It may be cold outside, but it's Monday and that means it's time for the first vase of the new year. We treated ourselves to this Japanese-influenced container just in time for the holidays.
It's one of many beautiful creations by Richard Jones of Studio Paran in Madison. We found it at the always alluring Abel Contemporary Gallery in Paoli. I would describe this as an Ikebana-type container made of darkened bamboo with a hand-blown glass insert that rises above the top of the bamboo.
I filled it with evergreens and berries for a festive holiday look. Then I spent the rest of the evening thinking it just wasn't the right arrangement for such a spare container.
The very next morning I ran out into the garden (it wasn't so cold and there was no snow on the ground) and took a cutting from our bamboo, Fargesia rufa 'Green Panda'. I replaced most of the evergreen foliage with this stem of bamboo.
If you look closely at the photo below, you can just see the rounded and carved ball on the bottom of the glass container. It sits inside the bamboo so that its curved edge peeks through the opening.
To see what kind of vases other gardeners have put together this morning, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden who hosts this Monday meme.
Wonderful and unique vase.
Posted by: Susie | Monday, January 08, 2018 at 07:24 AM
Great new vase and fun contents!
Posted by: Peter/Outlaw | Monday, January 08, 2018 at 08:45 AM
what an unusual vase, Linda - so it is actually made from bamboo? It must be a very chunky stem to have the space to insert the little glass phial! We don't often see wall displays these days do we, so it's good to have something like this to create such a feature. I like the idea of having bamboo foliage to link with the vase itself
Posted by: Cathy | Monday, January 08, 2018 at 08:47 AM
What a unique vase. It is a beauty and will remain so when empty. Happy IAVOM.
Posted by: Lisa at Greenbow | Monday, January 08, 2018 at 08:48 AM
Thanks for pointing out the link between the vase and the bamboo foliage. I had not actually made that connection and it will inspire me to use bamboo in those arrangements in the future.
Posted by: Linda Brazill | Monday, January 08, 2018 at 09:06 AM
Wow, that vase is a knock out! Glad you made it yours.
Posted by: Loree / danger garden | Monday, January 08, 2018 at 10:57 AM
Love the way you have placed the arrangement on the wall...it shows up the vase and its contents to great advantage.
Posted by: Noelle | Monday, January 08, 2018 at 12:04 PM
What a gorgeous vase and love the plant material you filled it with!
Posted by: Donna@GardensEyeView | Monday, January 08, 2018 at 12:52 PM
What a lovely vase, and I like the fact it is hanging on the wall--an unexpected touch filled with greenery and berries!
Posted by: Rose | Monday, January 08, 2018 at 03:51 PM
How cool and a head scratcher for contents! What popped into my head was a Japanese Iris and foliage, I think the bamboo foliage is the right touch. Stay warm.
Posted by: Amelia Grant | Monday, January 08, 2018 at 03:55 PM
What an unusual vase! I liked the first arrangement but version #2 is even better in my book - it has an airy quality that balances the more formal line of the vase.
Posted by: Kris P | Monday, January 08, 2018 at 06:40 PM
Darkening the bamboo is wonderful, bringing out its luster. It definitely calls for long arching stems!
Posted by: Eliza Waters | Tuesday, January 09, 2018 at 06:41 PM