I only have a few plants left in the garden with enough flowers for a vase – this vase is made up mostly of purple erysimums.
Earlier in the year I would have chopped these long stalks to encourage more growth, but I am afraid to now in case that is it. Also this plant is the one the butterflies really like so just in case there is the odd one still fluttering about I have left it to get very leggy.
Added to the erysimums are some white annual nemesia and some white-tipped French lavender. The lavender, new in last Autumn flowered so late that I didn’t think it was going to bother. Then when it did flower I could hardly see the white flowers against the white pebbledash wall. I think I will have to find a new home for it.
Some greenery was added using a blue/green evergreen fir tree that started off as a dwarf, but is now a good 10 feet, some hypericum buds and some rosemary.
Finally some red stems of dogwood and some seedheads of crocosmia, origano and spirea. I usually cut off the pink spirea flowers as they clash with the yellow foliage, but this year I didn’t get round to it. I’m quite glad now as it is rather pretty and will look even better covered in frost.
Oh the vase – it was simply a large water glass as it was all that I had just the right size. It was cunningly disguised with a brown silky wrap.
I do enjoy taking part in this meme, but find some aspects of it quite challenging. Growing and picking the flowers is easy, well in the summer anyway; arranging the flowers is not too bad either, but when it comes to the photography it gets a bit trickier. None of it compares, though, with the trouble I have thinking of a title for the post! This week I resorted to typing things into Google looking for inspiration. I tried purple and glass, glass and seeds and finally purple and seeds When I was presented with a list of cannabist stockists I quickly closed that window and moved on!!!
Why not pop along to Rambling in the Garden to view some other entries for this week’s Vase on a Monday.
My Aberdeen Garden 
The silk idea around the vase is a good one, as I don’t seem to have many small vases and that’s what I’m going to need as flowers run short jam jars etc will come into play and I’ll need to disguise them. Just that little spark of white really brings the arrangement to life. You are very good trying to think of good titles I’m afraid it is beyond me!
Thanks Christina, you can disguise all sorts of things with a bit of silk!
Beautiful Annette. I really like your purple erysimums and I especially like that first image. I agree it’s difficult to photograph these vases and coming up with a name that’s appropriate can be trying, but you succeeded.
Thanks. I suppose it is good for the old grey matter trying to keep up with Cathy.
Yes, what a great idea….the silk looks lovely, and it would take a few simple flowers, even juts greenery to new dimensions of loveliness..thanks
Yes it is amazing what a bit of silk will do! Thanks.
I love your vase and the title.
It looks very sumptuous in its nest of silk. Erysimum Bowles Mauve is lovely and goes on and on flowering. I’ ve just been looking at another gorgeous Erysimum on Janet’ s blog , Plantaliscious. It is called Winter Orchid. Have you seen it? Another plant for the wish list!
Thanks. No I haven’t seen that one called Winter Orchid, but am just off to have a look – thanks for the tip.
I read to the bottom of your post and you made me laugh out loud. I find the tidying up before taking a photograph to be quite challenging! I’ve built up to putting 3 things in a jug, you are leaps ahead of me and your bouquet is really lovely.
Hi Julie,
We have to laugh at ourselves don’t we, or we would cry! Glad I succeeded! Thanks for your kind comments.
I keep meaning to look out fabric for backgrounds Annette – but haven’t got round to it yet! AND I need to inspect my Bowles Mauve because I haven’t thought of using them in a vase – yours look brilliant and you have some great additions. I love the look of the crocosmia seedheads – I used them last year but had so few flowers this year that I don’t think I had any seedheads. Re photographs – I did start looking for an appropriate book but really I need to make time to experiment and just use my camera better. It is certainly easier to get better photos in natural light so wet winter days don’t bode well!
Thanks Cathy – I am sure I am not using fabric to its best, but it does help disguise a very boring vase. I keep meaning to look out for more vases in charity shops and then I forget until I need one. I have never thought about crocosmia seedlings before but it is amazing what you find when you are stuck!
LOVED he title, Annette!
Thank you – it was worth thinking about for so long then.
Your designs are great. I would not to use erysimums in an arrangement.:
Thank you so much. I didn’t have much choice of flowers – that was pretty much all that was left flowering. In future I think it will be foliage only.
Cathy is so clever with the titles of her posts but I always struggle with those too. I love the “purple stuff” you selected. I always miss the seedheads and the like in my own arrangements.
Yes, I almost contacted her for suggestions yesterday! Thanks for your comment.
I was half expecting a glass of ribena Annette 😉 What a lovely wee display. Personally, I don’t cut flowers to bring into the house but can well imagine how difficult it must be at this time of the year in Scotland.
Thanks Angie. I don’t often have enough spare flowers myself, but I do like to join in occasionally. It is great fun making an arrangement.