I am making this a very short post tonight - as indeed the whole Monday Vase project has been today, slipped in between planting a young lime tree and leaving for a trip to town. It's a pity, really, because I am rather pleased with the combination of materials. I will have to revisit it when I have more time available. The contents comprise two very drought-tolerant species, plus marguerite daisies from happily blooming Argyranthemum frutescens.
The somewhat dishevelled look is not only due to the speed with which today's vase was plonked together; it is also the result of using foliage from Acacia salicina, the Willow Acacia. As graceful a tree as it is, the foliage does go every which way in a vase. I wanted to enjoy the arrival of its flowers so I decided to use it in any case, as the very modest little puffballs don't show up that strongly in the garden. Here are a couple of them...
Just beneath the tree, Senna nemophila is finally growing well. It took months to establish, and over its first summer I half-expected to lose it altogether, but now it looks to be a permanent fixture in the garden. Like the Acacia, it is an extremely drought-and-heat-tolerant plant from Australia. Its miniscule yellow buds have been present but closed for weeks. I thought perhaps bringing some inside would encourage them to open, but so far they remain adamantly closed.
And of course, there are the daisies...
These are from the now heartily blooming Argyranthemum frutescens in the East Border. I liked the way their brilliant yellow combined with the spare foliage of Acacia and Senna.
As there were not many stems, I used my smallest-mouthed earthenware pot, hastily popping the stems in and photographing them.
So there is one hurried Monday Vase; as I say, I do like the combination and I'm wondering whether there is any good way to use the untamed exuberance of the plants involved - especially the angular Acacia stems...
...with their unusual little blossoms.
So there is a particularly "exotic" job for the Monday Vase meme, so kindly hosted by Cathy at
Rambling in the Garden!
It's too late to wish anyone happy Monday, so...
Happy Tuesday!
Love it!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sandra :)
Deletethe little puff balls are so sweet and the Willow Acacia looks like a very useful filler - I love the way that it does its own thing! I hope you enjoyed your trip to town :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Ann - it was a fairly utilitarian trip, but having an enthusiastic young dog along made it more fun. I'll have to keep using the Acacia; it needs some trimming back occasionally for shaping so why not... :)
DeleteI like the wildness, it gives movement and life to the vase.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to be brave and keep playing with it then... Thanks, Christina :)
DeleteI love Acacias, especially when they bloom. I have to look into that Senna - it's new to me.
ReplyDeleteThe Acacias are wonderful, aren't they? I'm a bit confused about the Senna now as my Desert Gardens book (by Mary Irish, formerly with the Desert Botanic Gardens) lists S. nemophila as preferable over S. artemisioides, due to the latter being potentially invasive here. But other sites seem to think they are synonymous or perhaps species/subspecies. At any rate, I'm very happy indeed with this shrub! It has a very light, airy effect and is, of course, extremely drought tolerant.
DeleteThe flowers on the willow are just like the white ones you see on some of the willows over here in the UK.
ReplyDeleteI've not grown a regular willow, but that makes it even better as a substitute! It's a beautiful little look-alike with its gracefully drooping branches and slender leaves - it grows only to 30 feet or so (mine is still quite small!)
DeleteOh this is lovely! I really think "desert" when I see this. Love the Acacia :-)
ReplyDeleteIt made me happy just to have it around; it was so full of sunlight... Thanks so much, Kate :)
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