Tag Archives: IAVOM

In a Vase on Monday – Weeds and Wildflowers

It’s been a chilly, wintry week. By South Florida standards this means temperatures in the 40’s F/4C and covering the tomato plants at night. We have also (gasp!) had the heat on in the house. It was a very good morning to don battle gear and prune my lime tree. After completing this thorny task, I went in search of warm colors for a Monday vase. I was heartened to find wildflowers in bloom. I also found a weed and some obliging perennials.

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The weed in the vase is the Green Shrimp Plant (Ruellia blechum). I like these for their green sculptural oddness. They are considered an invasive plant also a larval host plant for the Green Malachite butterfly. I leave a few around for this reason. However, I have yet to see one of these spectacular green butterflies.

Wildflowers are in yellow, Beach Sunflowers (Helianthus debilis); peach spikes are Tropical Red Salvia (Salvia coccinea); Juba Bush (Iresine diffusa) is in the background in fluffy, beige glory.

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Both in red, a couple of sprigs of China Hat (Holmskioldia sanguinea) and Firecracker Plant (Russelia equisetiformus) amp up the warm colors in the vase.

I hope everyone is staying warm and enjoying some cozy winter fun. To see more vases, visit Cathy at RamblingintheGarden.

In a Vase on Monday – Posey Sink Shooters

I wouldn’t think of drinking a shot of tequila. But I love to keep a shot glass filled with flowers by the kitchen sink. This glass is from my niece’s wedding. Its intended use is a tequila vessel, however, it has been used frequently as a vase. I have been told on more than one occasion I would like tequila if only I had some good tequila. I tried and it still tastes like dirt to me. Maybe it’s horticulturally related – I am not too fond of Agaves and they are the source of tequila. The same goes for Juniper and gin.

The crystals are Fools Gold – Pyrite. Another good luck crystal vibe for the New Year. Heirloom rocks from my father the geologist.

A closer view:

In pink, the Zinnia I was complaining about recently. I have grown to love it. In blue, Plumbago (Plumbago auriculata), the Hydrangea of the tropics. The purple foliage is Aerva, a weed from Africa. I like it despite its origins. White and coral spikes are Tropical Red Salvia (Salvia coccinea). Fluffy seedheads are from Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris – I hope I didn’t make that botanical name up)

Here’s another sink posey from last week. Zinnias and Heirloom Pentas.

That’s all from my kitchen sink this week. To see more vases from the world over, follow the link to visit Cathy at RamblingintheGarden

In a Vase on Monday – Celebrating New Beginnings

My vase this week was created to celebrate new beginnings in 2025. My latest batch of zinnias is finally flowering and providing some much needed color in my garden. South Florida has been unusually rainy and overcast for the past week. The sun-starved Floridians are getting restless. I have included a amethyst and clear quartz crystal for healing and positive energy.

The happy color hunt started with the zinnia discovery. I must have planted some Green Envy seed – because there it is! I rooted around in the garden, dodging rain showers and found that the Tropical Red Salvia had gained new life from all the rain. I plucked a few other happy rain-sated flowers from the garden and concocted my vase.

The close up:

In the back, dark and ferny, are sprigs of Copper Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare). The purple flowers are ‘Mona’ Lavendar Plectranthus. The pink stars are Heirloom Pentas (Penta lanceolata). Leaves in the foreground are from Sweet Begonia (Begonia odorata). The tubular orange flowers are Firebush (Hamelia patens). The coral and white spikes are Tropical Red Salvia (Salvia coccinea). The vase is a crystal rose bowl that belonged to my mother.

That’s all from less than sunny South Florida. I’m wishing everyone a happy, healthy and colorful 2025!

To see more vases, visit Cathy at RamblingintheGarden.

In a Vase on Monday – It’s Back

The Christmas spirit finally caught up with me and I decorated my tree and filled the holiday bus with flowers. The Walkers shortbread tin is making its eighth holiday appearance, I think. This year I was scrambling to find red flowers – then spied the Nodding Hibiscus in full bloom. Santa provided some other appropriate colored plants from the garden and a full holiday bus was created.

Closer views:

In red, Nodding Hibiscus (Malvaviscus arboreum) are the star of the show. In white, ‘Big White Green Leaf Begonia’. I hope these root as I would love a few more and the nursery is sold out..Christmas dreams.

The backdrop is provided by Bronze Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) and Piecrust Croton (Codieum variegatum). Sounds like dinner ideas!

Rob the Greyhound is questioning my decision about wearing the reindeer antlers..looking for a treat.

