This week’s vase began with clippings from pruning my Miss Alice Bougainvillea on Saturday. The white flowers looked so alone in the vase I added some fiery accents with Firebush and Firecracker flowers. Then my husband padded by and said it needed some blue (he rarely comments on vases). It was the Fourth of July, after all – red, white and blue are the colors of the day. I think he was right. Here is the vase with just fire and Miss Alice.
The blue definitely beefs up the flower power in this vase. Of course, I couldn’t stop with one blue flower..
A closer view from the left side. Miss Alice Bougainvillea in white; Firecracker flowers (Russelia equisetiformis) in red; Tropical Red Salvia (Salvia coccinea) in red and white (think they should just call it Tropical Salvia as it comes in four colors?, I do.) Blue Salvia is Mystic Spires; lighter blue flowers are Blue Plumbago (Plumbago auriculata) a tropical shrub that is virtually indestructible here – look closely and you’ll see the leaf cutting bees have had a bite of the foliage.
Miss Alice in white again with the reds and oranges of Firebush (Hamelia patens var patens) – one of my favorite shrubs. Blue Plumbago around the edges with Mystic Blue Salvia in the background..
There’s my vase for this Monday. For anyone wondering about Elsa, we are out of the warning cone – on the east coast of Florida across from the big hole in the middle of the state (Lake Okeechobee)
Thank you to Cathy at http://www.ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com for hosting the worldwide vasers. To see more vases from gardeners in many different locales follow the link.
Happy Gardening…
The Shrub Queen 
Fresh and elegant, your arrangement has a beautiful shape. Lovely.
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Thanks, Susie. The thing shaped itself!
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Perfect!
We’re supposed to get an inch or two and wind from Elsa on Thurs… probably more than you are. 😉
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Thanks, I don’t know about the rain time will tell. Looks pretty stormy here currently and I can feel the wind changing direction and the hot breath of the Atlantic…hope you need some rain!
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Actually, we got 5″ over the long weekend, but we needed it…pretty much soaked right in with little run-off in the stream or river. We’re due to have what I call ‘FL weather’ the next few days, hot, humid with pm thunderstorms.
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Fireworks indeed, and I love the asymmetrical look and the cooling effect of the bougainvillea. Glad to know that you are not in the path of Elsa
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Thank you, the White Bougainvillea just arranged itself..and I added some lines.
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Those white bougainvillea flowers are quite appropriate likes sparks of light from the firecrackers.
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Thanks, Noelle
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You and I were on the same wavelength this week. I love the white/green Bougainvillea. I’ll have to look around for that plant. My husband hates Bougainvillea (long story) but he might not recognize it was such with bracts that color 😉
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Yes, Miss Alice is also called Singapore White..and is advertised as nearly thornless, but it has thorns!
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Your red, white and blue look great. It is good to hear the weather is missing you.
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Thank you 💖.. missing so far, right?
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The plumbago was Ctually the first thing I noticed in this vase! 😃 It really does bring the arrangement to life. The highlights, so to speak. The firecracker is appropriately named and certainly produces the effect of a fireworks display. I do hope your dogs coped with fireworks last weekend!
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Thanks, Cathy. I gave my more skittish dog tranquilizers (not quite enough!)
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Agapanthus are the best Fourth of July flowers. They just happen to bloom at the right time, and look like exploding fireworks! If only there could be a cultivar that bloomed red, they would be red, white and blue!
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