In a Vase on Monday – From Florida, With Love

by theshrubqueen

This vase came together on Valentine’s Day. Walking through the garden, I was thinking about the polar weather seemingly everywhere else described in blogs this week. This inspired me to create a vase from the most tropical flowers I could find, sending some Floridian love and warmth out into cyberspace..

A closer view:

The white and pink flowers hanging over the side are Shell Ginger (Alpinia zerumbet), the only Ginger I can grow in my garden. Looking back, these flower every February – wishing me a Happy Valentine’s Day from the garden. The purple flowers are from my neighbor’s Hong Kong Orchid Tree, certainly a straight species Bauhinia purpurea, as it is probably 5o years old. Newer varieties don’t reseed as prolifically as this one does – but, in winter it is covered in purple orchid flowers and in summer sports a huge mass of white and purple Cattleya Orchids growing on its trunk. I hope it stays around a long time.

The mad foliage I grow in my South Florida garden continues to amaze me. The green leaves in back are Shell Ginger, the purple leaves are from Moses in a Cradle or Oyster Plant (Transcandentia spathacea). The olive green foliage with fuchsia tips is from the aptly named Painted Fingernail Bromeliad (Neoregelia spectabilis); a favorite passalong plant in this neck of the woods.

Continuing to spread the love, I baked some treats for my favorite Valentines. A mini vegan apple pie for my husband and peanut butter treats for the greyhounds…

Wishing everyone a belated Happy Valentines and warmth from my garden.

Thank you to Cathy for hosting, to see more vases, visit http://www.ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com.

17 comments on “In a Vase on Monday – From Florida, With Love”

  1. Eliza Waters says:
    February 15, 2021 at 2:12 pm

    Thanks for sharing the warmth, we are having freezing rain/wintry mix today and tomorrow, so it is appreciated!
    The shell ginger lends itself so well to arranging. I’m pretending I’m at a spa in Bali. 😉

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  2. automatic gardener says:
    February 15, 2021 at 2:39 pm

    We could use some of the Florida warm today. They are expecting many of us to loose electricity. I love those orchid trees. They can be grown south of here, but too cold in my area.

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  3. Cathy says:
    February 15, 2021 at 5:20 pm

    Aw, what a kind thought, and it has clearly reached us here in the UK as temperatures made it to 13 degrees today! Your neighbour’s tree sounds amazing and how lovely that you can use it as a resource too – your vase certainly exudes warmth!

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  4. barefootlilylady says:
    February 15, 2021 at 6:35 pm

    Feeling the warmth and beauty here in Wisconsin. Thanks!

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  5. Cathy says:
    February 16, 2021 at 7:21 am

    Thanks for the warmth Amy. I can feel it from here! in fact I think the temperature is above freezing already. 😃

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  6. Noelle M says:
    February 16, 2021 at 10:02 am

    It all about little treats and gestures of love for Valentine’s day. Lovely arrangement, and those red tips of the end of the leaves are a good special touch.

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  7. Chloris says:
    February 17, 2021 at 1:25 pm

    Thank you for a bit of Florida on a miserable February day. I love the colours. A bit of apple pie would be nice too.

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  8. tonytomeo says:
    February 18, 2021 at 3:19 am

    The names of those Bauhinia get confusing. I learned the old Bauhinia variegata as the (common) orchid tree. The color is variable, and there is (was) a white blooming cultivar. Bauhinia purpurea had the same name; but it didn’t matter much, since I saw it only a few times, and only in Southern California. Then, the Bauhinia × blakeana showed up, which is what I know as the Hong Kong orchid tree.
    Are you familiar with Bauhinia punctata? I have not see it since 1986 or so.

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