In A Vase on Monday -Time In A Bottle

by theshrubqueen

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As I was thinking about a subject for a vase, it occurred to me putting a vase together every week is a bit like saving time in a bottle. The dates are right on the blog post for reference and I  find (not being a keeper of garden journals) myself referring back to my blog to see when plants have been in bloom. The watch ( a la Salvador Dali) a gift from my father many years ago. The persistence of memory can be troubling.

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The largest plant in a preowned pink champagne bottle is Shell Ginger (Alpinia zerumbet). Shell Gingers were a bit of a mystery to me upon my arrival in Florida. The variegated type is commonly used as an annual further north for its foliage, but the green ones I had not encountered until I ran across one at a garage sale for (my favorite price) five bucks. Warnings are commonly issued about the size of these plants, a few years after planting it is six feet by six feet – but it also also planted in front of an ugly six foot fence. Gotta love it when a plan works out. It also appears to be on the verge of bursting into full bloom all over, however, this is difficult to discern as buds. leaves, etc look remarkably similar. If the whole thing does flower I will definitely post some pictures.

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The heirloom blue bottle (another gift from my mother) holds a new arrival to my garden, in purple, Ground Orchids, I think this is a Bletilla of some sort, but as usual no one selling these plants really knows. Ground Orchids are fairly common in South Florida and used as 18″ height perennials – mine have been placed under a Pink Frangipani, next to a plum foliaged and flowered Bromeliad of unknown origin and beside a group of the Pink Bromeliads-the flower currently displayed in the gold bottle. Alongside the mysterious Orchid we have culinary Dill flowers, pink Tropical Salvia (Salvia coccinea) and Dwarf Pineapple foliage.

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This vase contains a Billbergia Bromelaid of uncertain origins ( found thrown out with trash whilst walking my greyhounds) What I can say is I find it unreasonably sharp and beautiful. I may someday learn its botanical name, though I doubt it. In the vase there is some foliage from another, unrelated Bromeliad, a Neoregelia of the Fireball continuum I think.. And a bit of Asparagus Fern that appeared one day and I suspect my floral ambitions are keeping it at bay. The gold bottle has a cork and has served as an olive oil container.

Time in these bottles preserves mid February flowers in my garden or maybe the photos really provide the preservation. Next year will bring the answer all gardeners want to know – will it flower again?

Will our memory persist? One can hope or ask Dali.

18 comments on “In A Vase on Monday -Time In A Bottle”

  1. FlowerAlley says:
    February 20, 2017 at 2:22 pm

    You have made me jealous again. I can literally hold all the blooms in my yard in the palm of one hand. Two purple phlox blooms, one purple crocus and an Alberto Castillo plus several yellow daffodils. I need to move south. Lucky Queen. At least I have a shipment coming from Logee’s this week.

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  2. Linda from Each Little World says:
    February 20, 2017 at 2:57 pm

    Not much happening outdoors here and I am sure winter will return. I love that pink champagne bottle and so perfect with the ginger flower. And what a fabulous watch. That is definitely a memorable gift.

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  3. automatic gardener says:
    February 20, 2017 at 4:54 pm

    What a great concept. I also don’t keep a journal, but rarely look back at my blog. I guess I need to start doing that.

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  4. Christina says:
    February 20, 2017 at 5:04 pm

    I do the same, I often look back at past posts as well as my photographs to see when things were flowering. I like the idea of time in a vase; I love seeing your very exotic (to me) flowers, I can’t imagine what it must be like having them grow in your own garden.

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  5. Cathy says:
    February 20, 2017 at 5:07 pm

    Yes, I use my blog a lot to look back and see when things were flowering – it has been really helpful with tha, as well as showing progression in the garden. Your tropical blooms, as always, are delightful, and it’s always interesting to hear more about them even though they are rarely anything that we could grow outside in the UK. What an intriguing watch! Thanks for sharing today

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  6. Kris P says:
    February 20, 2017 at 7:45 pm

    You’ve put together a lovely display and an entertaining theme! Visitors to my blog often comment that my flowers are exotic but I have nothing on your tropical blooms. I do have some bromeliads but all are in pots to allow extra pampering. I’ve long admired the ground orchids but I expect they’d have to be kept in pots as well as we’re just to dry to let them run free in the garden. I love your collection of bottles too.

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  7. AlisonC says:
    February 20, 2017 at 8:13 pm

    You are so right, it’s a good way of keeping records. I know I won’t keep any on paper. It’s interesting to see plants which are so different from what grows here. (If I could save time in a bottle that would be a great help).

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  8. Cathy says:
    February 21, 2017 at 11:41 pm

    A flowering ginger tree is just too wonderful to think about – even the foliage is lovely! 🙂 It reminds me of the thinly sliced sweet pink ginger they serve in bento lunchboxes in Japan! A great collection of flowers and bottles. 🙂

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  9. cyndilenz says:
    February 22, 2017 at 3:08 am

    Thank you for writing your wonderful blog every week. You take my mind away from the daily bs and I get to look at all these beautiful plants and think about something else.

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