Cathy’s In a Vase on Monday meme at Rambling in the Garden has roused me to go out into the slush and cold to see what I can find in my garden again!
For some reason I associate little posies of box leaves and winter erica with good luck. But since my erica is still hidden under some icy snow I settled for some alternatives to go with the box instead…
Box: I shook the snow off the box trees before it got too heavy and broke the branches. Really I should have trimmed them more before the winter… you live and learn!
Hellebore: This creamy white hellebore has been in a patio pot directly in front of the window and although it hung its head for a few days in the cold it has now perked up a bit again. I shall plant it out in spring, but for now I am so pleased I decided to risk a potted one again, as they don’t always survive if it’s freezing for more than a few days in a row.
Grasses: The dwarf Miscanthus sinensis ‘Adagio’ also needed a good shake to relieve it of heavy wet snow and it looks a little dishevelled but is slowly recovering.
This vase looks fresh and simple after all the Christmas colours.
🙂
Take a look at Cathy’s site to see what others have found for a vase this week!
In addition to my vase I am also enjoying my Hippeastrum “Christmas Star”…
It was planted a little late, so it flowered for the new year instead of Christmas. It is such a beauty – I really love this soft pink! It has three stems, each with four flowers/buds.
Now if all that isn’t luck, what is?!
Wishing you a lucky week!
Words and Herbs 
Cathy what a lovely vase and what luck to have the hellebore flower. The box is my go to green in winter here for vases. And I love the color of your Hippeastrum. Mine will all flower for the winter and just fine for vases too. Happy New Year Cathy!
Thanks Donna. I think this is the first time I have had a Hippeastrum AFTER Christmas and I am so glad for it! I want to plant more bulbs at intervals next year.
Yes, the Hellebore and the Amaryllis in their soft colours bring joy into hearts ~ luck!
We have a Christmas Rose (Hellebore) in the garden for years. It is flowering amazingly.
I have some later flowering ones in the garden too, but they are hidden under the snow. Do you have snow at the moment?
No. 😦
THREE stems! Wow. I feel lucky if I get two.
Congrats.
Thanks Cynthia! This one took ages to get going, so when it sent up a third shoot with buds I was really pleased!
Mine are taking ages to get going too. Not sure why. Do you have yours in water, stones, or potting soil?
Normal potting compost, which I warmed up a bit before using as it had been outside. I only recently saw that some people plant them in water with gravel or stones as support, but I hardly watered mine until it started sprouting.
I had a strange experience with mine. I usually buy the bare bulbs in individual boxes in November, pot them up (with soil) in a nice ceramic container and hand them over to loved ones as Christmas presents, fully budded ….
This time, only green leaves. No buds.
But the two bulbs I’d left in their boxes were sprouting buds. so I unpotted the first ones and put them back in boxes in the basement, and left them.
Then, they got buds.
It was exactly opposite to what the directions called for, but it worked!
Now that is odd! Glad you had the spares though!
Your Hippeastrum is lovely! I always wonder how you find anything outside for you monday vase in this weather 😉 Lucky week to you too!
It is a challenge Simone, but at least it makes me look at the garden once a week – it is not a pretty sight in winter!
What a pretty hellebore that is, with the lovely green centre – I am sorry that they are not generally reliable for you because they are an absolute joy when they start flowering here. The centre links the flower to your greenery, and I am making a mental note of your miscanthus. As you say, the fresh and simple result is a gentle tonic after the Christmas festivities Now, your amaryllis – with THREE stems, that’s something else! Definitely lucky!
If the hellebores are in the ground they will last forever, but in pots they sometimes just get frozen hard and die of thirst! The Miscanthus made a remarkable recovery as the snow had flattened it completely. It’s definitely one I can recommend!
Thanks for that Cathy
That’s lovely Cathy. White’s a great choice for this time of year. I love your H. Christmas Star too.
Happy New Year!
Thanks Gillian. Happy New Year!
Love this little posy Cathy and the silver tray you have displayed your vase on, really pretty. Your Hippeastrum is spectacular!
Thanks Julie – I can’t stop admiring my Hippeastrum… there are nine flowers open today! 🙂
Beautiful Hippeastrum! And how lucky you are to have a hellebore in bloom.
The hellebore pot is next to the house for protection, and I did almost bring it indoors when it got so cold, but it has recovered well and I gave it a nice drink as a reward!
That’s a really sweet arrangement, all of the pieces of it! And the amaryllis is beautiful too. Happy New Year!
Thank you Kimberley! Happy New Year!
It felt so good to get all the Christmas decorations down and put away on Saturday. Your little posy is just right for winter.
