This vase was actually done on Friday. A surprise Amaryllis appeared in my garden a couple of weeks ago. After watching it carefully it became evident it was a red Amaryllis descended from some very old heirloom bulbs in my garden, inherited from my late father in law. How it managed to jump over the roof is a mystery to me. The flower was being buffeted by gusty winds, so I cut it and placed it in an old florist vase I found by the side of the road.
I filled the stem with warm water having read this makes the flower last longer. As of Sunday, the flower is turning black! Experiment number nine million a failure. Since I liked the slant of the Amaryllis I added some similarly slanted Firecracker Plant creating a red wave. The white flowers are Love In A Mist, a first in my garden.
A closer view:
I am guessing this is a Red Lion Amaryllis as that was Glenn’s (my father in law) favorite. The Firecracker Plant (Russelia equisetiformis) has been around the garden for years. While I like the plant and flowers, it has a frumpy habit, sort of languishes along the ground…very handy if you want a wave, but otherwise sort of weird.
The Love in a Mist (Nigella sativa). I am aware these are very familiar to many gardeners, however, this is the first one I have seen and I love it! and the seeds are edible! Magnificent. I was surprised when it opened white as I was expecting blue. I planted the seeds in November, so they seem to be cool season annuals here. I will grow more when the season is right. There are still a few budding, so I may get a blue one.
Thank you to Cathy at http://www.ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com for hosting IAVOM. To see more vases follow the link to her blog.
Wishing everyone Happy Gardening with nice surprises and a little Nigella for seasoning.
The Shrub Queen 
This week I recognize and grow all of the flowers in your vase. I was introduced to Firecracker Plant as Fountain Plant. I like to grow it in a tall clay pot which allows it to cascade. Hummingbirds will come to on the patio to feed.
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Is that a first? I grew the Firecracker as a summer container plant in Atlanta, I think the cascade effect is great in a pot…
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You usually have something I haven’t seen. If I hadn’t moved here, there would have been so many plants I would never know. Florida is a wonderland.
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Sometimes it seems like I see something new everyday.
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What a great surprise to discover the amaryllis that have the nice family connection. Love that Nigella–I’ve never grown it but do admire it.
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Indeed, Susie..do you think you are too far south for Nigella? A friend grows it in the North Georgia mountains.
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I like the sweep of this arrangement… definitely a red wave! I love Nigella, I was gifted some new ‘African Queen’ seeds to sow this year… I’m looking forward to seeing them bloom.
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Thanks, Eliza. African Queen sounds fantastic Love in the Mist with Bogie?
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Oh wow! The movement in these is so striking, as if they are in a rush to get somewhere! That’s an interesting suggestion about the warm water, but I shan’t be trying it….! 😉 My amaryllis from last week is now past its best, but only just, so it looked good for a week. Interesting to read that you have only just discovered nigella – I wonder if it will self-seed for you as they often do in the UK. The white version is especially lovely I think
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Thanks, Cathy. I thought the water would extend the vase life. Ha! The Nigella seedheads will probably be collected to taste and/or dry. Nigella will not grow in the Southern US as the summers are too hot – never seen it in a garden. A friend who lives in the Appalachian mountains grows it where it cools off at night. I like the white as well and saw it used in bridal bouquets.
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Dramatic both in color and alignment, Amelia! I tend to avoid strong reds in my garden but you’ve made me want a color jolt like that. Congratulations on your Nigella blooms.
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I love the drama of the arrangement, and on top of the red cabinet which is a perfect setting. My mother used to be able to get Amarylis to last for a long time, so there must be a knack, sadly I knew thought to ask at the time.
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Thanks, Noelle. the mystery continues.
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‘Red Wave’ sound like something from the 80s, or from the Soviet Union. ‘Love in a mist’ just sounds weird. It sure is pretty though. Like many exemplarily blue flowers (such as delphinium, jacaranda, agapanthus, lupine and grape hyacinth), I totally dig the white versions, but also the traditional blue versions because they are so perfect.
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It does sound Soviet..
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The Hunt For The Red Wave . . . okay, that sounds like a surfing documentary . . . of the Soviet Union.
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Starring Dolph Lundgren..LOL
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? Okay. . . I do not remember him.
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Oh, that guy. I still do not remember him.
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Pretty! I love the slant too. Here’s to garden surprises. (Naturally only pleasant ones). Interesting that your seed has germinated over winter. My Nigella damascena seeds itself around and if the tiny seedlings that sprout in late autumn survive the winter, they stay tiny until it warms up in spring. Magical. I wonder if you can get those seeds to try. There are pink ones as well as blue. 😃
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I will look for the Nigella…do you eat the seeds?
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I have done in the past, and I am growing N. sativa just for the seeds this year. 😃
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I have seedheads now and got a few blue flowers! Yay.
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