It’s that time of year. Time for greens with red accents and a little, um, tropical color from the garden tucked into a festive biscuit (or cookie in US speak) tin. A friend from the UK gifted us with this tin of biscuits several years ago. I love tins and pull this out every December to make a holiday arrangement for my foyer. My husband and I devoured the shortbread in the tin, leaving me wondering if packaged cookies (biscuits) from the UK are better than US cookies? I think they might be, Hobnobs are my favorite cookie to buy, chocolate and made in the UK. As a native of the Southeastern US I think biscuits are for dogs or a simple quick bread/roll served as a side dish. Biscuits are a very important vehicle for gravy in the South.
Back to the vase, now that I am hungry… An overhead view, the ferny foliage is from the Asparagus Fern that pops up in the garden; purple foliage with white flowers is ‘Purple Prince’ Alternanthera; white flowers are from a volunteer Vinca rosea, another garden pop up; bigger red flowers spilling over the tin are Nodding Hibiscus (Malvaviscus arboreus).
Another view: on each side I have ‘Miss Alice’ Bougainvillea in white; a few sprigs of Tropical Red Salvia (Salvia coccinea); and a dash of China Hat (Holmskioldia sanguinea)
The colored foliage at the back of the arrangement looking a bit like flames is from two Crotons in my garden. Crotons are medium sized, extremely colorful shrubs from the South Pacific. They are very common in South Florida. There are a few leaves from ‘Pie Crust’ Croton at the edges and some leaves from ‘Mammey’ Croton mixed in the background. Pie Crust has the rolling leaf margins, you guessed it, like a pie crust. There are a lot of food references in this post; I need to think about what to have for dinner…
Thanks to Cathy at http://www.ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com for hosting. Follow the link to see more vases.
Happy Holidays from South Florida !!
The Shrub Queen 
I love your bus tin, Amelia, and am happy to see it on its annual outing. The red centres of the bougainvillea are such an asset in linking to the other reds. Lovely, and so appropriate for this time of tear
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Cathy.
LikeLike
Very festive arrangement, Amy! Walker’s does make delicious buttery biscuits, yum!
LikeLike
I love seeing your bus every year Amelia! And the close-up at the end is great, seeing all the people sitting on the top deck! Takes me back to when I was little. We used to go to London and see the Christmas lights and the toy shop window displays sometimes, and a trip on a bus or in one of the big cabs was obligatory!
I also love the floral display in the bus, and was pleased to see the Vinca. It is remarkably like our blue Vinca minor which is an incredibly tough plant that grows in shady woods and spreads like mad. Oh, and I agree. Scottish shortbread is the best ‘cookie’ in the world! (I only wish there was a vegan version of it!) Hope you found something tasty for your dinner! 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Cathy. I seem to remember you are a fan of tins as well? I would love to see London at Christmas and ride a bus. I used to grow Vinca minor further north and loved the V. major varigata for containers. Working on herb and cheese stuffed pasta shells for dinner! I think you could make shortbread with the vegan buttery sticks, I have been baking with those for a while and they make great crust.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re right, I should try and make some! 👍
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have been pleasantly surprised by the vegan ‘butter’
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, me too.
LikeLike
Your holiday bus is always a welcome sight! Once again, you’ve embellished it beautifully. I’d have never thought of vinca as a holiday flower but it works perfectly in your tropical blend. Once again, you post has made me hungry – at least this time, lunch is pending.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad it is lunchtime. I was surprised by what a great and long lasting cut flower the vinca is.
LikeLike
I must agree those cookies are the best. Well, now that you’ve made me hungry…!
I remember your tin and admire how you’ve filled it to overflowing with flowers that echo the colors of the tin. Those Crotons really make it all pop.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hey, I remember this tin, and, except for the ‘Purple Prince’ Alternanthera, I remember all the material within it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Alternanthera lasts forever here.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It lasts forever as a perennial in the garden, or as a blooming cut foliage in the home?
LikeLike
It’s in the garden and a container outside I am terrible with house plants
LikeLiked by 1 person
No, not as a houseplant. I meant as cut foliage in the vase; but I get it now. It is a very sustainable perennial.
LikeLike
You do have some good Christmas colors in your garden.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is entirely coincidental but fun to make Christmas arrangements.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love it, perfect touch of Christmas Whimsy in that bus.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person