I have been looking at this vase for quite some time. The purple high heeI I believe is a Blenko Art Glass piece from the early 1950’s; likely a wedding gift to my parents and another vase from my mother. My issue with this vase is how to make an arrangement in it, the base is basically a trench, so no hopes of using a frog – I had some scraps of green floral foam and thought I could stuff the trench full of foam and stick the flowers in that, no such luck. The green foam floated up, so I added some pebbles to hold the foam down and proceeded.
Eventually I added enough pebbles to keep the foam in the trench. Onto the Fire.
The Fire is Florida’s native Firebush (Hamelia patens var patens) which cooperatively pops up in my garden, the foliage has a lovely red tinge so I have included that in the arrangement. The other reds are Red Shrimp Plant (Justicia brandegeana) and some buds from the Parrot’s Flower (Heliconia psittacorum). The Ice elements are Bridal Bouquet Frangipani (Plumeria pudica) nearly bashed off by thunderstorms and saved by my vase. The Sweet Begonias (Begonia odorata ‘alba’) offer a different texture in white and add some coarse green foliage to the mix. A few culinary Fennel flowers and Boston Fern sprigs complete the arrangement.
The Shrub Queen 
So pretty and perky…I like the way the most mundane element, the sword fern, extends the heel. Nice of Mother Nature to give you unlimited ferns.
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Thank you, I do love those ferns and found I have some native ferns as well. Been installing the bones of my natives garden today!
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I love to see what gardeners in a different climate put in their vases. So interesting because most of the plants — like yours— are always unfamiliar to me. I’m impressed you figured out how to keep things in place in such a quirky vase. That was a real challenge.
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Thank you, I am going to have another try with that vase sometime. I think a 4″ pot of something in flower might really be the answer.
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Nice arrangement! I was trying to figure out what the Fennel was. It works well.
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Thank you, I cannot get the vegetable part to work but have been eating the foliage and using the flowers.
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Ingenious mechanics; would it have worked just using pebbles I wonder. Fantastic exotic arrangement.
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Thank you, I considered the pebble theory, I have some glass ones somewhere in my house. I was surprised when the floatation started!
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What a unique vase and challenge….perfect plant material of red and white…very striking!
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Thank you, I loved your pastel vase and think I goofed up the comment!
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Such an unusual vase and I like the way you met the challenge of using it. As my mom used to say, “That’s using your noggin!” 🙂 Fire and Ice is a great theme…you’ve done a beautiful job arranging everything…the plumeria must smell wonderful!
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Thank you, I am going to give it another try, that vase is a challenge. The fennel smells good as well. Smell App!?
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What an intriguing vase – and the Fire and Ice theme was a most effective concept and works well, emphasising the contrasting blooms. As always it’s interesting to see the different plants you come up with – thanks for sharing
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You picked the perfect title to emphasize the contrast between the flowers you selected. I love that Plumeria and applaud your industry in getting everything to come together in that uniquely-shaped vase. I’m sure I’d have thrown up my hands.
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Thanks. Kris. I have had that vase for at least 6 years and that is the second time I have used it, the first was a floppy disaster.
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[…] Jun20 by theshrubqueen […]
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What a great arrangement in a really unusual vase! I like the way the Heliconia buds spike up to echo the spike on the heel. Your flowers are so exotic – I actually had to google Heliconia and Hamelia to work out which was which. So not only have I enjoyed your vase, I’ve also learnt something!
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Thanks, I didn’t know parts of your vase as well. Joys of blogging.
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Great reading thhis
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Thank you
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