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Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Monday, February 5, 2018

In a Vase on Monday - Winter White

The garden clearly doesn't understand that wearing white is only acceptable between Memorial Day and Labor Day.  Or maybe this is winter white.  In any case, the garden is sending forth winter blooms in several shades of white.  Perhaps because they're accompanied by a lot of green, it's okay.  For those of you in colder climates, I'm sorry that your winter white is an entirely different thing.

The sun broke through the clouds for an hour or so this afternoon making the snowdrops open happily.  Lonicera fragrantissima continues to send clouds of fragrance over the garden when the wind isn't  howling through.

Hellebores in all shades are brightening the gloom.  These got plunked into an old medicine bottle.

White camellias and more hellebores made it into another old bottle.

Here they are together.

 One more little stem of white hellebores got plunked into yet another old bottle. I have a hard time discarding anything that's been picked.

Was it the sun, the blooms, or the medication once in these antique bottles that made me feel happy and hopeful today?   Who knows?  The brain is a complicated organ.

It'll do your psyche good to click on over to Rambling in the Garden where the host of In a Vase on Monday, Cathy will have a vase to share and  links to other participating bloggers. Do it, it's more fun  than therapy, cheaper than medication, and easier than exercising!

22 comments:

  1. Lucky you to heave such a wealth of winter flowers to pick from. We have one of those phrenology heads as well but ours just has the knobby shapes and no words. None of your whites would classify as winter whites under the old dress rule as that color was more cream than pure white. Your bouquets are quite pure!

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  2. Very sweet. This brain is on hiatus... too much time indoors:( Hellebores will be showing up soon.

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  3. What a lovely collection of white blooms Peter - the camellias look so waxy and almost unreal! I like the thinking behind the phrenolgy prop! ;)

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  4. I love your winter white better than mine....yours means my garden is growing instead of being buried under white!

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  5. So many pretty white flowers! This kind of winter white is so much better than the kind we used to get in Massachusetts. It was nice that the rain took a little hiatus yesterday, I got out and did a bit of gardening.

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  6. I think white is a great color for winter. There is so much gray and gloom that it is striking to see pure white in the garden. Later, in summer, white blooms can't compete with the sun and seem more washed out. That camellia bloom is perfection.

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  7. Beautiful white blooms. Oh, to have anything blooming in the garden in February! But, I guess that's why we plan to spend February traveling away from Wisconsin when we retire. Great vases, as always.

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  8. Very pretty! Greedy gardener that I am, I'd love to have snowdrops but then I suppose they wouldn't like our winter temperatures.

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    1. Kris, I thought the same when I saw the snowdrops, but they woulndn´t like our warm winters neither :(

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  9. Love the purity of white and its promise of spring!

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  10. They are all so pretty and uplifting. I'm sure it's the sun and the fact that you have pretty things flowering and know that spring is on the way.

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  11. Love all your winter whites. Is the camellia from the greenhouse?

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    1. The camellia is outside. The C. japonicas are beginning their show for the season.

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  12. I like your winter whites more than mine, which as you know, are the snow and ice variety. Luckily, living in the country, there aren't too many dirty snowbanks, which hardly quality as 'white.' ;)

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  13. I winter, when blooms are scarce, the ones we have are so much more appreciated. Such lovely little blooms!
    We have been enjoying our little patch of snowdrops outside our family room window,

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  14. What a lovely collection of blanche fleurs! (Using my fancy Paris talk on you...)

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  15. Beautiful combination of white flowers! The camellia is just gorgeous, I can't wait to see my camellias blooming again. I see you have snowdrops, I have fascination for those flowers since I was a child but couldn't grow them to save my life in this hot climate. I am literally green with envy!

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  16. Snowdrops! I am green with envy now! I love those flowers but couldn't grow them to save my life in my hot climate. Your white camellia is gorgeous! camellias rank among my favorite plants I can't wait for winter to see my camellias and get some rest from the insane heat.

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  17. What a bouquet Peter! It's really that spring is over the corner in your place. I love snowdrops as well, I have to wait for them more than a month.

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  18. I love your beautifully pure white blooms. The blue of the bottles is a great combination. Also interesting that the different textures of the various flowers makes the 'white' change from shiny to mat to silk-like.

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  19. Hitting the bottles is a good way to display a few flowers and give them emough separation to shine.

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  20. Cool lighting with the white flowers in front of the dark background. Kind of gives a renaissance painting vibe to the scene. Love seeing the snowdrops of course :)

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I love to hear your thoughts.