Happy Holidays to all and here’s hoping Santa brought Cathy an internet connection. To see more vases, follow this link RamblingintheGarden

In a Vase on Monday – Salute to the Solstice

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.

In a Vase on Monday – Shrimp and Serendipity

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.

In a Vase on Monday – A Tropical Thank You

In celebration of In a Vase on Monday’s Eleventh!! Anniversary. I would like to extend a warm, tropical, virtual Thank You card to Cathy at RamblingintheGarden for hosting this lovely garden meme for all these years. I enjoy the weekly chat with gardeners around the world and have learned quite a bit about what grows where and beautiful new plant possibilities for my garden. It may seem counterintuitive; but I have found many plants that grow in summer in the UK do well in my South Florida garden in winter and I love making vases with them! Follow the link to see more vases celebrating eleven years of IAVOM.

The Close Ups:

The Eleven is made from Blanchetiana Bromeliad (Aechmea blanchetiana) foliage that I drew an eleven on with a Sharpie and trimmed off the excess. Certainly a first in my house, drawing on foliage. Grey rosette is Graptosedum succulent; purple and silver striped foliage is Wandering Jew (Transcandentia zebrina); white flowers are Bridal Bouquet Frangipani (Plumeria pudica).

Purple and pink flower is a “Candy’ Portea Bromeliad. Ferns are native Boston Fern (Nepholepis exaltata).

Thanks again to Cathy and Cheers to all from South Florida.

In a Vase on Monday – Unreal

Well, here it is, my floral comment on the election results. The will of the American people seems unreal to me. Unfortunately, like the components in this vase, they are disturbingly real. Not that I find succulents and bromeliads disturbing; but they do look so different from other flowers they don’t seem real. The rest of it – I suppose the best way to look at it is time will tell.

The vase is black for obvious reasons. The components are succulents including, in grey, Graptosedum; above the Graptosedum, in green and apricot, flowers from Soap Aloe (Aloe saponaria); green foliage is from Senecio barbertonicus. I may end up with several new plants.

Bromeliad flowers top the vase. The red and blue (symbolism?) flower is from Aechmea miniata, an odd bloom this late in the year, the brownish one is the same flower drying or dying, depending on how you look at it. Orange and yellow spikes are bits of Aechmea blanchetiana – the entire flower on this is at least four feet tall, so I cut some pieces of the flower. Round leaves in the back are from Flapjack Kalanchoe.

Thanks to Cathy at RamblingintheGarden for hosting. I am looking forward to the anniversary challenge. Follow the link to see more vases.

In a Vase on Monday – Garden Limbo

This time of year gives me an odd sort of garden Limbo. If I still lived further north, the garden season would be mostly over. Here in South Florida, I am watching tomato and zinnia seedlings come up – soon to be transplanted into the winter garden. Planting tomatoes in November may never feel normal.

All of the plants in this vase are Florida natives. Two (Bidens and Juba) are in the garden due to Limbo being induced by not knowing what to do with them. I now cut and enjoy them. The balance I planted, the green fruit is from the Gumbo Limbo (Bursera simaruba) tree. Perhaps it is celebrating my garden Limbo?

Closer views:

Two of my favorite wispies are in flower right now. The pinks are Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris) and the off white is Juba Bush (Iresine diffusa)

Green fruit is from the Gumbo Limbo tree (that word again?!); white flowers are Bidens alba; purple berries are from Beautyberry (Calliocarpa americana). The crystal vase was a gift from my dearly departed brother, it always makes me smile to remember him. Today is his birthday.

Thanks to Cathy at RamblingintheGarden for hosting. Follow the link to see more vases.

In a Vase on Monday – Fall Outside the Box

As I was searching the garden for flowers to cut, I started thinking outside the box. Well, I inhabit the area outside the box anyway and it dawned on me that there is fall color in South Florida. It is just not the typical seasonal color changes – it’s the flowers and berries! Such a relief after all these years of feeling deprived of fall color.

With a fresh perspective, I snipped a fall vase and plonked the flowers into a mason jar. Here are some closer views.

Yellow flowers are Beach Sunflowers (Helianthus debilis); orange tubular flowers and berries are Firebush (Hamelia patens); white flowers are ‘White Flame’ Salvia.

Red spike flowers are Tropical Red Salvia (Salvia coccinea); red and yellow flowers are Parrotflowers (Heliconia psittacorum ‘Lady Di’.

Feeling ever so autumnal now..

To find more vases for viewing visit Cathy at this link – RamblingintheGarden.