Even limiting my palette to black and white (mostly) there was too much going on out there.
My daughter, Hillary, gave me this vase a few years back. By adding the pebbles in the base, it becomes easy to control the placement of stems.
The metal dividers separate the blooms so that each can be appreciated individually. ‘Thalia’ is so delicate that it is easily beaten down by the rain. I rescued these for today’s vase.
A few blade-shaped leaves from a variegated iris had browned tips, thus the hatchet job (we’ll pretend it was a design decision).
As you can see, there is plenty of evergreen clematis to spare.
It cascades so prettily over the deck.
In a vase, it gets all stubborn and insists on standing at attention.
Only a few blossoms condescended to dangle. I was after a downward flowing effect with the flowers showing up against the black vase. Oh, well…I’ll take what I can get.
The Rhododendron ‘Janet’ that I pressed into service a few weeks ago lasted remarkably well. The shrub is in full flamboyant mode now, so I plucked another today.
The shell is something of an afterthought, but plays to Cathy’s (Rambling in the Garden) use of props, which she does with a flair I could never hope to emulate. Oh, and the black and white cloth is a cotton ikat sari from Calcutta. Happy Spring!
You do say such kind things, rickii! I love your monochrome vases – the stand would of course be perfect to hold test tubes, but would be an asset to all straight stemmed blooms like your Thalia. And your wayward clematis – it never hangs how you would like it to in a vase, does it?! It’s still so pretty – C armandii can be quite fussy here and I have tried it twice before, but I have considered it for the neighbour’s fence behind the shrub border… Your black vase is lovely and has a tooled leather-like appearance but I assume it is ceramic? Thanks for sharing today, rickii
The black vase is actually cast glass. The C. armandii has banner years like this and others when it pouts.
You have such an elegant and lovely arrangement today, Rickii. Your vase from Hillary is quite special, and your choice of D. Thalia is inspired. Ours haven’t opened yet, so as usual, your garden is a few weeks ahead of ours despite your more northern latitude. What a tableau you have shared with us this week!
Looking back, I see that Thalia is ahead of years past. I always love getting previews from gardens ahead of ours.
Beautiful black and white vases…and love the metal one especially …it looks great with the white daffs.
Thanks, Donna.
I do love black and white and you’ve done it up nicely. I bet the clematis smells wonderful!
The cloud of fragrance is a little less pronounced than some years. It seems to increase with sunshine, so there’s the story.
Hi Ricki, this might be one of your finest early spring arrangement’s! Luv the black and white.
How nice of you to say, Jenni.
The mass of bloom on that Clematis is spectacular! The metal grid vase is ingenious and made to order for Narcissus and all sorts of spring bulb flowers.
I tried and tried, but never could get a photo that did justice to the exuberance of the Clematis.
You have the most fantastic array of vases, Rickii! Love the black vase with Janet and the Clematis – the black and white is a stellar combo. I really like the one Hillary gave you, too. Some flowers are just better displayed that way.
The Hillary vase can make even a small bunch of flowers have presence. I must remember to use it more.
You always have such unusual vases to display your flowers Ricki. The clematis is lovely, I did look at mine but didn’t think it would last well in a vase and as the plant needs to build up again after almost dying I thought it best to leave all the growth! I love Thalia!
The Clematis has a tendency to die back every once in a while but it always springs back (so far, at least). This was a bumper year.
I love the way your flowers and vases work together. Plus, the Thalia and Armandii are great favorites, so I’m especially happy to see them.
So…we share faves…doesn’t surprise me.
Wonderful vase your Hillary chose for you! Can’t beat white flowers for sheer effect. My thalia have cycled through quickly this spring. I think they’re lasting better in a vase than they did outdoors.
Pounding rain was doing a number on mine, so no pangs of guilt for picking them.
I love that unusual vase Ricki, and I also love the Thalia daffodils… it got me thinking where mine are. I haven’t even see any foliage yet, but they do flower a bit later here I think anyway.
They’re the latest of the daffys to bloom here. Everything is a bit ahead of schedule this year. Lucky you…you still have them to look forward to.
Love that newfangled vase, I’ll have to look for one like it. The white Narcissi (‘Thalia’?) are lovely and elegant, and the Clematis ain’t to shabby either.
‘Thalia’ is my fave, with ‘Salome’ not far behind. I haven’t seen another vase like that, but if I do I’ll give you a shout out.