Given what is going on in the world; there are many things that seem unreal. Sitting on my sofa waiting for a delivery of a multi pack box of cereal is one. Yet, here I am.
This vase is another. I took the pictures earlier today and sat down to write my post and thought “that could be Hydrangeas, Mums and Red Maple leaves in fall color.” But it is not. I don’t think I could have forecast being unable to buy liquid hand soap and toilet paper, ever. I have learned how to make homemade liquid hand soap! Unreal. Also found directions on making toilet paper, but really don’t want to try it unless the situation becomes dire. Then, I found directions for converting your toilet to a bidet. Good grief! I found out later the TP factories are running 24/7 in Florida and all should be well soon in that respect. It is our first and hopefully last pandemic.
A closer view:
The ‘fall foliage’ is Lousiana Red Copperleaf (Acalphya wilkesiana ‘ Louisiana Red’) This is a coarse textured red shrub that will probably end up about five feet tall. It serves as a backdrop for the Tree Spinach I just planted (deep green with white flowers)
The ‘Orange Mums” are Mexican Bush Honeysuckle (Justicia spicigera). These tend to be a upright, going on gangly shrub I have used to screen my neighbor’s fence. These few flowers provided a nice reshaping for the shrub and a vase for me.
The ‘Hydrangea’ is a going to seed Lotusleaf Begonia (Begonia nelumbifolia), the green stem that looks like a straw is the stem I cut off and left in there. Couldn’t decide which way I liked the arrangement.
I like the fat, green stem as it seems to balance the vase to me – five tall elements, 3 ferns and one faux Hydrangea. Design school brainwashing creeping in, once again.
Stay safe in your gardening space!
The Shrub Queen 
I don’t think anyone would ever have thought we would see this day. It makes me think about what my parents and grandparents went through in the depression with lack of goods. My grandparents were alive for the 1918 Spanish flu. I wish I was able to ask them about those times.
I am impressed you can grow hydrangeas. Mine are alive, but very sad.
Stay safe.
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Same here, my grandparents both sets went through the 1918 flu. That would be a interesting conversation. That is not a hydrangea it is a Lotusleaf Begonia going to seed. I am glad to see you back in my comments. Somehow you were assigned to spam??!
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That explains the hydrangea. I guess I didn’t read closely enough. I just don’t understand how computers decide to do things like that.
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I know, computers are so weird. I kept wondering what had happened to you…lost in spam.
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Yes, the contents could easily be deceptive at first glance, and the shape of the vase is perfect for the contents, whatever they are! The toilet paper situation seems to have eased off here, as people must be falling back on what they had already stockpiled – I managed to buy some last week, although in a much bigger pack than I would have liked, so I think will help us see the crisis out!
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Ha, they do look like hydrangea and mums. Never would I have guessed that TP would be the first thing that folks would think about stockpiling. It’s food that I’m always thinking about! 😉
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Food is my first thought as well.
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the flowers are lovely as ever. RE the shortages, we had had that in the UK but after a couple of weeks stocks of toilet paper are in the shops again, no more shortages. Hope the same follows for you, stay safe
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Thank you…weird wishing for TP in stores!
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I love your arrangement, the justicia is gorgeous, but I am still trying to get my head round the idea of homemade toilet paper. Whatever do you make it out of? Large leaves?
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Thank you, Liz. Making TP involved recycling paper by soaking it and a rolling pin. Or something along those lines, probably really bad for the septic tank.
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All I can say is ‘wow’ – especially as we are deep into spring bulbs here. The justicia is super – I need to google ‘tree spinach’, however. Gosh you are suffering there with lack of the things we all take for granted these days. Maybe that will be us soon. I shouldn’t have laughed at that meme of two dinosaurs in a park saying, one to the other, ‘Look – here comes a meteor … quick, we must rush out and buy toilet paper!’ Have very good week – lets hope your domestic problems can be sorted (and that the cereal arrived!)
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Thank you, Cathy. the cereal arrived and a blog friend sent a source of TP. Life is better, though there is no chicken in the grocery store, which seems so odd. Maybe the dinos ran out of tp and that is the real cause of their demise..they ate each other!! Tree Spinach is Chaya, a bit of an odd tropical plant that is great for butterflies.
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I didn’ google it – but I will now! Have a good week!
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Your “Hydrangea” had me fooled at first glance, Amelia. I hope your cereal order arrives as scheduled. I’ve been trying to arrange a delivery slot from Amazon Fresh for 2 days now, while the items in my “shopping cart” disappear with each check to see if a new delivery slot has opened up. But then, last time I ordered it took a good a week to get a slot so I guess I shouldn’t complain – or resort to making yet another frustrating trip to the local grocery store.
Take care.
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Some store shelves are still empty here, but TP is back, fresh produce is plentiful, chicken was in short supply for a few days but no longer…Comet (the kitchen cleanser), for some reason, was gone from shelves. Anyway. I’m a sucker for green glass vases. Everything looks fabulous in them, I think. Especially faux Hydrangeas! Take care!
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Thanks, Chris..Comet?, that is weird. I guess it has bleach in it. Hopefully people are calming down a bit.
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Hope you’re finding ways to cope. I like that fat green stem too. The entire design is very nice.
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Hi Susie, thanks. It rained yesterday and I was stuck inside all day! Washed the sofa slipcovers. Bored!
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Oh dear! That is serious! Hugs.
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I like the greens in your vase and the stem certainly doesn‘t look out of place. Those really do look like hydrangeas!
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Hi Cathy, thanks, I was wondering if the stem would shrivel up but it hasn’t. Hope you are well and snug in your garden.
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I actually though the begonia was a hydrangea. I could see mums too. Not so much on red maple, but maybe Schwedler maple. Is red maple common in Georgia? I would not expect them at all in Florida, which from my perspective, seems to be rather close.
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Red Maples are native in South Florida, I am not sure how far down but the are here.
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That is very impressive. They happen to be exemplary street trees in the Santa Clara Valley, but are unpopular because people identify them with Norway maple. (Incidentally, Norway maple was an exemplary street tree too for a very long time; but even the best will have problems after more than half a century.) If they are native to Southern Florida, they should be happy in Los Angeles too. Maples are rare there, because of the minimal chill. Silver maple survives, as well as box elder, but silver maple gets so big, and box elder is rather shabby. Red maple may prefer more humidity that it would get in Los Angeles, but I never asked it.
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