It is a surprisingly rainy, overcast Sunday in South Florida. A little indoor cheer was in order before the truly stormy weather arrived. Pastel flowers spiced up with burgundy and a little Green Envy have been served up in an antique Blue Willow teapot. Cheer crisis averted.
As much as this might look like a summer bouquet, it is really not. The pink Tropical Hydrangeas flower in December and January as does the white Bougainvillea. I am not really sure about the Zinnias yet, though I am going to try starting another batch soon as I have seemingly fooled the rabbits with what other Florida gardeners called kebobs. Looks a little weird, little bamboo stakes around the base of the Zinnias, but it works. A bit of an oriental touch, maybe?
What’s in the vase:
In the foreground, pink Globe Amaranth followed by Green Envy Zinnias; the blue spikes are Mystic Spires Salvia (these have been flowering since March 2021!, amazing); white flowers are ‘Miss Alice’ Bougainvillea; pink balls are Tropical Hydrangeas (Dombeya wallachii)
The remaining unidentified: blue flowers, Blue Plumbago (Plumbago auriculata); burgundy foliage, ‘Purple Prince’ Alternanthera.
I am still experimenting with growing plants from seed for cut flowers. The Nigella are glacially coming along and I planted some Chinese Forget me Nots – has anyone tried these? The seeds are up, but that is all the news.
As always, thanks to Cathy at http://www.ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com for hosting. Follow the link to see more vases.
Happy Gardening.
The Shrub Queen 
Delightful arrangement today, Amy… nice English cottage design, with the teapot a perfect choice of vase. Very pleasing!
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Thanks, Eliza. Getting in touch with my English roots.
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This is such a pretty and perfect vase of flowers. They look like spring with their pastel colors. I love the Blue Plumbago, which has proved elusive to grow in my garden. The teapot makes a stunning container. Will have to try your Florida kebobs!
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Thank you, Susie. It is springy. I always grew Plumbago in summer containers in Atlanta – and composted it.
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You do have a nice selection of blooming flowers. Mine are winding down with our light freezes. Blue Willow is really becoming popular again. It pays to never throw anything away.
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Thank you, spring will be at your doorstep soon. Did not know about the Blue Willow, my grandmother loved it and I have hers and have added to it..maybe I should sell off the extra.??
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My grandparents also had some and now my daughter wants a set.
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Does she want a vintage set?
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No new. She is getting married and is getting in on the new blue craze.
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Love the ‘kebobs’! Not as tropical looking as your usual – but still very beautiful. I think I grew the Chinese forget-me-nots once. Was so proud of myself growing them from seed. In my clay soil they just petered out …
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Thank you, the Chinese FMN are not sounding promising from the reviews.
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Those tropical hydrangeas really do look lovely – and could be mistaken for rhododendron if we hadn’t been told otherwise. Interesting to read that the rabbits are fooled by the bamboo – is there anything else you could use that wasn’t as obtrusive? As the previous Cathy said, your vase is definitely not as tropical looking as usual – not that you would get January blooms like these in a temperate climate like ours in the UK!
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The Dombeya flowers are much more delicate than Rhodos…less waxy and only last a couple of days cut. The reed stakes are growing on me as they can be used to twine the plants around and the zinnias are very well displayed like that. Oddly, the rabbits or whatever ate around the edges of the stakes, there are turtle here that will eat plants, too.
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Glad that I don’t have rabbits or turtles eating the plants in my garden!!
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Who knew turtles would eat globe amaranth??
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Immaculate flowers beautifully arranged. š
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Thank you, Annette.
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I look forward to blooms on my Dombeya every time I see those pink blooms in your posts. Nigella is also slow to get going here – like many sweet peas, maybe Nigella requires longer day length before it takes off? I tried unsuccessfully to grow Chinese Forget-me-nots from small plants purchased by mail order. According to Floret, when grown from seed, they’re best started indoors in complete darkness until they germinate. I avoid all seeds that can’t be sown directly in the garden š
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I hope to see your Dombeya flowers, too! Floret is porn, I think that is where I got the idea to try the Forget me nots. They germinated quite well outside and I have thinned them. Another experiment.
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The teapot makes it a wonderfully whimsical arrangement – and I love the zinnias!! I’ve had those FMN’s – they were quite beautiful and tall when in bloom but didn’t naturalize like this wild FMN is doing now in my garden (they’re evergreen even here, and spread voraciously).
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Thanks, Chris..the FMN will be an interesting experiment, you have well drained soil?
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Oh no…clay clay, rocky clay….
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Hmm, someone commented they thought their clay contributed to the demise of the FMN? you never really know.
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Tropical hydrangea always looks different. Sometimes it looks like small hydrangea blooms. Sometimes it looks like pink snowball viburnum. Sometimes it looks like puffy pink bougainvillea. Now, it sort of looks like rhododendron or some sort.
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They’re really delicate..like bougainvillea flowers.
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Since they are a mallow, I suspect that they are even more delicate, and would wilt quickly if not put in water immediately after cutting.
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I love this arrangement in the teapot. To us it looks very summery. Do be patient with the Nigella, I think day length may affect the growth not just temperatures.
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Thanks..the Nigella seems to be growing a bit more. I put one in the garden and the rabbits ate it!
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The plumbago is so pretty and caught my attention immediately. You have a lovely floral collection this week. š Love the teapot!
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Very pretty in your lovely Willow Pattern. And I always go weak at the knees at the sight of your luscious dombeya.
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