in a new vase on monday

I scored this clever vase on my last visit to Goodwill.

It’s a vase and a frog all in one and the top lifts off for easy filling and cleaning.

I’m not in love with my first effort but do look forward to playing around with it some more. I cut the material in the early morning, leaving it in a cool, dark pantry. Some of the Kniphofia remained upright, while others curled up like little foxes’ tails. K. ‘Percy’s Pride’ is the greenish one and usually the last of the Knifs to bloom. I’ve lost track of the names of all the orange ones but did find one little straggler to add to the mix. Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ is just beginning to color up (my favorite stage) so I added a few stems of that. Euonymous ‘Emerald N Gold’ and Artimisia ‘Valerie Finnis’ needed haircuts so I tucked the trimmings in as filler.

I liked the idea of leaving some of the holes unfilled to contribute a graphic element.

Often the arrangements I do at work are displayed against a wall. This one is on our dining table, to be viewed from all sides. The “back” side has quite a different look: softer, and perhaps more in keeping with the color of the vase. You can catch the full array of this weeks vases by clicking through to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.

23 thoughts on “in a new vase on monday

  1. That’s a cool thrift store find! I’m turning my raised veggie beds into a cutting garden this fall, for use next year and I’ve been haunting the thrift stores for vases. I’ve found a few that appeal to me.

    • Yard sales and thrift stores are more fun with a mission in mind. Now about that shelf space. Can we look forward to seeing you in the vase meme next year?

  2. That’s a great little vase and I think you did well with your choice of materials. The colors, especially the pop of orange, complement the vase color perfectly. I have a glass vase that comes with a similar top but I’ve found that the holes are too small for many stems.

  3. Oh, I love this Ricki. The Kniphofia is fantastic. I have been afraid to grow it because I thought it would get too big. You found great companions too. I picked up the exact vase at a yard sale in my neighborhood last year. I like it very much, but found it difficult to change the water without upsetting the arrangement. The color looks great with the materials you’ve used today. Have a nice week.

    • I hadn’t thought about that, but I usually don’t change the water until it is time to dismantle the bouquet. I have divided ‘Percy’s Pride’ many times so now I have some repetition and have given lots of it away.

  4. That’s really pretty, Ricki! I love the vase! I keep thinking I need to set aside some time to create some arrangements, but then I just grab a handful of flowers and throw them in a vase. Cosmos are the bloom of choice since they look great simply stuffed in a vase. I like everything about your arrangement–the textures, the colors, the vase…everything!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *