lunes, 10 de noviembre de 2014

Monday's Vase (ahem, coffee pot)

Here's another flower arrangement post.  I hope that's not too boring.

Even after our first frosts this week, the roses in my garden are still producing the last odds and ends for the year.  The most productive right now is Madame Alfred Carrière, but unfortunately most of her blooms face outwards onto my neighbor's property (lucky him).  In its third year, I really need to get it onto an arch to train it away from the boundary fence.

So, once again, I am participating with Rambling in the Garden's "In a Vase on Monday" post.  This week, my humble arrangement includes roses from Madame Alfred Carrière, La Sevillana and Pat Austin, along with spent abelia blooms.


The "vase" is actually a Japanese coffee pot that my grandmother brought back from Yokohama, where my grandparents, mother and aunt lived after WWII.  My grandfather was stationed in occupied Japan for five years with the Army Corps of Engineers during the reconstruction.



Yes, that is La Sevillana's actual color.  No color enhancing used here.

 

I am a bit nervous about using the coffee pot.  The hand-painted porcelain hasn't got a single crack or coffee stain and it honestly looks like it has never been used.  As a child, I remember seeing it in a china cabinet, although never on the table.


But, I think it is important to use precious, inherited belongings instead of leaving them locked up in a glass case.  They bring back fond memories, which are much more priceless than cold china.  I'm sure my grandmother would feel the same.

22 comentarios:

  1. Gorgeous. Your heirloom coffee pot is the perfect container for the roses and the colors of the abelia pull out the colors in the porcelain.

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    1. Thank you! I almost prefer the abelia now with its fall color than when it is blooming with white.

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  2. I am envious of your Abelia as I mentioned in the reply to your comment it just doesn't do at all well for me. Its colour works beautifully with the coffee pot - I do agree that beautiful things should be used and not locked away. BTW Madame Alfred Carrière is a vigorous climber and you might find it doesn't work very well on an arch, it just wants to keep going straight up! It is better growing up into a tree or on the side of a house.

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    1. Perhaps the abelia does well here because the soil is so poor! As for MAC, it is on the property line, about 12 feet away from the house. My idea is to use an arch/arbor/"lean-to" in order for it to climb up the house and onto a balcony. Sort of ambitious, I suppose, but I need to create shade in an area that is narrow, and MAC seems to love where I have planted it. The tough part will be to figure out what sort of structure to make/have made, and then convince my husband!

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  3. Not quite that humble I should think, it's actually very pretty and the Southern, hot temperament is plain to see in the addition of the fiery red roses and the colours of the coffee pot. Thanks for popping in and I shall pop back from time to time. Enjoy life in the South :)

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  4. Dear Lady of LaMancha, I am fully agree! Use the old things that make you happy. Lovely arrangement with the roses. Iremember my grandfather had China like that. I think it was a vase. Bit that was a long time ago...... Groetjes from Holland, Hetty

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    1. Hetty, you should participate in Monday in a Vase, too. I remember seeing your lovely table arrangements with pumpkins and such. I myself like the idea of creating a new "vase" each week with all the containers that I have, which are just collecting dust. I see you have a new post - I'm off to visit you!

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  5. The roses are perfectly complemented by the coffee bit - a brilliant prop to have included. I know what you mean about Mme AC as I have it too - I did tie it down recently though so hopefully next year there will be more blooms within reach. The spent abelia flowers are lovely, aren't they? Thanks so much for joining the meme - oh, and do go for 'some sort of structure'... you won't regret it ;)

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    1. After seeing your professional-looking bothy, I'm sure that building a structure for MAC seems like childsplay to you. But it is quite overwhelming for me. Plus, if I even consider drilling a hole into the brick facade of the house to attach it too, my husband will surely "hit the roof" as my Da would say. I might have to get sneaky...

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  6. I think the spent Abelia stems are even more interesting than the flowers and they complement this arrangement, including the coffee pot, beautifully. Well done!

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    1. Hooray, so glad you like it, especially after having seen your masterpiece from last week! I'm off to see your contribution now...

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  7. Love the colours of that beautiful coffee pot with 'La Sevillana' rose - both so rich it seems incredible. And your spent abelia are superb - encourages me to try it, which I haven't done yet here. Re the heirlooms - everything was made to be appreciated, wasn't it? And the craftsman who made the coffee pot would probably appreciate us all admiring now!

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  8. QUé bonito ramo, nunca se me hubiese ocurrido uitlizar ramas de abelia ya sin flores! El resultado es fantástico, me encanta como complemento. Acabo de conocerte en el blog de Bemi, a quien sigo con muchísima admiración. Desde hoy me hago tu seguidora también.

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    1. Mónica, gracias por tus comentarios. Sí, hace mucho que sigo al blog de Bemi, ya que conocí a Yolanda en Infojardin hace años. Ella es un sol, el su jardín una pasada. Hay muchas cosas que ella ha hecho que me inspiran, y algunas cosas que he "traducido" a mi manera. Ella tiene la suerte de tener la sombra de muchos árboles a su favor, pero aquí en Toledo mi jardín va muy despacito porque he empezado desde 0 hace 3 años. Mucho trabajo, pero me lo paso muy bien.

      Y tú, ¿dónde vives?

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  9. Oh I adore the coffee pot and now I know I have some interesting "vases" to use next year as you have given me lots of ideas.....and the flowers you chose fit perfectly and complement the colors in the coffee pot...stunning arrangement.

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    1. Thanks, Donna! When the garden is full of color, I tend to use simpler vases (like an old Mason jar), but now that the garden is winding down and the nights are getting longer, I felt like brightening up the foyer with some color.

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  10. Your coffee pot is beautiful and the perfect vase for the colours you've used! It's a gorgeous arrangement too. The Abelia looks great despite having gone over already. I have just planted my first Abelia, so hope it produces as many flowers as possible for vases next year!

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    1. I have two types of abelia: one that stays compact and another that is more free-flowing, which puts out longers shoots. I, of course, prefer the free-flowing one. I have had good luck with it, but I know others haven't. Good luck!

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  11. I just love the colours, so rich and vibrant. And how perfect with the gorgeous Japanese coffee pot. I agree heirlooms should be used and enjoyed. I bet your coffee pot has never looked as lovely as it does with those flowers in it. What a delight!

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    1. "I bet your coffee pot has never looked as lovely as it does with those flowers in it." That's so true! Thank you for stopping by.

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