I am still cutting Forget Me Nots and Nigella, and enjoying both plants and flowers. May tends to be hot and dry in South Florida, so I will continue to have blue vases as long as possible. This vase reminds me of one I would see from the UK in summer – the one ingredient that would be missing, the Bossa Nova Bromeliad leaf wrap.
Here is the Bossa Nova, a Neoregelia Bromeliad. These are grown primarily for foliage and this one lives in an unirrigated container by my mailbox with a few Bromeliad friends.
The rest of the vase.
Chartreuse and pink flowers are Zinnias, Envy and Pink Cactus. These are my second batch of seedlings, these are 6 or 8 weeks old. Blue and white Nigella were grown as winter annuals and for cutting. I have found they don’t last very long in a vase. The foliage and seedheads alone are worthwhile in a vase, flowers a short lived bonus.
There are a few stems of white Tropical Red Salvia (Salvia coccinea); some Asian Sword Ferns and the background is Chinese Forget Me Nots (Cynoglossum amiable) – these do last a long time in a vase.
Thanks to Cathy at http://www.ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com for hosting..follow the link to see vases from the UK and check out the differences! No Bossa Nova for sure.
Happy Gardening!!!
The Shrub Queen 
Nice use of Bossa Nova. You’ve become quite a pro with those zinnias. I just got a few cactus zinnia seeds planted on Friday.
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Thanks, I wish I had planted more zinnias! the profusion series is doing well.
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Love those blues. I definitely need to try the Chinese Forget Me Not.
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Thanks, you do! It will be a trick to figure out when to grow them, they are a borage, it that grows there in summer.
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You’re right, it could be English! In my climate the Nigella and Zinnias need a bit longer though. It is nice seeing these combinations of flowers that might not flower together here. Love the fern leaves and the seedhead. 😉
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I’m glad to see that you still have the forget-me-nots going strong, Amelia. Mine (Anchusa azurea) haven’t impressed me yet. I did finally sow some zinnia seeds, though! They’ve germinated but don’t yet have true leaves. Summer is definitely on its way here!
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Thanks, Kris. I will be interested to see the Anchusa…new to me.
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This does look like a vase from a more northern garden. Lovely blues!
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I love the more northern cut flowers…just planted another round of Dahlias, hopefully, not too late.
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What is with the leaf wrap? Is it a regional tradition? I noticed that it has become more popular over the years. I do not believe that I ever saw it twenty years ago. Brent thought that ‘Bossa Nova’ was a hot rod Chevrolet.
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No clue where I came up with the leaf wrap. Maybe Maui..seems like a tropical kind of thing. A hot rod Chevy? Hmmm. I fhought it was swing music from the 40s.
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Well, yes, that is exactly what it is; but Brent is an idiot.
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Some of my favorite flowers that I am just starting from seed. Lovely!
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