Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Monday Vase: A Merry Christmas

rose Olympiad, flower arrangement, small sunny garden, desert garden, monday vase meme, amy myers, photography
As this will be the last Monday Vase before Christmas Day, I am enjoying some seasonal exuberance today.  I would have loved to have made a wreath, but in the absence of either know-how or time, I've made a vase with a plentiful helping of foliage - foliage that I would have used for a wreath, if only...!  Plus a splash of red.
small sunny garden, desert garden, monday vase meme, amy myers, photography, pelargonium, geranium, flower arrangement
And a second splash.
rose Olympiad, flower arrangement, small sunny garden, desert garden, monday vase meme, amy myers, photography
Foliage includes rosemary...
rosemary, small sunny garden, desert garden, monday vase meme, amy myers, photography
...and Artemisia "Powis Castle".artemisia powis castle, flower arrangement, small sunny garden, desert garden, monday vase meme, amy myers, photography
There are also sprigs of Eremophila "Valentine"...
eremophila valentine, small sunny garden, desert garden, monday vase meme, amy myers, photography
...which is just budding out.  Its tiny round buds play somewhat the role that berries might play, shown here next to a single stem of Lavender "Goodwin's Creek Gray".
eremophila valentine, small sunny garden, desert garden, monday vase meme, amy myers, photography
The first splash of red comes from Geranium "Precision" (seriously!), which has wonderful deep crimson blooms.
pelargonium, geranium, small sunny garden, desert garden, monday vase meme, amy myers, photography
And I begged the perfect red rose from my sister's container garden.  (Thank you, Sarah!)  This is hybrid tea "Olympiad".
rose Olympiad, small sunny garden, desert garden, monday vase meme, amy myers, photography, flower arrangement
So, a Christmas vase, rose on one side...
rose Olympiad, flower arrangement, small sunny garden, desert garden, monday vase meme, amy myers, photography
...geraniums on the other.
geranium, pelargonium, small sunny garden, desert garden, monday vase meme, amy myers, photography,
There was so much material available that I was able to use one of my larger pots, one with a wide mouth and plenty of room.  It's wonderful to have enough stems from the garden to bulk up!
rose Olympiad, artemisia powis castle, rosemary, small sunny garden, desert garden, monday vase meme, amy myers, photography
No poinsettias or amaryllis so far (my one amaryllis is still very much in bud), but nevertheless a Christmas vase with which to join Cathy's Monday Vase meme.  Do check the other wonderful vases to be seen there this week!

Hopefully this will not be the last post until Christmas (I am looking forward to posting on the development of the South Border), but just in case, I will wish you all a Merry Christmas now!
perlargonium, geranium, Precision, small sunny garden, desert garden, monday vase meme, amy myers, photography
Weather Diary: Fair; High: 62 F (17 C)/Low: 39 F (4 C)

20 comments:

  1. ΥΠΕΡΟΧΕΣ!!!! ΙΔΙΑΙΤΕΡΕΣ ΔΗΜΙΟΥΡΓΙΕΣ!!!!!!
    ΚΑΛΑ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥΓΕΝΝΑ!!!!!! και απο μενα
    αγγελικη

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    1. Many thanks dear Aggeliki - clay and flowers are so perfect together... ;-) Wishing you a lovely and marvelous Christmas season!!

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  2. A number of bloggers have used rosemary in their winter vases - what a great choice it is, as is the artemisia. I dont know the Eremophila but the suggestion of berries works really well - and your sister's rose is stunning! Such a 'precise' pelargonium too... Definitely a festive vase - thanks for sharing it with us and have a great festive season

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    1. I've had a curious experience using artemisia in vases: it actually tends to expand to a fuller form than when it was on the plant. It certainly has filled this vase! I couldn't help laughing about the name of the Pelargonium; who gets the job of thinking up the names, I wonder... Thanks so much, Cathy :)

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  3. A festive vase to grace the dinner table, Merry Christmas Amy.

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    1. It bids fair to last till Christmas Day too... Thanks and Merry Christmas, Brian :)

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  4. so pretty and festive. I just love the dark red of Geranium 'Precision' and wish I had remembered to use Rosemary in some of my arrangements! Merry Christmas, Amy!

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    1. Thanks so much, Ann! I love that Geranium, which I just bought last week; it's quickly proving a special one. It's been a bit of a struggle to get things to look really festive with all the unusual plants I'm growing; one doesn't associate them with Christmas... The rosemary helped a good deal! Merry Christmas :)

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  5. How lovely all the foliage you have chosen....And the red flowers make it so festive! Merry Christmas!

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    1. Thanks so much, Donna! It seemed to help that I started by thinking of wreath-making; it allowed me to concentrate on the foliage, and I was happy to find how much I have available nowadays. A few plants actually needed the trimming... ;-) Merry Christmas!

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  6. A precious vase Amy, contains the spirit of Christmas !!
    I love to use rosemary, brings a vibrant green color.
    I wish you a Merry Christmas with your wonderful family, sending a big hug to all :)

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    1. I'm so happy you enjoyed this little bit of Christmas, Belén!! Thanks so much for the good wishes and wishing you also a Merry Christmas (from all of us)! Hugs :)

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  7. The silvery foliage is the perfect foil for the deep red blooms, Amy. The reddish buds of the Eremophila are a nice touch too. Best wishes for a merry Christmas!

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    1. Wishing you a merry Christmas too, Kris :) The buds are a special element on this Eremophila as they seem to last for months before opening, while the color gradually becomes brighter and more noticable.

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    2. Wishing you a merry Christmas too, Kris :) The buds are a special element on this Eremophila as they seem to last for months before opening, while the color gradually becomes brighter and more noticable.

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  8. Very pretty and so beautifully photographed too. Merry Christmas Amy!

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    1. Thank you so much, Cathy! Wishing you a lovely Christmas :)

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  9. I was really taken with this photo when I saw it on ig Amy - at least I believe it is the same. It is so beautifully collated and the foliage and the flowers are just perfect in that pot. Beautifully done and beautifully photographed too!
    - Kate

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    1. I must admit that I was very, very happy with this arrangement ;-) It did fall together nicely once I had chosen the foliage. (It's wonderful to have enough foliage to cut nowadays!) Thank you so much!

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