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.

Revisiting the San Antonio Riverwalk

Have you been to San Antonio, Texas? Have you walked along the Riverwalk? We spent the second half of February in San Antonio, and part of the fun was exploring the Riverwalk. We'd been there more than three decades earlier; since then, it's been expanded by more than a dozen miles, so it was even more amazing than during our first visit.

From scenery and landscaping, to restaurants and attractions, to historical landmarks, to parks and fun--there's so much to see and do along the Riverwalk's 15 miles on both sides of the river.



Huge and impressive native Bald Cypress trees (Taxodium distichum) line some areas of the shoreline. Apparently, they can grow to be 100s of years old and 80-120 feet tall.



The landscaping along the Riverwalk includes creative stonework, plantings, and waterfalls. We visited during late winter/early spring, and I can imagine it must be really lovely from mid-spring through November, and colorfully lit during the holidays.



San Antonio has a subtropical climate, so palm trees are also common sights along the way.



It was sweet to see roses blooming in February. While there were no tags on this one, I believe it's a Rosa chinensis cultivar.



Historical landmarks are also fun to explore along the way. This property, the Villa Finale, is a beautiful structure, with equally impressive landscaping surrounding it--even at the end of winter. Also known as the Norton–Polk–Mathis House, it was built in 1876.



Historical markers help to tell the stories.



Heavenly Bamboo shrubs (Nandino domestica) line some of the walkways; during our visit they were laden with bright berries.



And, of course, the Alamo is a must-see during a San Antonio trip. We visited a few of the area's missions, as well.

The weather was great for most of our trip, with highs in the 70s and 80s F during most of the days. We're glad to be home, but it was a wonderful getaway at the end of the winter. More coverage to follow...

Before the Snow

Autumn and winter are playing tag in my part of the world lately. We've had cold days and snowy days, followed by rainy, sunny, and relatively mild days. This morning, Mother Nature blanketed the garden with a fresh coat of snow. It will probably melt on the weekend with milder temperatures, but it's pretty while it lasts.

Before the snow, I took a quick tour around the garden yesterday to note the highlights of the late autumn garden.



Most years, the Epimediums ('Rubrum' here) are chewed to the ground by the rabbits this time of year. Rabbit activity, for some reason, is lighter this autumn.



I like the stacking here of the Juniper shrub, Epimedium x warleyense, and the Ajuga groundcover.



Sedum 'Autumn Joy' is a favorite in the garden this time of year with its colorful seed heads.



Moss on rocks and other surfaces keeps the green character going throughout the winter.



The Hellebores retain their umbrella foliage until I trim them in the spring.



I'm trying to get some swaths of Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra) going, to spill over the rock wall. I've had limited success (rabbit damage, slow growth, etc.) But this one survives with a little help from caging at the base. I hope it will fill in more in the years to come.



I leave the garden seed heads, including Echinacea, up over the winter for bird food and for insects that might be overwintering in the stems. I think they also add character to the winter garden.



This combo of Coneflowers (E. purpurea) and Blue Mistflowers (Conoclinium coelestinum) is fun.

The 'Ozawa' Allium (A. thunbergii) I profiled in my last post is still holding its color and form.

How is your garden faring as the seasons shift? Soon the days will be consistently cold and snowy, and winter will take hold here. Things are getting festive as we shift toward the holidays...

Vignettes for Happy Holidays

It's winter, and currently, we're warm--warm for this part of the world in December, anyway. The snow is melting after two days with temperatures in the 40sF. But by the time you read this, things will be different: There won't be much snow left for Christmas, and our HIGH temps will plummet into the 10sF. It truly will be a good time to stay inside--warm and cozy.

Tuesday, I ventured out to the garden to take stock, and I found a few fun scenes.



In October, I'd plopped some ornamental kale into my front porch pots, and they're still alive. They really perk up on warm days. I didn't have the heart to clear them out for traditional December decor, so I simply stuck some gold filament curlicue stems in the pots with them.



The Hydrangeas have plump buds that, most likely, will perish in the deep freeze ahead. I guess I should wrap them in burlap, but I never do. Oh well; some years they flower, some years they don't.



This time of year, it's fun to investigate the various red berries in the garden. I saw very few remaining on the Cranberrybush Viburnum (V. trilobum). I don't know what that means?



The Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina) always holds some berries into the spring, when the robins come back to nibble on them. 



The Yew berries (Taxus baccata) never fail to offer a cheery holiday vibe.

I need to find a safer spot for the wren house in the spring, but it's cute resting on the rock wall for now.

This new bird house fits well in the crook of the Redbud tree (Cercis canadensis).



One of my favorite vignettes this time of year: the yin and yang of warm green moss and cold, white crystalline snow.



These Juniper (Juniperus squamata) branches appear to be clawing their way out from under a snow blanket.



This English Ivy (Hedera helix) is still thriving and evergreen. Usually, I bring it inside for the winter, but I have other pots full of it, and this one is heavy and difficult to move. It's placed adjacent to a warm, heated pond. Will it survive our subzero days?



Finally, the Mums (Chrysanthemum spp.) illustrate the dramatic transition from autumn to winter so well.

To all my plant- and nature-loving friends, may your holidays be bright and your travels into the New Year safe and healthy!

~ ~ ~

Check out Anna's Wednesday Vignettes at Flutter & Hum.