I have a vase in miniature today. The flowers are tiny, the vase, made by potter John Maltby, is tiny and yet I think it has all the joy and presence of one of our usual Monday vases. The flowers are yellow lady's bedstraw, blue germander speedwell, a single common bent grasss, pignut and the strange grey-white flowerhead of Calocephalus brownii, a member of the aster family and a native of Australia. I have seen it growing wild along the shore in Melbourne, but this plant has been in one of my winter flower pots and has now stretched out to produce these curious pinhead shaped flowers. They were the inspiration for this Thumbelina sized vase.
And because I can finally pick enough sweet peas to make up a small vase, here are a few fragrant beauties on Monday too.
You don't really appreciate how small the arrangement is until you put it next to the thimble. So tiny and perfect for a small space.
ReplyDeleteYour sweet peas are lovely too. I always love them, but have never tried growing them since it is so hot and dry here. I assumed they like cool and moist, which is not my climate. They are the loveliest of colors.
You should give sweet peas a whirl Cindy! Nothing ventured nothing gained, and all that! If they are kept well watered you never know, they might love your garden! I would if I was a sweet pea! A
DeleteI love all things miniature and your teeny tiny vase is an absolute delight - what great choices you have included. The Calocephalus is a curious oddity I have never come across before. Pretty thimble too. And hurrah for your sweet peas of course!
ReplyDeleteThank you Cathy. You would probably recognise the Calocephalus if you saw it in its garden centre-sales-time state! It is silver grey, compact and very twiggy and we usually see it in the garden centres in autumn. I had it in my winter pots with skimmia etc, and it just started to stretch out during the springtime! A
DeleteSomething special about miniature arrangements. Your gorgeous staging and photographs make it even nicer.
ReplyDeleteThanks Susie. And I loved your beautiful whimsical vase this week! Absolutely lovely with some fantastic colour and texture. Have a good week. A
DeleteThe thimble was a perfect choice to establish scale, Amanda. It's a sweet arrangement. As always, I also enjoy seeing your lovely sweet peas - that color mix is perfect!
ReplyDeleteThank you Kris. I am amazed my sweet peas finally produced some flowers. How many more there are to come - who knows! They have been so disappointing because I really splashed out on a carefully chosen range of colours and spent quite a bit on seeds! Just one of those years I guess! The flowers I have are lovely and smell delicious, and that's all that matters really!! A
DeleteOh that is a tiny teeny exquisiteThumbelina size vase filled with delight Amanda. Such an attractive thimble. I've had problems with sweet peas this year - sparse flowers and very late to flower but the joy of finally having enough to pick for a vase has been worth all the effort of growing them.
ReplyDeleteThank you Anna! I am glad I am not the only one to be struggling with my sweet peas! Usually I grow them without very little trouble but this year they are more or less a washout! Hey ho! There's always next year! I might keep the seeds somewhere warmer than the cold frame next year. They just sat for ever in the cold with nothing happening. A cosy boost in the house might help for 2021! One can but hope! A
DeleteThumbelina, Thumbelina tiny little thing, Thumbelina dance Thumbelina sing....
ReplyDeleteSweet arrangement xx
Thanks Sally! xx
DeleteVery pretty, and so tiny! I love the little vase you have used Amanda. :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Cathy. It is one of the potter John Maltby's creations from many years ago. His work has evolved a bit since then. It is a quaint little object!! A
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