I wasn’t sure whether to entitle this week’s offering for In a Vase on Monday “Instant Replay,” “I’ve Heard That Song Before,” or “Play it Again, Sam.” So I decided to just keep it simple…both the title and the arrangement. Once again I put my Arranger to the test.
Not much has changed in my garden since last Monday’s vase (which is still quite presentable, by the way), but I am personally rejuvenated by the return of warmer weather and sunshine…oh that lovely sunshine. Warm and bright not withstanding, I must still resort to foliage if I am to be loyal to my commitment to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to participate in her meme each week this year. The pansies and the violas are coming around, but they just aren’t there yet. Some of you may recognize a few old friends in this arrangement.
In the cobalt blue container are Aucuba japonica ‘Crotonifolia,’ rosemary, Nandina domestica ‘Gulf Stream,’ and Euphorbia x martinii ‘Ascot Rainbow. The accent is a small group of cuttings from Cupressocyparis leylandii ‘Golconda.’ The aucuba cultivar ‘Crotonifolia’ is making its first appearance in this series. It was banished to the “hospital” in the woods several years ago when it was languishing in one of the borders (too much sun, perhaps?); it has recovered and is thriving in its new location.
‘Golconda’ ‘Ascot Rainbow’ ‘Crotonifolia’
I moved the arrangement to another location in seeking different lighting and found the results rather pleasing.
The 1974 woodblock print is “Tasteful (No 6)” by the late Rikio Takahashi (高橋力雄 ), an acquisition we made when we lived in Tokyo. My Arranger, true to form, suggested just the right location so that the arrangement and the print complement each other.
Please visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to see what others will be sharing this day.
A Walk in the Garden 
This is fabulous!
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Thanks, Stepheny. We appreciate your encouragement.
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Glad to hear the sun has returned. Could you send a little up north?
Love the acuba, it really does look fresh this time of year.
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Aucuba remains one of the gems of the winter garden here…for the foliage really year round.
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Glad the sun has returned to your garden. Your arranger certainly has a good eye for positioning her vases; the print and vase are perfect together.
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Thank you, Christina. My Arranger seems to have a knack for bringing things together.
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What you and your arranger have done with this foliage is nothing short of stunning!
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Thanks, Kris. I pick ’em and she arranges ’em. She deserves all the credit.
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Great selection of foliage, all set off perfectly with the blue vase. The woodblock print is great too.
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Thanks, Susie. My Arranger seems to have an eye for these kinds of pairings.
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I love the range of foliage color – and so beautifully combined!
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Thank you, Amy.
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I really like that Aucuba leaf – a great mix of foliage, and the last photo really shows off both the vase and the print very nicely!
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I, too, like variegated plants, and the two aucuba varieties in the garden both have great foliage. Thanks, Cathy.
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What great selection of foliage, John – and a wonderful example of a vase without blooms. It will be a real encouragement to others without blooms, particularly at this time of year – so thanks to both of you for joining in.
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Thanks, Cathy. We are finding this to be a fun exercise.
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I like the mix of fine and bold textured leaves.
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Thanks, Jason.
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The arranger was absolutely right … unfortunately the print is so lovely I didn’t know which to look at. The Nandina (for me) was the really inspired, discerning touch in this lovely arrangement. And so nice to see much-maligned Aucuba ‘Crotonifolia’ getting it’s due and taking a bit of a spotlight!
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Thanks, Cathy. I was not aware of a bad reputation for ‘Crotonifolia.’ When it didn’t do well in the border, I moved it into the woods (as mentioned) and it has been a perfect inhabitant. I will be looking for future opportunities to pair an arrangement with an art piece.
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Great use of foliage. How lovely it looks displayed with the print.
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Thanks, Chloris. These have been challenging time for the “vase,” but things are looking up.
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