I put this vase together on Sunday, Mother’s Day in the US. The vases often make me think of my mother, Miss Betty, an intrepid gardener, registered nurse and mother of four, who would have loved to see all the vases on Monday. I took care of her the last years of her life and always did her grocery shopping on Tuesday. Tuesday always brought a vase to her kitchen – either flowers from my garden, her garden or the grocery store. We both had Red Alstromeria in our gardens and the grocery store usually did as well – there was a lot of Alstromeria in those Tuesday vases. Recently a friend brought me a start of the original Alstromeria my mother gave her. It is currently suffering in my garden, and I hope it can cope with South Florida sand.
A closer view of the vase:
It’s an unusually cool, gloomy day for May in South Florida. I decided to create a copper teapot full of color for my foyer. The teapot is a favorite find of mine, antiquing with my husband I spied this and had to have it. Then went running home to make sure the check I wrote wouldn’t bounce. It didn’t, but barely.
There are a lot of flowers stuffed into a pickle jar in the teapot (it doesn’t hold water, holes in the bottom) The big red flower is The President Hibiscus, an old variety that lives a long time. Blue flowers are Plumbago (Plumbago auriculata); bigger white flowers are from White Geiger tree (Cordia boissieri); smaller white flowers are Sweet Begonia (Begonia odorata); the orange tubular flowers are from Firebush (Hamelia patens); grey fuzzy foliage is Licorice Plant (Helichryseum petiolaris); yellow and red foliage is from Mammey Croton (Codieum varigatem); the Guzmania Bromeliad from last week’s vase is at the bottom left in the arrangement. Here is another view:
And here is my mother, Miss Betty with her mother, Miss Ethel in 1988 – in front of her prized Philadelphus. I wonder how she would feel about being in a blog post..
The Shrub Queen 
What lovely memories this vase and this post have conjured up for you – and what a delight to have some of the original alstroemeria back! The geranium in my header picture and a pulmonaria are the two things which came from my parent’s house in the 70s and have been to a few houses with me that I wouldn’t want to lose – and I in turn have returned some of the pulmonaria to my Mum. The copper of the kettle brings out the burnished tone of some of the contents – a great effect. Thanks for sharing
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Indeed, my mother grew Pulmonaria – I never could. I am not familar with most of the Geraniums grown in the UK, not sure why as they are gems. Interesting the circles formed by the sharing of plants. I just reconnected with the original source of the Alstroemeria with Facebook.
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Yes indeed, and blogging friends are creating more circles with seeds and plants being passed on
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It’s wonderful that the holiday and vase-making stirred memories of your mother. I brought flowers to my mother on a more irregular basis during her last years. I don’t think she ever much appreciated flowers (or plants in general) but I’m very sure she’d have loved appearing in a blog post! I love your hibiscus and I hope the Alstroemeria comes through for you.
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Thanks, Kris. I think my mother would have found the whole blog thing a bit weird. Thanks, the Alstroemeria is looking puny.
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Sweet photo of your mom and grandmother. Mine have been gone for decades, but their memory lasts.
Love the primary colors in your arrangement this week, bright and cheerful. That copper teakettle is definitely a must-have!
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Thanks, Eliza. Same here with the mother/grandmother.
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What a nice reflection for Mother’s Day! Good purchase on that copper kettle. Makes a great container for your varied flowers. I love that Plumbago.
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Thank you, Susie, I love that Plumbago too..they just come up here and there. That one creeped over from my neighbor.
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The blue caught my eye as a lovely contrast to the other warmer shades. That Philadelphus is a
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Oops, as I was saying before I pressed the wrong button… that Philadelphus is amazing! 😃
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Ah, thank you. It was 6 feet tall and wide and finally collapsed under its own weight..
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Its not a coincidence that your mother and grand-mother loved plants. Your arrangement really would please them.
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Thank you, Noelle. My mother always said I had inherited the farmer gene.
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People of former generations seemed to be more adventurous about trying new technology than they get credit for. We sort of remember the technology that they did not like, but there was plenty that they did like. Being in a blog post would not likely be a big deal.
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