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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 15, 2016

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day and a Pink Martini for In A Vase on Monday

Today is both a Monday and the fifteenth of the month so I'm participating in both In a Vase on Monday hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden and Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens.  Click on the links to join in the fun!

Here's some of what's blooming in my garden this February.  Mostly the same as last year but some of the camellias in last year's February bloom day post aren't ready to open yet.

This NOID camellia along with the  inherited specimen present in a lot of older gardens in our neighborhood are the first of the Japonicas  in my garden to bloom each year.  The C. sasanqua 'Yuletide'  is still full of bloom as well.

Galanthus  have spread all over the garden (yea!) let's hope the Cyclamen coum behind will be just as prolific.

Helleborus orientalis 'Onyx Odyssey'

One of the first Hellebores I planted years ago.

Unnamed double pink seedling.




Jasminum nudiflorum 

No open flowers on the Abutilon megapotamicum but buds still present.  If we don't have any freezing temperatures, this one will just keep going.

Cyclamen coum

Petasites fragrans 

Rosemary

The first crocus of the season are crocus tommasinianus or tommies as some like to call them.  Just today, I noticed a few of the other crocus beginning to show some color as well.

Primula vulgaris.

Viburnum × bodnantense ‘Dawn’

Garrya elliptica

Arctostaphylos somethingorother

Lonicera fragrantissima is covered with bloom this year. The fragrance is divine!

Speaking of heavenly fragrances, Chimonanthus praecox is also adding to the olfactory treat out in the parking strip.

On the other side of the walkway is Daphne odora adding sweet notes.

Euphorbia

Grevillea victoriae

What to pick to bring in this Monday?   Closest to the back door and easiest to access were these camellia blooms. 

This large glass container has been gathering dust in a corner for several years now.   Although not a classic martini glass shape, it'll have to do for today's cocktail, a Pink Martini.


Of course, one needs a bit of ice to make a martini!

Add a whisper of bitters and a lot of love.



Add gin. Stir or shake, it's your choice.  I personally have never heard gin complain of being bruised in the shaker but I'm not a purist. Strain. Olive or no, it's your choice.  Today I've added an unusual garnish.

To make a pink martini.  Throw in a few compact disc cases as cocktail napkins and you've got a party.  Pink Martini is also the name of one of my favorite musical groups from nearby Portland.

Happy new week, Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, and Happy Gardening all! 

22 comments:

  1. I love that Onyx hellebore. Does the Abutilon ever stop blooming? This is going to have to be the year I get one. And a perfect vase to boot!

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  2. Yummy arrangement. Your garden must be incredibly fragrant at the moment. And I simply cannot imagine living where a rosemary plant blooms. Such a lucky guy!

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  3. Happy GBBD! What a treat to see your garden with new blossoms, specially camellia and hellebore.
    I love 'Amado mio' music too Peter!

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  4. I'm so glad you've got a Garrya elliptica, getting to see beautiful flowers on yours almost makes up for not having one of my own.

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  5. I love how you put the odd pieces of glass together for a very seasonal arrangement. Love Pink Martini, too.

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  6. Your flowers are a joy to see this morning! Thanks for sharing them.

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  7. You do know how to celebrate Bloom Day!

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  8. Oh, that Daphne odora... I love that fragrance. I wish the hellebore blooms were facing upward, or at least side ways; both your doubles are magnificent and could also make a nice martini float (if you have the heart to clip them off).

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  9. I'm pretty sure Thomas Lauderdale would be thrilled with your 'Pink Martini'. In my imagination, I am experiencing olfactory overload...a condition much to be desired.

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  10. It's looking like the beginning of spring there with all those blooms! I just love that Onyx hellebore. Beautiful and unusual looking! And a very nice martini!

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  11. That is my kind of martini: headache free.

    Another Wow!, too for the 'Onyx' hellebore. Thanks for the beautiful GBBD post.

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  12. Like Jessica, I especially noticed the Onyx hellebore - is it really that lavender grey colour in real life? Gorgeous! And what a great martini - sorry - vase! Wonderful idea, brilliantly put together. Thanks for sharing, Peter.

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  13. A wonderfully creative whimsical vase....looks like spring is treating your garden to lots of blooms.

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  14. I still have last week's alstroemeria in my vase on Monday. Too busy or too wet to get outside to even snip a camellia. We had to start over with our daphne odora so I have no sweet little blooms to bring in this year.

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  15. The pink martini is very well done! I love that onyx hellebore too but, if our current heat (near 90F this afternoon) is any indication, I guess further hellebore acquisitions are off the wish list. Wait! Maybe instead of a greenhouse, what I need is a flower refrigerator!

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  16. Well done Peter, sneaking in a Pink Martini is the icing on the cake--or the olive in the glass ? Your Cyclamen are beautiful, and that H. Onyx Odyssey --ooo la-la ! Happy Bloom Day !

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  17. Your concoction is plenty intoxicating! you are just about 10 days ahead of us in so. Everett, so I'm so pleased to see what is opening like crazy. The garrya is something I've always found enchanting. I'm crossing my fingers so the squirrels don't eat my hellebores, and not too much of the camellias, this year. Yours are luscious.

    SilverLake Sue

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  18. It's looking very spring-like in your garden, Peter! I wish my little seedling Chimonanthus were big enough to bloom. I came across one in a garden in Portland last week and the smell was divine.

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  19. Great cocktail for Valentine's and so restricted too considering the fantastic material in your garden...

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  20. Your flowers are beautiful with a delicate beauty you don't see the rest of the year. Late winter early spring flowers are precious. And your vase...just perfect! <3 <3 <3

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  21. Your is about the 3rd Chimonanthus I've come cross lately and I am beginning to wonder if it is fate. I need to do a bit of research as to whether it would do well here before I add it to my garden but for now it's on top of my 'maybe' list.
    You've a varied selection of blooms there Peter and so classy loooking along side that Martini. Tell me did you think of Shir Shean (in a broad Scot's accent) at time of writing ;)

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  22. your garden must be a real pleasure to walk around; and fragrant too. Very pretty arrangement.

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