Time to Make a Wreath!

I recently rediscovered dried flowers and stems in my stash of crafting supplies. I thought: "Let's make a wreath!" While I'd originally planned to incorporate evergreens in the mix, instead I gathered additional dried items from the winter garden to add to the store-bought supplies:



Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra) for the base.



Northern Sea Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) for a little extra flourish.



Staghorn Sumac berries (Rhus typhina) for a bit of color.



And dried Fiddlehead Fern fronds (Matteuccia struthiopteris) for spicy structure.



I didn't use the fake plastic apple from the store-bought supply (it's cute but...). However, I did grab some of the Statice (Limonium sinuatum), Straw Flowers (Xerochrysum bracteatum), and dried/dyed grasses. The finished product:

It's simple and a little wonky, but it's kinda growing on me.

I'm linking in with "In a Vase on Monday" over at Rambling in the Garden, even though this isn't a vase. I hope that's OK with Cathy, our wonderful host. Head on over to her blog to check out all the creative arrangements!

In a Vase on Monday: Moody Contrasts

While I've combined evergreens and berries with dried elements in past winter vases, it simply didn't fit my mood this week. So I plopped the former in a vase, and gathered the latter for a separate arrangement.



The vase of dried elements isn't as vibrant, but it more accurately reflects how I'm currently feeling. I'm fine...it would be a long, boring story to explain the background on my mood. Anyway...



The dried arrangement isn't exciting, but it works in its spot, at this time of year.



I included several pops of very old, very dried Hydrangea (H. macrophylla) flowers,



Northern Sea Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium),



A sprig of Natal Grass (Melinis repens) from a long-ago arrangement,



Some stems of Hakone Grass (Hakonechloa macra),

Fertile fronds of Fiddlehead Ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris), and

Dried Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum) stems.



The Canada Yew (Taxus canadensis) and Cranberrybush Viburnum (Viburnum trilobum) are fresh and cute. I'll keep them on the back porch for a while to retain their brightness and moisture.

I'm linking in with In a Vase on Monday, hosted by Cathy at "Rambling in the Garden." Head on over to check out creative arrangements by bloggers around the world.

This and That From the Winter Garden

As we began to leap out of the polar vortex plunge, I decided to venture outdoors to gather a few elements for a winter arrangement. I also gathered some dried items and pulled them all together. (Check out the wonderful In a Vase on Monday meme for more great arranging ideas.) My choices included:



A few dried sprigs of Northern Sea Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium).

Pine cones (I've saved many over the years).

Hakone Grass (Hakonechloa macra), blades and seedheads.



Sprigs of evergreen Yew (Taxus canadensis).



Dried Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) blooms. I have quite a few saved over the years.



And freshly clipped Cranberrybush Viburnum (Viburnum trilobum) stems with heavy, frozen berries that eventually thawed and held their shape. They were so plentiful this year!

I filled the clear glass vase with more evergreen branches, for interest and anchoring.

This past week was brutal, but even on the coldest days there are garden elements to celebrate and display. Thanks to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for hosting the In a Vase on Monday meme.

In a Vase on Monday: We're Not Dead Yet

Are you familiar with the movie, "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" or the play, "Spamalot"? If so, you're aware of the scenes that include "Not Dead Fred." This is definitely black humor: A supposed plague victim in England during the Middle Ages is carried out to be carted away for burial, but declares, "I'm not dead," and later--as the scene continues--"I'm getting better."



I kept imagining that scene on Sunday as I put the potager garden to bed for the winter. Most of the plants were indeed "dormant" or, in the case of the annuals, "dead." But the Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus 'Rocket Mix') seemed to be screaming at me, "We're not dead yet!" I could have clipped them off and thrown them into the compost pile or left them standing. Instead I clipped off the very healthy flowerless stems, thinking I could use them for an arrangement.

That's what I started with when I contemplated an arrangement for today's "In a Vase on Monday" meme. It's hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.

Next, I searched the bleak landscape for other elements for my arrangement. I have to tell you I'm happier with the idea for this one than the eventual result--mainly because I ran out of time at the end of the day to perfect it. But the elements--in greater quantities--could have made a lovely bouquet.

They included:



Foliage from the Highbush Cranberry (Virburnum trilobum);



Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina) fruit and stems;



Seed heads and stems from Northern Sea Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium);



A nearly dried Hydrangea (H. macrophylla) flower head; and



Spore fronds from Fiddlehead Ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris).

In the end, those Snapdragon stems were screaming to stay together, alone, in their own vase. They just didn't fit with the dried, autumn arrangement.



So I kept them in the vase and plopped them on the front porch with the pumpkins. Who knows how long they'll last with the deep freeze on the way, but this way they have the display they deserve.



The dried arrangement would have looked decent by the fireplace, but I had to put it on the back porch so the cat wouldn't eat it. I need to shorten the outer stems a bit, but this is close.



I didn't include these Cosmos (C. bipinnatus 'Versailles Mix') in the dried arrangement either. I cut them on Oct. 30, and they're still blooming. Impressive vase life!

Head on over to Cathy's blog for other inspirational bouquets and arrangements.