I appreciate restrained color palettes for the most part. This vase is unrestrained and a kaleidoscopic view of summer in my garden. The flowers are restrained in a different way. Instead of a hand tied bouquet, this is a rubber banded bouquet, waiting to see how it holds up as the stems are fat and juicy. I was rooting around in the drawer and could not fish the jute twine out with one hand as I was holding the flowers in the other and did not want to put them down. Rubber bands were within easy reach and not too tightly applied.
There is a lot going on in this vase. Fruit, fragrant flowers and medicinal plants. The neutral colored vase, a thrift store find, is a necessity when colors range from deep purple to orange, apricot, red, pink and white. A closer view:
The fruit is Muscadine Grapes (Vitis rotundifolia), a native grapevine that takes over everything and unfortunately tastes bitter and has a big seed. My neighbors, the native Floridians, love it and eat it. I wish they would eat more as they are so prolific. But pretty. White flowers are Bridal Bouquet Frangipani (Plumeria pudica) lightly scented and lovely. The red flower with blue tips is Miniata Bromeliad (Aechmea miniata); orange flower and foliage with the grapes on top belong to Mexican Bush Honeysuckle (Justicia spicigera); red and yellow flower in the center is Parrotflower (Heliconia psittacorum).
Another view:
The apricot and sage green flowers are from Soap Aloe (Aloe saponaria); red flowers, Tropical Red Salvia (Salvia coccinea); pink and white flowers, a sprig of Shell Ginger (Alpinia zerumbet). Ferns are from the evil Asian Sword Fern – I don’t think I could make enough arrangements to get rid of this stuff.
I wish I could whirl the pictures around and see all the colors combined..like a real Kaleidoscope.
Happy Monday and Happy Gardening – for more Monday vases; visit our hostess, Cathy, at http://www.ramblinginthegarden.com.
The Shrub Queen 
I love colors and there can never be too many for me. I will never win an award for garden design. The grapes are an interesting addition.
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I am so over garden design! The meadow yadda yadda just put me over the edge. You go, girl. Do what you love. Thank you.
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You’ve really outdone yourself this week, Amy. This is fabulous!
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Thanks, Eliza, summerfest..
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You have just had me searching eBay for a kaleidoscope – sounds like the sort of prop I should have!! Your thrift store vase is a real find and what a great range of strong-coloured contrasts you have added to it – nothing wishy washy abut your vases EVER! Thanks for sharing today’s ps I will often use a rubber band to hold a posy together in a vase..as you say, you can do it one handed
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Thanks, no wishy washy here. I have this really odd feeling there is a Kaleidoscope around here somewhere, now that you mention it…I agree you need one!
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Well done! The grapes make the arrangement for me – they look like jewels. I’ve never tried a hand-tied bouquet but I like the idea of using a rubber band and shall try that one week soon.
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Thank you, a hand tied bouquet sounds a lot better.
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Nice variety of flowers and textures! I’ve never understood the attraction of Muscadines either but I remember them from childhood. Have a happy week.
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Thank you, did you eat Scuppernongs?
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Oh yes.
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Those grapes are placed just right..well so are all those wonderful blooms. Such an exotic arrangement. I love it.
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Thanks, Noelle. Sometimes I feel like I garden on a different planet.
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I love the look of those shiny grapes. What a pity they are sour. It really is a gorgeous arrangement this week Amy. 😃
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Thank you, Cathy – some of your Snapdragons would look good in there.
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Muscadines too?! Did you use them last week? Someone had muscadines, but I cannot remember whom. I got seed for them this year, to sow in autumn.
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