position. I searched for this shrub for months, based on a magazine photo of long hanging stems of bead-like flowers. I’m pretty sure that was a mislabeled photo of Stachyrus salicifolia, which I eventually sought out and killed.
There’s a glass ball back there that is actually a decommissioned hummingbird feeder (the kind with a feeding tube out the bottom that leaked sugar water all over the place). In my experience, the prettier the hummingbird feeder, the less useful it turns out to be. There’s also a glass candlestick that fits in with the color scheme.
A few Tête a Tête daffodils, Pulmonaria ‘Ron Davidson’, and foliage of Epimediums and Aquilea put the Spring in this vase.
You’ll find Spring busting out all over if you click through to see what Cathy (Rambling in the Garden) has in store this Monday.
Oh what a fabulous vase…and you have frogs singing. Snow is still flying and the frogs are sleeping here…so I will gaze upon your flowers instead for now!
We are so lucky to have blogging friends to warm our cold days and cool the hot ones.
Rickii, I am as green with envy as the Columbine leaves in your vase. Look at all of your flowers! What a gorgeous spring time vase, complete with a lovely glass frog. I agree with you on hummingbird feeders! I saw some beautiful ones recently pieced together by an artist from ‘found objects.’ Looked cool, but mine usually end up leaking and bring an army of ants. What a lovely vignette! WG
Thanks for the kind words. The cheaper and gaudier the feeder, the better the hummers seem to like it. I finally found one that is not too hideous and seems to work.
That’s lovely, Ricki. My Tete-a-tetes are poking through but not blooming yet. Thanks for the sneak peek. What a great idea to use the globe hummingbird feeder as a vase or decoration! I might have to borrow that idea. It’s gorgeous!
It is pretty and I usually hang it in the cherry tree just as an ornament.
You put together a pretty ensemble. I love that Stachyurus, which of course doesn’t grow in my part of the country. I love frogs – and toads – but haven’t seen any here in decades, although I do have more than my fair share of lizards.
Lizards are pretty swell too, though not so vocal.
Just think of all the needlework projects we could achieve if we didn’t have the distractions of gardens, blogs, etc, etc, etc… 😉 Your pretty vase looks all the more fresh and spring like because of the various glass accessories which you have used along with the minimalist blooms and the new foliage. Thanks for sharing rickii
Choices, choices, choices!
A very spring like arrangement of flowers and artifacts. Isn’t it always the way that you search for ages for a plant and then when you eventually find it, it’s been mis-labeled.
That is part of what has pushed me into becoming an impulse buyer (not that that is any better as an approach).
This is just lovely Ricki! I like the Stachyrus praecox. We heard frogs this week for the first time this year.
I actually liked this best with just the Stachyrus branches but couldn’t resist the siren call of spring to add more.
Very lovely. I like the daffodils and the mix of foliage.
Thanks, Jason…this is some of the yellow I was telling you about (resistance is futile).