In A Vase on Monday is a meme on WordPress that originated in the UK four years ago this Monday. Cathy from the blog Rambling in the Garden is the host (or hostess) of the meme. This year, in honor of the fourth anniversary of In A Vase on Monday- Cathy issued a challenge to not use a vase on Monday but a different container.
My container is a vintage watering can I inherited from my mother. So vintage, in fact, it no longer has a handle or holds water. I keep it around because I like the patina and it reminds me of my mother, a great gardener and lover of vases. The extreme vintageness of the container required some floral engineering:
I half filled the can with Styrofoam packing peanuts and bubble wrap, then cut down some drinking water bottles to hold the flowers and water.
The ducks arrived on the scene as it was a pouring down rain, windy day in South Florida. A great day for ducks, humans, not so much. It really started pouring after I had collected about a third of the arrangement. I stopped, waited the downpour out and went back out to the garden, collected more flowers as this is a good sized container. Finished. Decided it needed some more ferns and something taller, more rain. Stopped, then completed the arrangement again, only to find it too dark in the house to take a picture. Put everything outside and of course, it started raining again.
So, I added the ducks – then my phone ran out out battery so I had to charge it to take the picture! Stopped for a moment to visit our mermaid under construction. Everyone in South Florida needs a concrete mermaid. Mine is going to be painted and used as porch art. Yet another project.
Finally, the contents:
The white flowers are Bridal Bouquet Frangipani (Plumeria pudica); the red and yellow flowers are Parrotflowers (Heliconia psittacorum), the red and white flowers are Red Shrimp Plants (Justicia brandegeana); the large foliage and white flowers hanging over the edge are Sweet Begonias (Begonia odorata); the off white spikes are a mystery plant. Foliage in red, Copperleaf (Acalypha ‘ Raggedy Ann’); yellow varigated foliage is from the Pie Crust Croton (Codieum ‘Pie Crust’); ferns are Asian Sword Ferns. There are some bits of Blanchetiana Bromeliad flowers in the back of the arrangement for height.
Visit Cathy’s blog to see Anniversary vases from the world over.
Happy Gardening and thanks to our hostess, Cathy.
The Shrub Queen 
This is gorgeous and I had quite a chuckle over your dashing in and out of the rain and trials with the phone. At last, the deed is done with beautiful results. Well done, I say! 😉
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Thank you. I was a bit waterlogged after that one.
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Beautiful and as it looks so tropical, it is approriate that you created it dodging and diving in tropical rainstorms. I am intrigued by your mermaid, did you make her yourself? She is beautiful and very modest in her shell bra.
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Thank you, the mermaid is a factory second from a local concrete manufacturer, deigned to be stuck to the wall.
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Wow this is beautiful….those flowers shine against the watering can and I love the ducklings….of course all is even more fitting given the weather.
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Thank you, it finally cleared up.
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Such a fun and action packed post to read, and the ducks are fitting custodians of the vase – oops! – watering can. Thank you for efforts to fulfil the brief despite what the elements and your phone were throwing at you – and as always with a bright and tropical result. Thanks so much for sharing it with us
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Your watering can is beautiful and I am so glad you could find a way to use it for holding your flowers. The white Frangipani flower is lovely. Love the ducks too – perfect weather for them! 😉 Definitely worth all the to-ing and fro-ing!
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Thank you! I left it outside and it was very happy til it stopped raining. oops.
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I’m glad you hung on to that watering can and found a way to make it work to hold flowers. It’s perfect for the white Plumeria and your brightly colored flowers. I enjoyed seeing the mermaid too – I’ve thought that it’d be nice to have one here but have yet to find the right piece. You must show yours when she’s painted and displayed on your porch. As to the rain – can you send some of your excess our way?!
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Thanks, Kris. There is a tiny specialty concrete manufacturer that sells their seconds near my house-I have some funky bits around the house from them. Would be happy to send you some rain, we need that Star Trek global wethernet thing!
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You are doubly imaginative, Amy! I love that arrangement and its “vase”.
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Thank you, Cynthia
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A lovely arrangement in a lovely memento. It really does lend itself to being a vase. I have some ducks but perhaps I need a mermaid too?
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This is beautiful and I love the irony of filling a watering can with plastic bottles.
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Laughing! I hadn’t considered that! True.
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Love the idea that everyone in South Florida needs a concrete mermaid!!! A sumptuous arrangement – and lovely to think that your mother once used that great watering can.
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Well done on keeping the beautiful watering can of your mother’s. The saturated dark blue really compliments the bright flowers – it looks so rich and lush. I laughed when I read about the South Florida mermaids and love the seashell bra (brings a whole new dimension to underwiring).
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We have mermen too – they wear similar bras!
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