My garden never fails to surprise me. This week it was a beautiful display of deep red flowers from a Red Shrimp Plant. This plant is one of those I forget completely about until it flowers and then wish I had more. I have this thought every year and have yet to propagate any. Maybe it is time.
A few more serendipitous finds allowed me to complete the vase.
The Red Shrimp Plant (Justicia brandegeana) in all its glory. The fluffy grasses behind are Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris). The Muhly Grass has reseeded here and there in the garden. I would have never planted it where it landed, but have come to enjoy the randomness of the placement. It also has the benefit of thriving in the driest, sandiest part of the garden.
White Vinca (Vinca rosea) comes up in the oddest places. I have never planted any, yet here it is. Again thriving in the driest part of the garden. The sticks in the vase are from some native grape vines I cut down long ago and never quite made it into a bag to be taken to the curb. I like sticks in a vase and never realized it works better if they are good and dead. These were nice and crispy and easily trimmed into a shape that complemented the vase.
The vase is a stoneware ‘pineapple’ found on a long ago Hawaiian vacation.
Now I am hoping to find a serendipitous dinner prepared in the freezer! It’s possible.
Thanks to Cathy at RamblingintheGarden for hosting. Follow the link to see more vases.
The Shrub Queen 
Great finds! I love the grass and sticks lending a just-picked-on-a-walk look to it. 🙂 I smiled at your mentioning intentions in the moment of bloom that are soon buried in other tasks. I do it every year, all but a few are forgotten!
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Spot on, Eliza..picked on a walk and soon forgot!
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I just posted my Shrimp Plants. I don’t know if our reds are exactly the same, but mine come up all over. The grass makes a good filler in the vase.
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Yours must reseed, I am not sure these do..
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I like the vase very much and also its contents which complement it very nicely. I love you sticks and will show you mine next week! The white vinca with its dark pink centre is a clever addition. Have a good week.
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Your vase is really lovely and is nicely shown off with the flowers grasses and sticks you have chosen. The white vinca with their pink centres are a perfect choice to show off the lovely shrimp plants. Nicely done, and have a good week.
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Thank you, Noelle.
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That’s a wonderful combination, Amelia! I didn’t have much luck with a shrimp plant in my current garden (too dry perhaps) but I should try it again. The wispy grass made this arrangement for me.
https://krispgarden.blogspot.com/
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Thanks, Kris, try the red ones, I am guessing there is a straight species.
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Your Red Shrimp Plant blooms are striking, I’ve only seen yellow.
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Thanks, Karen. The red ones are kind of old fashioned but much more indestructible than the yellow ones.
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What a great combination!
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Wow, that is a beautiful arrangement Amelia! I really like the vase itself, and all the different materials in it just go so well together. The sticks are a great idea!
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Thanks, Cathy.
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What a lovely vase of unexpecteds, Amelia. The wispy bits make the ideal finishing touch 👍🏻
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Unexpected Garden Monday this week?
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That Vinca is available as annual color here, but I have never seen it perform well. It is compelling that it can reseed in some climates, and can even naturalize in some situations. Vinca major is naturalized here, and Vinca minor supposedly has potential to do so also, but not these bedding sorts.
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The V.rosea show up in the oddest places, vacant lots, etc. Often with an invasive Kalanchoe.
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Well, that is weird also. I can not imagine any of the familiar Kalanchoes being invasive.
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They are called mother of millions and look like Red Alstroemeria from a distance. Remember Brazilian Peppers and the difference between California and Florida?
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Well, yes; and why different palms grow so well in each place.
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