A Simple February Bouquet….
I find joy in the simple things and that includes my garden as well.
Yesterday, as I was preparing for my daughter’s 12th birthday party, I realized that I wanted to have a vase full of flowers to decorate the table. I had no time to go to the store, so I ran outside and clipped some blooms from my flowering shrubs and one of my vines.
The flowers of Desert Senna, Globe Mallow and Purple Lilac Vine.
Although, there were not too many plants blooming, I was happy to have found three types of flowers that would look nice together in a bouquet.
Yes, my bouquet was simple and decidedly un-formal, but that describes me perfectly. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to bring my blooming garden inside.
And so…I plan to create a simple bouquet from the flowers of my garden each month. I am looking forward to seeing how my bouquets will change as my garden changes through the months.
Anyone care to join me? Even in winter, small branches from a flowering fruit tree or witch hazel would be beautiful.
Noelle Johnson, aka, 'AZ Plant Lady' is a author, horticulturist, and landscape consultant who helps people learn how to create, grow, and maintain beautiful desert gardens that thrive in a hot, dry climate. She does this through her consulting services, her online class Desert Gardening 101, and her monthly membership club, Through the Garden Gate. As she likes to tell desert-dwellers, "Gardening in the desert isn't hard, but it is different."
Dear Noelle, Your arrangement is utterly charming and, I think, delights in its relative simplicity. I am sure that your daughter was entranced – I know I should have been.
Sprigs taken from the garden, as well as being much more imaginative, show much more in the way of thought and care than flowers which are shop bought.
What a pretty bouquet! I rarely cut flowers from my garden to bring them inside–I can't bring myself to cut off their pretty blooms. But I have plans for so many flowering annuals this year, I really should start bringing some indoors where everyone can enjoy them.
I have always liked informal bouquets created from the garden over the formal flower shop ones with homogeneous pesticide ridden blooms. Indeed the most upscale flower shops specialize in creating such bouquets and arrangements that look like you went out an picked flowers from a garden!
Whenever I have guests I use lots of bougainvillea. I also discovered that if you pick hibiscus blooms before they open, gently wrap in tissue and keep n the refrigerator, they open like fresh blooms for evening.
I look forward to your monthly arrangements.
Lovely bouquet, Noelle! Our garden is our favorite store, isn't it?
What a stunning bouquet! I love the colours, composition and form. The 'bouquet from your garden' is a wonderful meme for a monthly post, us northerners may have difficulty for a good part of the year though, but I do look forward to yours. 🙂 Rebecca
I love your bouquet fresh from your lovely gardens. That's a great idea also to pick a bouquet a month to photograph. What a great progression of blooms through the seasons. Is desert senna the same as desert cassia?
Have a lovely Sunday ~ FlowerLady
Noelle, you never cease to amaze me with fresh gardening ideas very so often. This is lovely. The best part is that it from your own garden. Yesterday night, I just happen to catch a glimpse of golf channel My Dear was watching and when I saw the cactus plants prickling a golfer's fingers in Arizona, I was reminded about your desert garden blog. How nice:)
Noelle, really lovely bouquet. It's amazing what you can do with flowers from your own garden. I've noticed that the Globe Mallows from the Southwest seem to come in a multitude of different hues, including pinks and reds. The flowers of the native Globe Mallow species from our California deserts are uniformly orange or some shade thereof. I'd love to find a mail order seed source for those beautiful varieties I've seen in your photos.
I do sometimes bring in a few flowers for bouquets, but I'm funny about it. I never make big vases full, but tiny little groups! I like to leave my flowers outside, and don't like the thought of cutting into the display. I never feel like I have enough to spare!
I think fresh bouquets from the garden are lovely. Yours is just beautiful Noelle and it makes me smile to see the hardenbergia being part of the show!
I wouldn't mind joining in with a monthly bouquet. I think I'll struggle a bit, but I also think it will do me good!
It' describes me as well. I believe it turned out very nice!
Did your seeds arrive?
Thats so lovely – I used to pick blooms for my MIL so that she could use them in her bouquets – sadly so many in our house have allergies to pollen that I don't bring the blooms indoors nowadays. A monthly bouquet theme is a great idea Noelle! and Happy 12th birthday to your daughter too.
Noelle, what a nice idea to do this every month. If I thought I had anything to add I would, but I don't have anything nice during the winter. Happy birthday to your daughter…she's a 'tween'! My son just turned 13. They grow up too fast!
Nice bouquet – and a lovely idea. May well join in. Not this month unfortuantely – we're still in the depths of winter here and nothing's in bloom at all.
Very nice combination of plants for your bouquet. I especially like all the smaller-scale flowers together–they always seem more relaxed than an arrangement of huge flowers fighting for importance…
Perfect idea Noelle and the arrangement looks beautiful. I hesitate to cut flowers from my garden too. Not sure why? I think I need a cutting garden specifically for that purpose!! ha.
Your bouquet idea should be interesting. Last year we tried to have a vase with something in it all the time. We made it to about June, though mostly by using some really long-lasting cuts. It was a nice way to look at plant combinations, I found.
Noelle, I think your bouquet is LOVELY and a great idea.
Happy Birthday to Noelle's daughter!
The colours are splashing brilliant!
I often use flower cuttings of heliconias & silkpine which last about a week. Its very humid and these flowers seemed to last longer than others.
Noelle, what a lovely arrangement you did for your daughters birthday.
I did plant a cutting garden when we purchased our home. Winter is a problem thought in Canada, at least in my part.
Count me in…Will we have a certain day of the month to post the pictures?
Balisha
Happy Birthday to your daughter! What a pretty bouquet to celebrate her day with. That is my type of arrangement too.
I think bouquet of the month would be a really fun idea! When you decide on a date to post them let us know.