While looking around the garden for vase materials I found myself not quite ready to break out the holiday reds, so I concentrated on the colors of the Winter Solstice. Kind of late fall tapestry colors. The Solstice is December 21, a cause for celebration as the days get longer.
There are not many flowers in the garden, so I try to appreciate what I have. I will admit to being disappointed in the somewhat insipid pink zinnia. This is my first flower of a batch of cactus zinnia seed planted in October. It is much prettier upon closer inspection. I am hopeful with more sunlight in the coming days I will get bigger flowers.
The other components of the vase include: in purple spikes, ‘Mona’ Lavendar Plectranthus, a wonderful plant that lasts a couple of years here. Purple berries are from the native Beautyberry (Calliocarpa americana); deep red flowers are Chinese Hats (Holmskioldia sanguinea); white flowers are from the White Geiger tree (Cordia boissieri); dark, ferny foliage is Bronze Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare); fluffy seedhead in back are Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris). The vase is a hefty candlestick from the 70s.
Visit Cathy’s weekly meme at RamblingintheGarden to see vases from other gardeners.
Happy Solstice Week and cheers to brighter days.
The Shrub Queen 
I think it is interesting that some plants can grow well in very different climates. Beautyberry is native to Florida and we had it at our home in New Hampshire as well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I had Beautyberry in Atlanta. I think the other common plants are Red Maple and Muhly Grass. Pretty amazing range.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You still have a nice selection of flowers. My Beautyberries are long gone from birds eating them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I just read your post and so do you. The birds don’t eat the berries near the AC condenser for unknown reasons. I always cut them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautyberry! Oh my! In A Vase On Monday is bringing out some very RAD species this week! Woodland Gnome at Our Forest Garden sent me SIX beautyberry a few years ago, and they have been making a few more berries every winter since their arrival. I intended to put them into landscapes a long time ago, and they should finally get into the ground this winter. (I have not pruned them back to the base yet because they have not dispersed their roots in the ground yet. I only trim them.) One pair will go into a landscape at work, and the other four will go into my home garden. Anyway, I am getting carried away again. I really am fond of beautyberry.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am glad you enjoyed them! I was considering moving them, they reach for the sun and are kind of gangly.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mine are scrawny also because I have not cut them back yet. I expect them to be fluffier after I coppice them, and after they have grown more, even if in partial shade. They are an understory species, so supposedly tolerate a bit of partial shade.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I sometimes think of our climates on alternate coasts as somewhat similar but then you post zinnias blooming in December and that comparison completely falls apart. I love the beautyberry, the wispy grass and the Plectranthus, none of which you could find here, at least at this time of year.
https://krispgarden.blogspot.com/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Kris. I don’t think they sell zinnias here this time of year, but I have grown them the past couple of years.
LikeLike
A beautiful arrangement in observance of the solstice, when we turn the corner back towards summer. Only 3 months until spring, wow!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Eliza. It seems like a lot of dark right now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s a great combination of elements and beautifully arranged. I noticed the Beautyberry right away. Love it! And like Eliza, I’m looking forward to spring. Tee hee.
Beth @ PlantPostings.com
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. 3 months!
LikeLike
Happy solstice to you too! I love the zinnias! Hopefully the sunlight will get those flowers bigger. I’m actually a cabinet refinisher and I’m trying to match that exact light pinkish purple color for one of my clients.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I guess your new color is Pale Zinnia!
LikeLike
What a great color for solstice. I look forward to the daylight hours getting longer instead of shorter. The beautyberry and Plectranthus and real stunners!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Tracy. Same here, I love a little purple
LikeLike
Oh it’s so heartening to think that we will be heading towards the light in a few days Amelia and certainly reason to celebrate with a vase. I imagine that you get much more sunshine at this time of year than we do so that must make the short days slightly easier to bear. The plectranthus looks so attractive. Bronze fennel is one of my favourite plants for stroking 😂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Anna. I was astonished to see sunset at 4 pm when I was in New England last year during winter. Our day lasts a couple of hours longer. I cannot imagine what yours is like. I am enjoying the bronze fennel, too…
LikeLike
Well I think your Zinnia is quite beautiful Amelia! It immediately struck me as pale and delicate but pretty too. I also liked seeing the Chinese Hats – what an apt name for them! This vase certainly does celebrate the solstice by bringing some light and a hint of colour indoors. Lovely. 😃
LikeLiked by 1 person
thanks, Cathy. I was expecting a high, hot color! The rest have buds, so, we’ll see.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love the color scheme for winter solstice. Inspired! ‘Mona’ Lavendar Plectranthus is wonderful. Hope the zinnias tune in to your plans for them. It’s a pretty shade of pink.
LikeLike
Happy solstice to you! What a lovely flower arrangement.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person