Sometimes I set out to put together a IAVOM arrangement and it all just comes together exactly the way I envision it. Other times, well...it's a process.
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As much as I hate to admit it (to myself, not you) the migration of my dry-loving succulents — from their summer vacation on the patio — to the basement, has begun. I try to overwinter as many things as possible — who wants to see a plant die? However this planter full of succulents was not one I chose to over winter as is (bought on the cheap they weren't all that "valuable" to me). So instead of just letting them turn to mush at the first frost I thought I'd use them in an arrangement.
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Ditto for this bowl full of Sedum nussbaumerianum.
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It had seen better days. Chop chop chop...
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So lovely this way. And who knows...I'll probably end up trying to root these cuttings and let them live on. That's just who I am.
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The intended "star" of this week's arrangement was to be Aloe striatula.
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You see I'd had a container of this "the hardy Aloe" for years and the stems had gotten so long that the whole thing flopped over in a most inconvenient and unattractive way.
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Sometime in August I'd cut back the worst offenders (and been rooting them for later planting). I'd planned to eventually cut them all back and dump the old plant, thus freeing up a container for a new use next spring. Except this is what greeted me when I sat down to cut the others off.
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Damn. Those stems that had their growing tips cut away were sprouting new growth.
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Okay...well I still proceeded with the cutting (bound for a vase) but now knew that container wouldn't be empty but rather a fabulous mass of Aloe branches come spring (not such a bad thing really).
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And the cuttings filled two vases.
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So the Aloe was intended to be the star "filler" of this show, but I'd scored a pair of tiny yellow urns (Goodwill) that I was pretty excited about including as small arrangement holders.
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And I set to cutting bits of the Abutilon megapotamicum 'Red' with which to fill them (along with a few pendulous Chasmanthium latifolium seed heads). That's when I discovered this craziness! Seed pods on my Abutilon. I've never seen such a thing.
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I don't think they're quite "ready" but I couldn't help but break into one that I'd cut by accident.
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The finished mantle, Version 1. I was not thrilled.
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This just didn't fit.
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So the contents were put into a different vase and went to live in the kitchen. I do enjoy kitchen arrangements.
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Version 2...getting better.
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But the Aloe centerpiece needed something to pick up the yellow. A few leaves from a Phormium would have to do. I placed a wooden oak leaf (a placemat via Crate & Barrel) behind it to ground the entire vase against the white wall. Better...
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The velvet pumpkins are making an appearance.
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And the second yellow urn has been filled with a Tillandsia.
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I never did talk about that other urn did I? It was a success from the beginning. A NOID Aloe (pulled from the garden) joined by a few blue chalk Senecio cuttings and a little Grevillea 'Ivanhoe' foliage...
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And that's how a crazy mind such as mine finally arrived at this week's arrangement(s)...as always this madness (only here, other bloggers take a much more straightforward approach) is inspired by Cathy who hosts at Rambling in the Garden.
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All material © 2009-2016 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
As much as I hate to admit it (to myself, not you) the migration of my dry-loving succulents — from their summer vacation on the patio — to the basement, has begun. I try to overwinter as many things as possible — who wants to see a plant die? However this planter full of succulents was not one I chose to over winter as is (bought on the cheap they weren't all that "valuable" to me). So instead of just letting them turn to mush at the first frost I thought I'd use them in an arrangement.
Ditto for this bowl full of Sedum nussbaumerianum.
It had seen better days. Chop chop chop...
So lovely this way. And who knows...I'll probably end up trying to root these cuttings and let them live on. That's just who I am.
The intended "star" of this week's arrangement was to be Aloe striatula.
You see I'd had a container of this "the hardy Aloe" for years and the stems had gotten so long that the whole thing flopped over in a most inconvenient and unattractive way.
Sometime in August I'd cut back the worst offenders (and been rooting them for later planting). I'd planned to eventually cut them all back and dump the old plant, thus freeing up a container for a new use next spring. Except this is what greeted me when I sat down to cut the others off.
Damn. Those stems that had their growing tips cut away were sprouting new growth.
Okay...well I still proceeded with the cutting (bound for a vase) but now knew that container wouldn't be empty but rather a fabulous mass of Aloe branches come spring (not such a bad thing really).
And the cuttings filled two vases.
So the Aloe was intended to be the star "filler" of this show, but I'd scored a pair of tiny yellow urns (Goodwill) that I was pretty excited about including as small arrangement holders.
And I set to cutting bits of the Abutilon megapotamicum 'Red' with which to fill them (along with a few pendulous Chasmanthium latifolium seed heads). That's when I discovered this craziness! Seed pods on my Abutilon. I've never seen such a thing.
I don't think they're quite "ready" but I couldn't help but break into one that I'd cut by accident.
The finished mantle, Version 1. I was not thrilled.
This just didn't fit.
So the contents were put into a different vase and went to live in the kitchen. I do enjoy kitchen arrangements.
Version 2...getting better.
But the Aloe centerpiece needed something to pick up the yellow. A few leaves from a Phormium would have to do. I placed a wooden oak leaf (a placemat via Crate & Barrel) behind it to ground the entire vase against the white wall. Better...
The velvet pumpkins are making an appearance.
And the second yellow urn has been filled with a Tillandsia.
I never did talk about that other urn did I? It was a success from the beginning. A NOID Aloe (pulled from the garden) joined by a few blue chalk Senecio cuttings and a little Grevillea 'Ivanhoe' foliage...
And that's how a crazy mind such as mine finally arrived at this week's arrangement(s)...as always this madness (only here, other bloggers take a much more straightforward approach) is inspired by Cathy who hosts at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2009-2016 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.