Monday, February 23, 2015

Monday Vase: Spring Colours

Osteospermum, Helipterum, Monday Vase meme
It has been a grey, rainy morning here, so what an excellent time for some soft, bright, spring colours in the Monday Vase!  Except that some of the colours come from flowers which close when the weather is dull...

Having said which, you will understand that this morning's vase was fraught a few difficulties.  It is not as well put-together as I would like, but the flowers themselves finally decided a few elements of the design after I got them back into some sunlight so they could open out!

In any case, the colours are happy: soft orange from some new Osteospermums...
Osteospermum, Monday Vase meme
...pink from my first few paper daisies (Helipterum) - and no, I did not realize that they would close when the rain came...
Helipterum roseum, Monday Vase meme
...and a cluster of yellow from Tetraneuris aucalis, now starting to bloom in earnest.
Tetraneuris aucalis, Monday Vase meme
Foliage came from a couple sprigs of Genista, which will be blooming itself soon, by the looks of it.

I tried several pots, mostly light-coloured, before settling on my dark, semi-spherical one.  The results look like this...
Helipterum roseum, Monday Vase meme
...and this...
Osteospermum, Monday Vase meme
...and from above, like this.
Monday Vase meme
They were photographed in the front patio after the rain let up and enough sun came out to open the petals.  The weather looks like being off and on, but now there is a little bright colour in the house - as long as the flowers can stay open!  

Celebrating one more Monday Vase meme; do check out Cathy's post at Rambling in the Garden and see what else is happening today!

Happy Monday!
Helipterum, Monday Vase meme

10 comments:

  1. One of the joys of this meme is seeing what material people in different parts of the world find their vases - and these are certainly not UK spring colours, which are currently white and muted pinks (snowdrops and hellebores), with purple gradually joining in (crocus) and the yellow of daffodils still round the corner! So your vase was a cheery and bright sight for a Monday morning - the orange osteospermum is particularly striking. Thanks for sharing. Does your rain still evaporate quickly at this time of year?

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    1. I suppose I do associate different colours with springtime - I suspect they are the colours of my childhood Easters in this case! I'm glad you enjoyed the brightness; it's been very pleasant to look at this one (most of the vases end up in the kitchen where we can see them while eating ;) The rain was very soft, and the ground is more or less dry again now. Generally the rain soaks into the dry, dry soil quickly until the top layers are saturated, then runs off across the countryside. But we didn't get nearly enough rain for run-off!

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  2. Beautiful colors and the dark spherical vase works perfectly.

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    1. Thanks so much! I'd been waiting for days to put those different daisies together... So glad you like it :)

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  3. I knew that Osteospermum close up without light but I wasn't aware that paper daisies did so. Nonetheless, you managed a cheerful arrangement.

    Our rain arrived mid-afternoon yesterday and moved out early this morning but I still see thick clouds on the horizon to the east so my guess is that you're still in the midst of it. I hope it's a gentle rain, as it was here.

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    1. I didn't know that the paper daisies did either, Kris. The first hint I had of it was when I walked out to cut them... I did know about Osteospermum but by that time I'd already cut the paper daisies - I thought I might as well try it all the way in hopes the sun would come out - which it did LOL
      Soooo glad to hear you got some rain; I know you've needed it badly! Ours was very gentle, over by midday or a little later. It does make everything feel brighter...

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  4. I really like the vase you chose to display these bright colorful blooms. I will take your rain if you take my cold and snow. :)

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    1. Thanks so much, Donna! Since I'm a potter (among other things) I have a lot of test pieces around, and some - like this one - seem more useful for the flowers than I would have guessed... I really wish I could send a bit of sunshine to all of you on the East Coast!! I have had my fill of cold in years past so am not likely even to trade 116 degree summer heat for all that snow LOL Thanks for dropping by :)

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  5. so bright and cheerful - I love the soft orange of the osteospermum against the black of the vase. Enjoy!

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    1. I really am enjoying it - the osteospermum is fully open this morning and looks even better. So glad you enjoyed these happy little faces too :)

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