Monday, November 10, 2008

I'm On Safari, How About You?

This is the best time of year to go on a safari, are you coming along? Don't worry, we are not going to kill any animals; it's not that kind of safari. Were going to hunt things down, do a bit of stalking, some pouncing, use some sharp implements for cutting, perhaps take a pic or two, but no blood will flow. At least, not if you are careful and don't wake up the lion snoozing in the tall grasses.
November is an excellent month for this kind of safari : the hunt for the elusive flower. Gone are the days that I was able to fill my trug to overflowing with flowers from the garden.
Now I have to search high and low to find just a few flowers to cut for the vase. But even in November I managed to find some.

Quite a surprising amount in fact, enough to stuff a jug to the gills. See?
Not bad, eh? Here are some close ups.
It's quite a mixed bunch of roses, winter Jasmin, Verbena bonariensis, Asters, Malva Park Allee (close up above), Salvia, the last sprig of Lady's Mantle and anything else I could lay my hot little hands on.

But it will be the last real bouquet of the year, I'm afraid. Soon I'll have to make do with very tiny vases with just a flower or two like this
or this.
But even with tiny vases, holding just the odd flower, you can make a bit of an impact if you put them together like so
or so.
You can also use a not so ordinary container to add some much needed visual impact to a few miserly sprigs.
Hunting for blooms at this time of year is quite a challenge but it's something that I thoroughly enjoy. Any fool can fill a vase in midsummer when the garden is crammed to overflowing, but to create a fun little flower arrangement at this time of year, is quite another kettle of fish or Delft Blue cow. But if there are really no flowers in your garden whatsoever then there is nothing for it and you'll have to resort to this desperate measure
and buy a bunch.

Life without flowers, it doesn't bear thinking about, does it? So, what are you waiting for? Get cracking with your own flower safari and do show and tell, that's what your blog is for. ;-)

copyright 2008: Y.E.W. Heuzen

We are fed up with boredom and slavery. So down your weapons, revolutionaries, and pick up your spades. Digging is fun and freedom all rolled into one.
Tom Hodgkinson, Digging For Anarchy, 2006

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am sadly lacking in flower arranging skills of any kind!
I'm amazed you still have so many flowers left in your garden. I must say your bunch of flowers looks very attractive. We do need cheering up at this time of year.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

A great idea Yolanda. I just don't think I would find much in the garden now. Maybe a pink carpet rose. It probably froze last night. Brrrr it is cold here today.

Zoë said...

I will .... once the force 8 outside had subsided!

garden girl said...

I'm afraid there aren't any flowers left to forage after our 20 degree (f) temps last night Tyra. So I will enjoy your beautiful blooms while I dream of spring!

garden girl said...

I'm sorry - I meant Yolanda! I was visiting Tyra just before stopping by for a visit at Bliss.

Cheryl said...

Lovely safari....do we get lunch as well??
You still have many blooms.....summer flowers have all gone from the garden.....but I do have Mahonia Charity in flower, with its lovely fragrance.......I wait in anticipation for the Christmas Box, one of my favourites.....
Today is another wet day and it is blowing a gale.......
Enjoy your week.....hows little Tara?

Anonymous said...

Hi Yolanda, so sorry but that song by the Beach Boys, Surfin' Safari just popped into my brain while reading your first caption. Showing my age just a little bit too? ;-> You are the master of the bouquet, YE. I really love your tiny ones the best, in a group of just alone on a table top of shelf. They allow for minute inspection of the wonder of each petal.
Frances

Libbys Blog said...

very little going on in my garden and sadly no flowers!! But I pop across here and and find alot of flowery pics to enjoy! Thank you for sharing them with us!

Anonymous said...

Yolanda, you have a wonderful eye for arrangement and design -- your bouquets are lovely. How lucky to still have one last bouquet.

Curmudgeon said...

Lovely! With smaller bouquets each flower gets your full attention and appreciation. We still have a few things in bloom but the rains and heavy winds are keeping me inside today.

TYRA Hallsénius Lindhe said...

Just lovely Yolanda, could you imagine a life without flowers? Great words by Hodgkinson.

Karin said...

A saffari that I liked! :) Always looking for flowers to make a bouquet! Since we've had frost it's impossible for me to make any more bouquets this year. I'm longing for a new bouquet season. Have a nice week!

Kram Karin

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

It must be wonderful to still have all those blooms in the garden. While the blooming has been much depleted by temperature in the 20s, fortunately I still need more than one hand to count them. Whether they make it to Bloom Day, however, is quite doubtful.

