I had been keeping an eye on the ‘Pink Perpetué’ rose by the front door over this last week, with a view to sparing one of the last blooms for today’s vase; alas, the chosen bloom had lost its petals by this morning after an hour or two of brisk breezes yesterday evening. There was still a lovely cluster of buds, just starting to open, but none with long enough stems to include on their own – closer inspection found another bud further on than expected and a couple more yet to open, so they were sacrificed for the arrangement. Despite the variety of blooms still hanging on in the garden they really are only odd ones or twos, and the quirky fatsia and ivy flowers had already chosen themselves to add shape and structure to the vase but on impulse I decided to spare a few of the last sprigs of astrantia too. I have to confess that if I hadn’t been snipping these fatsia flowers I would probably never have realised how much the umbels change as they mature and their frothiness was an unexpected bonus.
I was really pleased with the shallow glass sundae dish I used last week which proved ideal for a petite arrangement when components are limited, as indeed is the Oasis which has life in it yet. Following the example of Sue and Julie I have also included appropriate props, this time a tiny china cup and a crackle quartz crystal point, along with petals that were already dropping from the rose! The simple arrangement didn’t take long to assemble, but finding somewhere suitable to photograph it did! I was determined to photograph it inside this time and had created a suitably uncluttered background but the light levels were dropping all the time as rain threatened and I wanted to avoid using flash or other artificial light.
It is indeed a challenge to find things to put in a vase at this time of year, but that is why I am (still) enjoying it so much! If you would like to join in then feel free to post a link to your vase in a comment on this blog, and also a link on your post to this one if you like. It is good to share our findings, but more importantly it is encouraging us to go and look for things to include, making us more observant and challenging our creativity.
Rambling in the Garden 
Lovely vase this week, I like the Fatsia, I have one in the garden too, so I must see if it has any flowers, I don’t think so. Sorry nothing from me today as I’m not at home.
Thanks Christina, and hope you are enjoying wherever it is you are visiting
Another lovely combination, I particularly like the Fatisa too.
Alas still failed to produce anything but I will eventually.
Thanks Christine, and I look forward to your take on the theme, when it arrives
Lovely! I like the staging too. You can see dust in mine…
OK, so my excuse for not using any Fatsia flowers is that the plants are still very small and therefore don’t have many – I am sure ivy will make an appearance next week… And as you may have gathered, I am joining in, I need to learn to enjoy cutting flowers from the garden – or greenery, seedheads, whatever! Otherwise, what on earth is the point of having a cuttings patch?! Thanks for hosting, and for the challenge – my post is up.
Oooh, thanks Janet – I am surprised that you can’t see the dust on mine, to be honest! Thanks for joining in and I am off to look at yours now if the internet connection doesn’t dip out again as it has been doing 😉
A pretty and delicate arrangement. I was thinking I don’t have any flowers in my garden at present – then you mentioned fatsia. In my hands a fatsia arrangement would need to be dedicated to elephants everywhere so I’ll desist.
I am trying to work that one out, Esther!! I must admit I wasn’t sure about using it but when I came to look the individual umbels were on ‘stalks’ a few inches long and even cutting 5 from one flower head you would not really notice they were gone – but I suppose our fatsia is large and above head height (well, my head height) anyway… Thanks for dropping in – do come again with an elephant dedication or otherwise… 😉
That arrangement works really well and the darker background really sets off the colour of the rose! I had intended to join in this week but only remembered when I read Janet’s post and by that time light levels were dropping really fast! This is such a great idea as it lets us see what others have got in their gardens – I’ll try to put together a vase for next week!
Hi Caro – that was my problem even mid morning when I was trying to photograph today’s vase. I find myself thinking ahead mid week to what I might use when Monday comes around again, but the weather will always add an unknown dimension…
I really love your arrangement this week, particularly with the beautiful pink rose being echoed in the rosebuds on your cup – great staging! I also have a mature fatsia in the garden, which might make an appearance next week. I do struggle with this plant though – it looks good in the depths of winter but has become quite leggy and has lots of dying foliage. Do you have any tips on when and how to prune a fatsia?
My contribution is now posted at http://www.peoniesandposies.com
Thanks Julie – the little cup was a lucky fluke, as it just happened to be next to the crystal I was going to use so wasn’t preplanned, but as you say the rose buds on it really tied it into the arrangement. I think the props will really add to the challenge so thanks for pointing me in that direction. Now, the fatsia – I am afraid I am quite brutal with ours but as it has been moved when it was sizeable plant I know it can take it. I cut off any leaves that start to look dowdy or stems that are almost devoid of leaves – or overhang the paths too much – but it is currently pulled together with this not very pretty blue rope to stop it sprawling and that’s something I need to sort out sometime 😉
Thanks Cathy – mine is very overgrown so I think I will bite the bullet and give it a hard prune in spring.
After seeing your vase with its beautiful staging I thought twice about posting mine! It’s a little naive to say the least but I’m hoping to learn a bit more about the art of making flowers look elegant in a vase rather than my usual ham fisted approach! Hope you like it anyway 🙂
http://thefigtree.co.nz/2013/12/16/flowers-in-a-vase-oopsie-daisy-theme/
I am so pleased you did still post your knickerbocker glory vase, Sarah – I too am an absolute amateur at shoving things in vases, but at least when they are tiny and the raw materials minimal it is a little easier. Let’s learn together! 🙂
I’m pleased to say that you’re getting more stylish by the week 🙂 …got to join you one of these days!
Thanks Annette, and please do – even if you put us to shame with your own stylish arrangements 😉