I agree Marian. I cleared my decorations away yesterday and for about five minutes I thought how bare everything looked – but then after dusting and rearranging I am glad for the fresh start!
I love the arrangement with the lace curtains and silver tray to accompany the setting. Lovely. Good for you for braving the elements.
Thanks Alys. The plants needed freeing of some heavy snow, so when the sun came through I took advantage of it to go and snip away, and got some fresh air too!
Simply elegant Cathy. Your hellebore is lovely, as is the amaryllis. Lucky indeed.
Thank you Susie – a refreshing change from the festive arrangements. 🙂
I love your beautiful unusual Hellebore Cathy and it is just right for a simple January posy. The Amaryllis is stunning you are indeed lucky to have so many stems and it isn’t too tall as many often become.
Thanks Christina. The Hellebore had the very unhelpful and typically German garden centre label “Hellebore Hybrid”! Yes, the first Amaryllis stem to open is rather short, but the second is at an angle so I will have to make sure it doesn’t topple over! Have a nice week! 🙂
Short wasn’t intended as a criticism, often Amaryllis are too tall and look ungainly, I hope you manage to keep the stem from going too much sideways and pulling the whole thing over, it is so beautiful as a growing bulb, but if all else fails you can cut it for next week’s vase.
Good idea!
How pretty. I love the way the centre of the Hellebore picks up the green of the foliage. It just shows you don’ t need masses of flowers to make a very striking arrangement .As for your Hippeastrum, it is amazing with its 3 flower spikes.. Beautiful.
The pale hellebores do look nice next to just green foliage and make an impact. I’m really enjoying the Hippeastrum flowers – amazing to think all that came out of a slightly shrivelled bulb within just a few weeks!
I love the simplicity of the vase of flowers. Very lovely. Happy new year.
Thanks Sarah, and a Happy New Year to you too!
I learn so much from you, Cathy. I only know Hippeastrum as Amaryllis. Are they ever called by that name in Germany? They grow year-round here, outdoors and indoors, and they sometimes bloom twice a year. They are a spectacular flower. Yours is a beautiful color. I’m impressed with your arrangements even in winter! You do have the touch. 🙂
Your comment is so kind! Thanks! Amaryllis is commonly used here too. How lovely to see them flowering outdoors! Sometimes I get a second flower in summer, but then they won’t flower for me again in winter.
I hope no one named Erica is also still hidden under some icy snow.
A happy 2015 to you, Cathy.
I haven’t heard of any missing persons reported, but as the snow melts I shall keep an eye out! Happy 2015 Steve.
I’m impressed that you venture out in the cold and slush! I’m not sure I’d be up to that – in fact, with our temperature reaching a record 86F (30C) yesterday, I’m not even sure I can imagine that kind of weather. I love the hellebore. I have just a couple but have ordered more (which unfortunately can’t be delivered until March because it’s too cold back east where the grower is located).
30C is hard to imagine here at the moment too! Do hellebores grow well in your climate? And when do they flower then? I always associate them with snow and ice!
Well done you for retrieving such green and floriferous goodies in inclement conditions. I imagine that the plant material was pleased to be a tad warmer too Cathy. I like the splash of green on the hellebore flower. As for the amaryllis I always think that along with hyacinths that you appreciate them more once the house becomes a Christmas free zone 🙂
The hellebore was definitely a lot happier in the vase than outdoors! I think some of the new buds will be brought in soon too. This is one of the first hellebores I have seen that really does lift its head and look upwards, so hope we don’t get any really cold snaps before I can plant it out. I agree on the Amaryllis front… definitely welcome after all the Christmas stuff has been cleared away, and so glad I didn’t choose a red one! 🙂
That’s quite the arrangement you pulled out from under the snow, I’m glad you braved the elements to put it together! Box looks good with anything, but In this case it’s better than good with that perfect hellebore. Nice!
Love the amaryllis too, three stalks is really something.
You’re right, box is so versatile and yet I think this is the first time I have used any in a vase! The hellebore in a pot will be brought indoors briefly if we get another cold snap, but we are expecting a few mild days, so I shall be poking around to see if my hellebores in the ground are in bud under the snow…. 😉
Hi Cathy
I have nominated you for Liebster award. I do hope this is not a repeat of something you have done before I began to read your blog. Please see my blog at http://johnsviccellio.wordpress.com/2015/01/08/a-liebster-award/ and it should be clear what to do if you want to accept. I have found your blog interesting, informative, and enjoyable and appreciate your support of mine.
That’s such a kind comment John – thank you indeed for the nomination. I did actually get nominated a couple of years ago, so I’m not sure if I will post about this. However, i do appreciate the gesture. Thanks!