I'd planned to go round on Sunday afternoon and collect up all the little flowers for a mini arrangement but we were blessed with sleety snow for the whole day. The last few days have been changeable and challenging. Very cold frosty weather, then heavy rain and high winds then snow. The snow didn't settle well here due to all the heavy rain but other places have had plenty. I can't complain - I have a warm house and power and the roads were no frozen here this morning.
It turned out not to be much of a day for wandering around outside so I collected these on one of my trips out to make sure the poor hens weren't freezing. Some days their water has frozen so I go out regularly to make sure they are OK. (They were, they had the sense to go inside).
My fall back was going to be these these chillis which I cut from plants in the poly tunnel just this week. I popped them into this bowl for now.
In the vase:
Salvia - I've temporarily lost the name but it's bright pink. It turned out there were hardly any flowers left so I added
Mahonia flowers - very sweetly scented.
Sweet pea fronds - no, I don't know why they are still alive.
Also a few 'Violette de Loire' Salvia heads which had no petals once I got them inside.
This looks just right on my windowsill.
See what other people have found to put in a vase at Rambling in the Garden hosted by Cathy.
I don't like mahonia plants, but their flowers always look fetching in a vase - and how nice to find your other oddments to join them.The chillies add a warm and festive splash of colour too. Thanks for sharing, Alison
ReplyDeleteI know you don't. In it's defence the leaves have a been a wonderful red colour for at least 6 weeks and the scent it so sweet. The chillis are warm in more ways than looks.
DeleteYour weather sounds horrid! In contrast to Cathy, I love the Mahonia flowers. I planted my first Mahonia ('Charity') late last year but it did not enjoy our summer or the persistent heatwaves that have popped up this fall so I'm not at all sure I'll get any flowers from it. In that case, the plant may get "displaced" by something better suited to my climate.
ReplyDeleteIt's not great and I'm looking forward to spring! That's a shame your Mahonia is not happy. Perhaps next year will suit it better. I don't know what this is as I inherited it but it is large and helps hide our oil tank.
DeleteI love Mahonia flowers - they smell just like honey to me and I can understand why the bees love them! Mine don't flower till spring though. You have managed to find a lovely little collection of materials for a December vase Alison. Hope your weather improves soon! :)
ReplyDeleteThe scent is wonderful and is wafting over me as I sit here. This one has been flowering for a few weeks already and I have used the lovely read leaves in a vase but they are very prickly so you have to be sure you want them. :)
DeleteWe're a bit too cold for Mahonia, but I admire them tremendously. The flowers look and sound wonderful, who doesn't love honey fragrance?
ReplyDeleteThat is a shame, I'm learning so much about what will grow where. I think we are very lucky in the south of the UK and can grow a huge range of things.
DeleteA lovely and fragrant arrangement and your chillies are quite festive. Keep warm!
ReplyDeleteI do love chillis! Am warm inside with hot chocolate.
DeleteLove the way you choose the balancing greens for your arrangements...these pea tendrils are so pretty and match the acid green of the mahonias. I love Mahonias...for the form, shape, flowers, colour of leaves etc etc...wish I had a bigger garden, but then when I think of all the work, maybe a little sitting and knitting and looking at gardening books and magazines is the just the right thing for me for now. Hope the ducks are keeping warm too.
ReplyDeleteLove the way you choose the balancing greens for your arrangements...these pea tendrils are so pretty and match the acid green of the mahonias. I love Mahonias...for the form, shape, flowers, colour of leaves etc etc...wish I had a bigger garden, but then when I think of all the work, maybe a little sitting and knitting and looking at gardening books and magazines is the just the right thing for me for now. Hope the ducks are keeping warm too.
ReplyDelete