Last week our fearless hostess, Cathy from ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com posted about Blue, an album by Joni Mitchell, relating the album to her vase. My In A Vase on Monday post had some crystals from my father, the geology professor. This made me remember the song, Crystal Blue Persuasion, by Tommy James and The Shondells. The song never made any sense to me, but it is pretty catchy and I had some blue crystals and some flowers I have been trying to persuade to flower.
The flowers I have been trying to persuade are in a blue glass inherited from my in laws. This is my second attempt at Cactus Zinnias, they seem to top out about 7 inches, cute but I would like them to be taller. The Mexican Sage (Salvia leucathemum) is listless in the garden, reluctantly sending up a puny purple flower. The purple Verbena is a native beach plant, supposedly rare. I bought this at a native plant sale last year – I passed by it a couple of weeks ago, indiscriminately chopped it back and was rewarded with two flowers. I think all need more heat or longer day length
The crystals are from my father. I think they are soapstone, blue tourmaline and pyrite.
Feeling the need for more flowers, I assembled another vase. I would entitle this one: Junk That Came Up in My Garden, because, truth be told – that is exactly what it is, and, dang, -it is pretty. And in a crystal blue, uh, container.
What we have here- the flowers:in yellow, Beach Sunflowers (Helianthus debilis); in white Bidens alba, in purple, the uber weed, Florida Tasselflower-my opinion (exclusively) as botanists are contemplating something about this plant. the peach pink flowers – something that came up from the native Tropical Red Salvia (Salvia coccinea): and the mystical Wireweed, another volunteer.
Here are both vases:
And the song:
What do you see?
The sun is a’rising
Most definitely
People are changing
Ain’t it beautiful, ooh, ooh
Crystal blue persuasion
Love, love is the answer, ooh, ooh
And that’s all right
So easy to find
Just look to your soul
And open your mind
It’s a new vibration
Crystal blue persuasion
Crystal, blue persuasion
When he looks down
On every green field, ooh, ooh
And every town
All of his children
And every nation
They’ll be peace and good brotherhood
Crystal blue persuasion, aha
Crystal blue persuasion, aha
Crystal blue persuasion, aha
The Shrub Queen 
“Junk That Came Up in My Garden” is a little hard: I’d be thrilled if any or all of these just appeared in my garden. Both vases are lovely and look great together too!
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The junk is pervasive, invasive and totally charming. A real dilemma. Thank you, I prefer your well mannered tulips.
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There’s room for both in a garden, I think
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Same with me…I would be happy to see some “junk” in my garden. Everything is freeze dried or a pile of slime. Anyway, I did enjoy seeing your flowers.
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Junk is a double edged sword! Sure, it looks great but, it is the gift that keeps on giving. About to eat salad! I may need to send you pictures of the Chinese Cabbage- really weird,hairy stuff. I just keep looking at it,my neighbor ate some!
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Oh, you know that song is going to be in my head now! Joni Mitchell is always preferable to Tommy James. Even your “junk” bouquet is lovely. Snowed here again and any kind of garden blooms are still a long way off.
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Laughing,the earworm from that song is longlasting! I have had it for a few days now. Thank you, spring is just around the corner!
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Oh don’t we have fun on Mondays! 🙂 Can we predict lots of song references now? Perhaps I should make it a challenge one week…. 😉 Both of your vases are so bright and cheerful, but especially your ‘junk’ one – those beach sunflowers you have introduced to us in many vases are always a delight to see, but I suppose if they act as ‘weeds’ they might be rather less welcome. If that is a chunk of blue tourmaline your father must have had a wonderful collection as it is not the ‘cheapest’ of crystals to buy but perhaps he dug it out himself in the course of his profession?
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Mondays are fun and I think a song challenge would be fun. So many inspirations! A semi tropical climate will change your mind about reseeding annuals! There are probably thousands of Beach Sunflowers in front of my house.My father taught mineralogy and cristallography (hopefully spelled right) loved crystals and(Ithink) tourmalines were a favorite.There is no telling where that came from.The ones he collected locally we usually bigger and black.
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One of my fav songs of the era….about love and kindness and I think very timely! James has said he took the title and song from the Book of Revelations about the coming of the New Jerusalem. Now this is quite a vase of gorgeous plant material and very warming on this cold winter day up here!
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Thank you, the interpretations of the lyrics are interesting to say the least! Warming thoughts your way!
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The blue vases show off the blooms rather well. Both arrangements are cheery.
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Thank you, Happy Monday.
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What fun – your vases are a colourful celebration of song!
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Thank you, I need some amusement!
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Your ‘junk’ is so very pretty – I wouldn’t complain about my weeds (perhaps) if they were as colourful a bunch as yours! Hope your cactus zinnias get taller once it warms up. The ones I grew two years ago got to about 50cm, but that was enough as I had them in pots. 😉
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Ha.Yes, they are pretty -but- produce seeds like Dandelions. You don’t get 4 plants,you get 4,000 and they lose their appeal. Rapidly. Thanks for the info on the Cactus Zinnias, that is what the package says. Wait, patience rewards the gardener.
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Loved that song when it came out. Glad to see your Cactus Zinnias are blooming. Hope they find some height as well though and they should eventually. Both vases are beautiful.
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Fingers crossed for bigger Zinnias! Thank you.
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Zinnias in January?!!! It just goes to show how different our individual climates are in terms of which flowers bloom when. Your reference to the song sent me on an interesting on-line search. I’d always assumed “crystal blue persuasion” was a drug reference, although it seems James himself claimed it derived from the Book of Revelations. Other sources dispute how it could have come front the latter source but, like all songs, perhaps the truth is whatever it means to the listener.
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The zinnias, I think,need more light or heat or something – they are stunted. The CBP lyrics theories are interesting,I thought the same thing.
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Well, what lovely junk you grow, it doesn’t look like junk to me. Both arrangements are so pretty. Ooh, ooh ooh.
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Aha, my favorite comment, ooh,ohh,ooh
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Loved this you lucky lady of the tropics.
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Thanks, Becca
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Both are lovely, but there is definitely a message here with the wildflowers going gangbusters. I think I’d be letting ’em run wild all over my yard!
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My next post may be demon weeds..or natives😀
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Yes, I want to see the demon weeds! 🙂
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Evil laughter..they’re here…
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😀
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Hm, I don’t know what that song is about but the vases are joyful and I love the theme. Showing your bright volunteers to us in grey, damp parts of the world was bound to make us envious.
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The song is taken many ways! Thanks, the vegetation can be overwhelming in a frost free climate. My next post is going to be demon weeds .
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