Christmas cheer is one of those flowers that is large enough, and here it is paired together. This photo is one taken last year since I wanted to leave the Christmas cheer spikes on this year's plant to mature a little more. Merry Christmas to one and all!!!
Hi Dianne and Karma!! Happy to hear from you again. Season's Greetings my dear friend.
Love the Red Hot Pokers Dianne, that is a fine healthy group. I remember your arrangement from last year, nice to see it again, they do look stunning together. Thank you.
Merry Christmas all!
Hey, I think I did the same combo at one stage! I will have to get somehting together for you guys!
yes dear Sue! we look forward to your next arrangement!
Hey Sue weed, glad to see you popping in.
Dianne, I swear this year I am going to get a sago palm and keep inside just for the foliage. Thanks for inspiring me with yours!
Candee, did you win the lottery? Sago's are mega £'s here lol!
One day I'll get one, they are gorgeous.
Right LOL, they have some at Lowes from time to time very small but not that pricey!
If you are all nearby, I can give you pups from a sago palm that we planted over 25 years ago!!!! There are a lot at the base, but I have not gotten around to doing anything with them. My sister has rooted a bunch of hers, but it is going to be one of those "one of these days" chores for me.......
This message was edited Dec 28, 2008 9:13 PM
We have had several days of below freezing temps the last two weeks, and many of my frost tender plants are toast. But, the narcissus is still going strong.
The firecracker plant (Russelia equisetiformis) has just a few flowers left on it, but the green stems are still fine.
And the pair together. This will most likely be the last entry for 2008. Looking forward to a great 2009!!
dont count your chickens lol! maybe Sue will arrive with the last one for 2008!
Jolly good show Dianne! Lovely and fresh looking, like that combo! gives the delicate look you have perfected so well. Thank you.
Dianne I appreciate the thought but the postage would likely be as much as a plant from Lowes. I'll keep it in mind for the spring if you don't mind me askin again.
So glad to see you still have a few blooms, not much anything back here in the east.
btw, what is Lowes? do they sell plants and crafts? I've seen it mentioned many times, just wondered!
Terri - Lowes is a hardware store that also has a landscaping section. sometimes when some of their plants are stressed, they sell them at a really cheap price. Their regular prices are usually quite reasonable, but like all large chain stores, they have a somewhat limited selection. I actually meant that that arrangement above would be the last entry from me for the year....so....maybe we can get Sue to take up your challenge to post something nice and colorful .....LoL Get your camera ready Sue!
I'll have to take a good look at that Sago palm and see if there may be some small pups suitable for rooting when the weather warms up a bit, just in case I hear from you Candee...
I got 5 spikes on my bird of paradise - can't wait for that to bloom. Slugs and snails are eating my orchids, and the frost got the brugmansia. sigh......
Oh not dang slugs, pour some salt on them quick. Cannot help with the frost except to coverup!
Oh doh! now I see what you mean Dianne! Well there's still time for Sue to surprise us....
fingers crossed!
Thanks about Lowes. I cant wait to see your Bird of Paradise, has it flowered before?
Your wish is my command!
Echinacea
Lime green crotons (at back)
Coleus (felt plant/ flame nettle)
Cordyline fruiticosa (Ti)
Mash 'em all together in a terracotta wine bottle holder, and waa-lah! (I added frangipani blooms at the last minute, so didn't get the pic of them in the garden - Yet!)
Terri - I have two plants,. On one plant, I had one flower two years ago, two flowers last year, and 4 spikes this year. If it follows the law of proportions (hopefully it is a smart bird of paradise) I should have 8 next year.
The other plant, this is the first year it has produced a spike. Hoping that one will go forth and multiply (sorry, Candee. had your advice from the other thread on my mind Lol)
Sue - I keep posting when someone else is posting. What a lovely, colorful bouquet!!! I especially like the red Ti plant. I only have the plain green one.
Those purplish hues would go great in the Christmas Cafe. So glad you popped in before the year is out.
I have been left alone to enjoy myself and get my chores done. Its Bliss! No one here asking for a meal or taking my seat at the puter! LOL. Its a bit hot though, 90 farenheit or there abouts! Whew! I got to go clean the BBQ, so if I don't drop back in, HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Sue
Well , would you just look at that! whoooo hoo !!
Absolutely beautiful Sue, with the sweetest little Frangipani (my fav flower for sure) to give the perfect finishing touch.
Thankie Thankie your'e a star! Happy happy New year.
This is your best arrangement in 2008, Wow you're going out with a bang!
Bring on 2009!
Sue those colors are smashing, my favorites. Hope you get a chance to pop in to the New Year cafe for one sip or 2 but if not a big warm and wonderful new year to you.
Dianne be sure to post your bird of paradise when you can. Do you think I could grow one inside.
Thanks for the lovely postings as I look outside at it snowing this morn.
January is almost gone so it is high time I posted something here. Flowering quince (Chaenomeles) is a nondescript shrub most of the year, but it is normally in it's full glory this time of the year with numerous spikes of pinkish or reddish blooms on leafless branches. I do not have a photo from the prior years where it is more representative of what it looks like, so I will sadly, have to use this year's photo. We had a really mild fall, and for some reason, my flowering quince did not shed hardly any leaves and had few blooming branches.
In a few areas of the plant where the branches dropped their leaves, I found some blooms. Since flowering quince is one of the earliest blooming shrubs of the year, many people use it as arrangements for Chinese New Year, which fell on January 26, 2009.
Very nice and dainty! Happy Chinese New Year Dianne.
Looks wonderful against those beautiful bricks! What a great combination.
Thanks Terri and Candee.
Along with Florida, California is home to a lot of citrus crops. I planted this meyer lemon tree (dwarf variety that I have to constantly trim to keep "drawf") about 6 years ago and it has produced fairly large crops. Not what you would normally think of as flowers,but fruits are technically a part of the flower. So, I am fudging a bit and putting it in this series.
And here it is in an arrangement. Dec/Jan/Feb is the peak time for these lemons, so I have given these lemon bowls as Christmas presents. The bowl is really the present part, but the lemons are also appreciated by people who bake.
What a luscious gift idea. I would love to receive something like that!
What a great crop! It must smell lovely Dianne. I would love that arrangement, pretty,fresh and fragrant!
Thank you for making this one.
Diane, you are amazing! Pretty fruit and flowers! Hi Candee hi Terri!
Hi karma how are you doing there, so nice to see you pop in!
Hi Karma!
Candee, I thought about you today when I was cleaning up the greenhouse. Your bloodgrass is still alive, just waiting to take off as soon as the weather warms.
Found some nice surprises in some forgotten containers in a neglected part of the garden too. Mostly containers of flowering bulbs that I left on its side since last spring! They're popping up like I've been taking good care of them. Guess they don't hold grudges. Hopefully I'll get some tall daffodils like Diannes's to arrange with.
Dianne, your quince is really tall. Mine are stunted from being in containers. No signs of life from them yet, but I'm still crossing my fingers. Sorry I'm blabbering on your thread tonight.
This message was edited Feb 10, 2009 6:01 AM
Thanks, everyone.
Hi Karma - it is always a pleasure to have you on this thread - the more the merrier. Because it is winter, there is not a whole lot going on, so it is nice to have you pop in. Glad you got some bulbs coming up. The regular single-cup daffodils are starting to come into bud now too.
Did you get some bloodgrass from Candee? If yours take off, maybe I'll ask her for some too LoL.
