We've had a hot sunny May, instead of a cool grey one. The sweet peas are
shutting down due to the heat, so I've been cutting them for the vase,
to enjoy them before they are gone. This led to a session of bouquet
practice yesterday, when the morning was particularly peaceful.
I started with a vertical stem of Nepeta tuberosa because the Annie's catalog said it was a remarkably long-lived flower in a vase. The Nepeta got a tutu of some of the last precious sweet peas.
The vase has a story: it is a blue plastic drinking glass I picked up in the nearby public park. Periodically a flurry of young people use the park for middle-of-the-night partying, with various items left behind--vaping supplies, blocks of ice for sliding down slopes in order to injure themselves, alco-pop bottles, party glasses, their underpants. It was a brand new glass--the store label was still on it. I brought it home to keep it out of the ocean where it could kill baby sea birds, and use it for odd tasks in the garden. And as a vase.
The vase has a story: it is a blue plastic drinking glass I picked up in the nearby public park. Periodically a flurry of young people use the park for middle-of-the-night partying, with various items left behind--vaping supplies, blocks of ice for sliding down slopes in order to injure themselves, alco-pop bottles, party glasses, their underpants. It was a brand new glass--the store label was still on it. I brought it home to keep it out of the ocean where it could kill baby sea birds, and use it for odd tasks in the garden. And as a vase.
The first, first impression, is good - and so too are many of the others. Mine get done, once.
ReplyDeleteThat's my usual approach, but the results often make me cringe. So I thought I'd try to learn something.
DeleteHa! I enjoyed watching your process, although I think you're agonizing over the results more than you need to. If you treat every bouquet as an experiment, I expect you'll find your "style" in time, which will make future combinations come together more easily. Some people prefer sharp contrasts (such as combinations constructed of the primary colors) while I lean in the opposite direction toward combinations of flowers close on the color wheel, and even monochromatic arrangements. I usually walk around the garden with a jar of water, shoving prospects into it and testing the burgeoning collection against other prospects as I go. Personally, I liked both your daylily and rose-centered arrangements even if the additions of the reds wouldn't be in keeping with my norm - they fit Memorial Day.
ReplyDeleteYes, too much of the agonizing thing. It should be fun. It was good practice, anyway. I always enjoy your floral creations, they seem relaxed and happy.
DeleteI wondered how you always get such good pictures of your vases. That looks like a lot of trouble to go through to take pictures. You get very good results though, Well done. The bouquet looks good with any of the flowers in it.
ReplyDeleteJust a roll of white paper, some tape, and two blocks to hold the paper down on the pavement...if it isn't easy, I can't do it, ha ha!
DeleteAlways hard to know when to stop. My cue is when I can't stuff anything more into the container. Anything goes.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a lot more fun!
Delete"...their underpants..." LOL I love your humor. I pick up some beer and wine bottles around the hill near me too but luckily, no underpants. That's definitely a find. :) I do like the blue glass as a vase. It's nice with the colors of the flowers. My fav is the last one with the roses and daisy.
ReplyDelete-michelle
Have seen more than one pair of underpants out there. Unfortunately! The beer cans and booze bottles go without saying. Used condoms, too, but at least someone was being responsible...sort of. There was a glue sniffing fad for a while. The vaping seems to have declined. Two-for99-cents flavored cigars packages, which I read are used as a way to smoke hash oil...the dregs of teen experimentation, all on display.
DeleteYes, love the blue color.