In a vase on Monday: In the eye of the beholder

Walking around the garden Sunday afternoon, there were still vestiges of Saturday's snowfall. Lots of green things were pushing up but not much is in flower yet. The fact that blue was the predominant color visible pretty much determined what my vase would look like this week. To brighten things up I decided to add a few of the remaining snowdrops and create a blue and white theme. 

I started with a blue-framed image from a magazine of a bouquet of blue flowers. Then I added a few antique pieces of blue and white china to suggest afternoon coffee and cookies. In truth, my husband and I always get together for a 3 o'clock cup of coffee and a little sweet treat so this is not as fanciful an image as it might seem.

All these flowers are petite — you know how spring flowers are — so I picked the smallest containers I could find. The Chinodoxa are in an antique Chinese snuff bottle (left) while the tiny Tommies are in a blue and white pitcher not quite as big as a shot glass. The Iris are in a deep purple vase. 

Once I started to put the flowers into the containers and put them next to my other blue and white objects, it became quite apparent to me that "blue" is a color that looks one way in the garden but turns into something completely different when put with indoor "blues." In retrospect I felt most of these flowers are leaning more toward blue violet if not purple itself.

The addition of something red might push them back into the blue camp, but red flowers — other than Hellebores — are rare in my spring garden. Or perhaps lots more white might neutralize them. Conclusion: I don't think I can call these blue bouquets when I compare them to the surrounding blues, but I am happy to have something to pick this Monday and am not going to quibble any more about color!

Flowers: Glory-of-the-Snow (Chionodoxa), Crocus tommasinianus, unknown Snowdrop (Galanthus) and Iris reticulata 'Harmony"

To see what gardeners around the world are putting in a vase today, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden who hosts this Monday meme.

Comments

[Susie]

How about blue color family? Having a range of blues is interesting. Lovely flowers.

[Lisa at Greenbow]

I am swooning and drooling. ha... The blues simply are gorgeous and cookies and tea are a great treat.

[Christina]

Iris Harmony is true blue for me but most crocus are lilac to purple. It is a nice habit to have coffee and a treat in the afternoon; I don't usually do it when I'm alone but if my husband is home we sometimes do. Your pretty arrangements works well with all your props.

[Cathy]

I have some white Chinodoxa coming through so I can get the scale of your little vases - so sweet. And I know what you mean by the blueness, a strange phenomenon!

[Donna@Gardens Eye View]

Love the blue and white theme...I had many of these flowers and more when the snow hit and more today...now all are buried with no melt in sight for a couple of days...hope they fare as well.

[Linda from Each Little World]

Susie — ​It's a bigger family than I realized!

[Linda from Each Little World]

Donna — Our snow on Saturday was light but tonight's low is predicted to be in the 20s; the fourth night in a row with those really low temps. March and April can sure drive a gardener crazy!

[Loree / danger garden]

Wonderful little flowers and I love your 3:00 tradition!

[Kris P]

I have similar issues with lavender colors in the garden - in one setting, the blue undertones seem dominant but in another (like a vase) the pink element appears stronger. In any case, your arrangement is still delightful and I admire your 3pm tradition!

[Peter/Outlaw]

Cobalt and white is my favorite color combination, especially in china! blue/violet - it works together and is lovely! What a nice thing to have coffee with your husband every day at three.

[Linda from Each Little World]

Peter — Don't know how we started doing the coffee thing but it is ritual now if we are both home. Especially nice in the summer when we can sit in the garden or the teahouse.