Putting together a Vase for Monday usually makes me think of my mother. I am sure she was the genesis of my interest in gardening. This is her crystal Rose Bowl filled with a mixture from my garden. The wood thing in the background is a cake form I picked up in Japan some years ago, used for making Mung Bean Cakes, I think. I like the cake pan, but can easily forego the cake. My friend who lived in Japan called them Modeling Clay Cakes.
The Rose Bowl is packed with flowers. The orange tubular flowers are from the Firebush (Hamelia patens var paten), I have used orange Ground Orchids (Epidendrum), white Tropical Gardenias (Tabernaemontana divaricata), Sweet Begonias (Begonia odorata), a few Parrotflower Heliconia (Heliconia psittacorus), Red Shrimp Plant (Justicia brandegeana), the seed stalk is from a Dracaena reflexa, and a bit of Asian Sword Fern.
Here’s the latest thing of interest from my garden:
The Nam Doc Mai Mango tree is fruiting! Hoping for some Mango Melange soon.
The Shrub Queen 
Yum, the scent of Gardenias, and Mangos! The cake press looks like a shortbread mold, perhaps nicer than mung bean cake if not as good for you. 🙂
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I would much rather have shortbread!
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This is just lovely.
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Thank you
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Do wild animals leave the mangos alone?
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So far! Squirrels drive people crazy eating all the Mangoes, the tree is fairly close to my dogs so that may help. They are not ripe yet though. Time will tell.
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Can’t imagine what mung bean cake would be like – a Japanese delicacy? Your little crystal vase packs a powerful punch of colour for its small size – thanks for sharing it
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Mung Bean Cake, hmm, imagine pureed cooked beans with flour and sugar pressed into a mold. Not exactly what it is and yes, a Japanese treat. Thanks.
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I’ll pass on that, thank you very much…
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I’ll join you.
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The rose bowl is beautiful and your exotic flowers match its beauty.
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Thank you, Christina
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Love the arranegement in yoir Mum’s vase. And how wonderful to have your own mangos! 🙂
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Thank you, hopefully I get to eat the Mangoes.
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I have to look into that tropical gardenia – I wonder if it would do better here than the species types. As to the mango – wow!
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Kris, I think it would, the gardenia that is, I unearthed from overgrown @#$ in about 10 of Brazilian Pepper, growning in pure sugar sand with no irrigation. I think it is a Zone 10 plant though.
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Wow mango in the garden, wel jel! The cake press is rather lovely as is your mums vase. Interesting again, lovely
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Thank you, hoping to eat one of the mangoes!
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Well, I am obviously late to see this one — but it is no less beautiful for my late arrival. And that mango looks very promising.
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Hi Cynthia, thank you. The mango just keeps getting bigger but not riper? If that is a word.
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Some mangoes ripen green. Does this one?
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No, these are supposed to be golden yellow and have a magnificent scent. I watched a video of a guy eating this particular Mango and it was nearly pornographic!
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You made me smile.
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Good. I am looking forward to tasting one of those Mangoes!
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