Not long ago I discovered the blog, Edinburgh Garden Diary. Great vases, great garden, great photos. Joanna's post — Spring has sprung — inspired my vases this week. If you click the link you'll what I mean. I don't have a collection of antique stoneware ink pots like she has, but I do have a collection of stoneware vases of all sizes.
I gathered my five smallest containers and took them out into the garden to photograph in natural light. But lining them up in a row where they weren't overwhelmed by the background proved a difficult task.
So I brought them indoors and lined them up on my fireplace mantle just like Joanna's vases. Alas, she has a better mantle and a nice plain wall to use as a backdrop.
My other aim in this week's arrangement was to display all the September pinks I discovered growing around the garden. I had no idea my garden took such a pastel turn at this time of the year. From the left: Tricyrtis hirta, Anemone japonica 'September Charm,' Origanum laevigatum 'Herrenhausen,' Begonia grandiflora and Sedum 'Autumn Joy.'
The vases have a lot of competition from a wall of landscape drawings, woodcuts, photos and paintings. We've been going to change this display for ages but haven't quite gotten around to it. Though we did move our sandstone Buddha from the dining room to this location. We liked the way this tight space framed him.
Our standing sandstone Buddha is in Vajrapradama Mudra (Mudra of Unshakable Self Confidence). Mudra is" a symbolic hand gesture used in Hindu and Buddhist ceremonies and statuary, and in Indian dance." He is Burmese from the Shan Period (about 1750) and stands about 30 inches high (76.2 cm.).
This can't miss meme — In a Vase on Monday — is hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden where you will find many beautiful bouquets.
