In a Vase on Monday and a Little Surprise for Someone.

Cathy’smeme becomes a mo more of a challenge in this dismal calendar month of December . Foraging in the garden for something to put in a vase I desert the idea of beak the last roses . There are n’t enough to fill a vase . December colours seem to pick out themselves . I have a few nerines still blooming in the greenhouse but otherwise pinko are out at the second . So we have orange and yellow , fortunately there is spate of that .

For foliage I have used the primrose chickenhearted foliage of Choisya ternata‘Sundance ’ . and the variegate bequeath ofEuonymus fortunei‘Emerald ‘ n ’ Gold ’ . There is some vulgar ivy in there too and also some Rosemary .

The spiky bits are provided by orangeCornus sanguinea‘Midwinter Fire ’ which is marvellous in the winter garden . The redCornusis ‘ Westonbirt ’ which is the best for brilliant red colouration . The browned come top dog are from theRudbeckia hirta‘Prairy Sun ’ .

The flowers areMahonia x media‘Winter Sun ’ . I though that this was ‘ Greek valerian ’ until I establish a recording label on it when I was hacking it back in the summer . I ca n’t see much difference between the two . There is some fragrant , Lonicera x purpusii‘Winter Beauty ’ . I think this is one of the best of the wintertime blossoming honeysuckles . There is some of that useful winter standby winter jasmine , Lonicera nudiflorum . I was amazed that a few flowers ofForsythiawere out , I have never seen that in December before so I include them . I also picked some giving branches which I hope will come out in water for Christmas .

The orangish berry are from the very useful nativeIris foetidissima . This iris has put itself all around my garden . The efflorescence are subtle rather than showy but it really arrive into its own in wintertime when the seed case split overt to reveal all those shiny orangish berries . It is sometimes called the Stinking Iris or the Roast Beef Plant becomes the leaves odour when they are mash . I do n’t see why you need to crush them though . Round the other side you may see that I have used rose hip and holly berries . I have several Charles Hardin Holley , some of them the birds have stripped already , others they have leave for the time being . I have also used some squeamish redSkimmiaberries and hide in the center is someViburnum tinuswhich I feel a fleck sheepish about using as I am always ill-use it for being a nasty , smelly shrub with rough-cut leaves and for being all over my garden .

As usual thanks to Cathy atRamblinginthegardenfor host this play meme .

37 Responses toIn a Vase on Monday and a Little Surprise for Someone.

How very colorful ! I like those orange “ berries ” from the iris , and especially how everything go so well with the vase .

Stunning organisation and certainly chew over the clip of year . I never seem to get so many berries on my Iris foetidissima , you have so many . How wonderful that you are having a draw for your book of the meaning of Latin epithet , it will be so useful for whoever wins it .

You are a skilled adapter , Chloris . Your industrial plant textile and vase suit one another perfectly . I love the Mahonia but I recall I ’ve said that before – this is another monitor to discover a spot for one in my own garden .

That is a beautiful arranging . I am sometimes tempted to enter in this meme , but I am so very speculative at it . And right on now there is very little with any color out in my garden , it would have to be nothing but brown seedpods .

Chloris I love your vase too … a beautiful jazz band of orangish , yellow-bellied and gullible … very festive showing the bounty of your garden . And the vase is perfect . I love your last situation and the discussion . How thoughtful to have a giveaway too .

Very impressive ! I can see from various blog that I need to add a Mahonia to my garden at some level . Believe it or not , there are some Mahonia mintage that are hardy to zone 5 . heavy arrangement – and the vase is perfect for the foliage and prime you ’ve highlighted ! I will have to head back to your previous post to check it out ! We celebrate Christmas early this year with my side of the family , so I ’m just now working back to hitch up on my web log visit . 😉

Oh what rich pickings Chloris for sorry December Chloris . I think that anybody who ventures out into the garden to scrounge at this time of class deserves hoarded wealth in copiousness . Not only orange and yellow you also have atomic number 79 in teemingness . Please do not enter me for your generous give away as I already have a copy of that piddling blackened book on my bookshelf 🙂

A beautiful and very originative arrangement ! One of these day , I ’ll get my act together and enter in this meme !

In a Vase on Monday and a Little Surprise for Someone.