Gail said...

YE,

All those lovely blooms...I have a few left but not enough to bring inside...especially no roses! Your safari was very successful!

Gail

Anonymous said...

I did go on safari today and nary a bloom was found. I will look for the not so obvious items with which to fill a vase. Love the Barking Barbarian and your new walkway. Both are marvelous.

Glo said...

I'll head out on a safari tomorrow since looking at your lovely collection and arrangements :) Thanks for the idea!

Yolanda Elizabet Heuzen said...

Hi all and welcome to flowery Bliss.

* Easygardener: I was pretty amazed myself when I saw how many flowers I had been able to gather from my November garden. The new border helps a lot of course, that's 63 m2 crammed with plants, most of them flowering ones.

* Lisa: well, you could also use grasses, small branches with autumn leaves (I use oak a lot), seedheads, hips etc. It's not that cold here I'm happy to say. Wrap up warmly when you go for walkies with Luna.

* Zoe: it stormed here yesterday too but today it's calm and we have some sun as well. Happy flower safaring!

* Garden girl: LOL, I thought that might be the case. ;-) That's the fun of blogging, isn't it? That we can share our blooms.

* Cheryl: I'm waiting for my Christmas Box too as it has such a wonderful scent. Yesterday was stormy here too with lots of rain but today is much better. Little Tara is fine, very naugthy of course, but she is bright and is learning a lot.

* Frances: it's the little things in life that are usually the best. I like my little posies too as they keep reminding me that Spring is on its way.

* Libby: glad you enjoyed the flowers. I know that most of your plants are tropical ones and have been put to sleep in your greenhouses, so it makes sense that you have no flowers at the mo.

* Nancy Bond: thanks! I am very lucky indeed and think that it is due to the fact that there is a new border now with lots of plants, some of which are still producing flowers. Up till now my last real bouquet from the garden was usually in October.

* WWW: such bad weather with you too. Storms and rain are wreaking havoc all over the garden bloggers world it seems.

* Tyra: thanks and yeah that was a pretty good quote, wasn't it?

* Karin: we've had some frosts too but very light ones so I was fortunate enough to still be able to pick flowers to make a nice bouquet. Thanks and you too!

* MMD: why so glum? I'm sure you'll have some left to show on GBBD. And don't forget that you can show indoor blooms too.

* Gail: a pity that you don't have any roses left. Here Moonlight is still going strong and even putting out new buds. Unbelieveable how long that rose flowers; from April right till December.

* Layanee: I'm happy with my new path, especially now that we are in the wet season. It saves a lot of muddy shoes. ;-) On the other hand the BB is causing lots of mud on my floors and my trouserlegs. There is always something, isn't there?

* Glo: excellent idea, happy flower hunting!

Thanks for dropping by and commenting. As always, I've enjoyed reading each and every one of them.

Anonymous said...

Hello Yolanda.
Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment.
I know how you feel about a flowerless garden. But colourful leaves are beautiful too. (as shown in my post).
Very soon the Christmas flowers - Pointsettias are int the store for purchase to cheer us up.
I love Autumn..
During the last few weeks I walked through many of our beautiful parks, along the shoreline of Lake Ontario. The fall is a very special time. I enjoy my quiet walks and peaceful walks.
- Cheers Gisela.
Posted my pictures here:
http://guildwood.blogspot.com

Hannele på Hisingen said...

Nice flowers in nice vases, I love vases and will show some day...

marga said...

Wat heb jij nog steeds veel bloemen in je tuin.....hier is het nou echt afgelopen!!!!

Anonymous said...

It's surprising just what can still be found in the garden at this time of year! xx

Cindy Garber Iverson said...

You DID get a lot of blooms for November. And beautiful ones at that! Your malva is just gorgeous. The soft pink is my favorite shade.

Cindy

VP said...

I've been on my flower safari today. Not as good as the summer of course, but I was pleasantly surprised by what I found!

Green thumb said...

Great! that's my kind of safari.
Now, after going through this post, I'm a little confused on what to admire more, the ingenious flower arrangement or the stunning vases! Well well, I will let the confusion rest for a while and lose myself in the beauty of the thing as a whole.
That China Cow is a winner, though she looks a tad uncomfortable with that flowery load:-)

trần minh an said...

beatifull !!!

Barbara said...

I enjoy very much safaris like the one we had with you, dear Yolanda! There is always something to see when bending down...and if not we luckily have the flower shop :-) !!
Have a nice Sunday,
Barbara

Kylee Baumle said...

You always have the prettiest bouquets!