“Freshly cut Christmas trees smelling of stars and snow and pine resin—inhale deeply and fill your soul with wintry night.” ~John J. Geddes
With Christmas a week away and the Winter Solstice later this week, I wanted to make a festive vase with plant material from outside. But what did I have left to use?
There’s the White pine trees next to the house.
The small boxwoods.
And I was still eyeing the silver-gray foliage of the lavender to use again.
But I wanted a pop of red or something colorful to add to the vase. But what? Then I remembered the native coralberry bush next to the house. It wouldn’t have many, if any, leaves left, but it would have those wonderful pink berries. It was so inundated with pollinators in the spring and summer, that I knew it would be flush with berries.
The housing development has wanted to cut and tame that bush now twice, but I have intervened educating them that this bush produces fruit for wildlife. If they cut it in late summer, they would stop the fruit from forming. And now to cut it would not be wise either as the fruit is ripening. I am sure I will have to do battle with more people who do not understand about native fruit producing bushes and when to cut them, if ever.
Its shape is perfect and it is not too big at all. I don’t know what the rush is. And I have been clear that I will take care of the garden here. HANDS OFF!!
Anyway, I digress. So I took some cuttings of everything but the boxwood. It is still a small bush and cutting it this time of year would only stress it. It needs time without interference from the landscapers who cut the very small bushes 2 years in a row during late fall. This caused them to have winter burn, lose many leaves and then suffer setbacks to their spring growth.
I used this lovely Belleek Christmas vase that was a gift from a dear friend many years ago. It is a perfect vessel.
With all my Christmas decorations adorning the areas I normally place, vases, I had a hard time deciding where it would go. I finally found just enough room on the bookcase.
I love the look of it. And it has a fresh Christmas piney smell.
With this vase, I am joining in with the wonderful meme, In A Vase On Monday, from Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All the pictures shared in this post were taken with my Nikon Coolpix or iPhone camera, and manipulated on my iPhone using the apps, Pixlr and Prisma. You can follow my progress with #the100dayproject in my Instagram and Facebook feed.
All original content is copyrighted and the sole property of Donna Donabella @ Gardens Eye View, 2010-2023. Any reprints or use of content or photos is by permission only.
Very festive, Donna! I sympathize with your ongoing battle with landscapers, they rarely seem to have a feel for anything beyond mowing.
And making trees and shrubs into balls
Sorry to hear you are still battling with the developers, Donna. Those berries are beautiful, and yet how easily the bush could have lost them to the landscapers. You have used them to such good effect with the pine branches, and how lovely to have the pine fragrance inside
Thanks so much Cathy!
It’s a lovely display, Donna! The coralberry was just perfect to set off the greenery and your special vase is nice. Enjoy the holidays.
Thanks my friend. Sending you love at this holiday season.
I love the scent of pine and it looks wonderfully wintry and celebratory with the berries. The landscapers, ugh!
Thanks. Yes not gardeners so everything has to be cut, chopped and made uniform.
That’s a lovely vignette, Donna! I associate the smell of pine with Christmas but I have to buy a cut tree each year to get that 🙂
Yes. There is not anything like that.
Beautiful seasonal IAVOM. I also have little else but evergreen, but if I have to abide by the limits of my yard, oh my, what joyous foliage it is to use.
I agree finding the beauty in our garden this time of year is grand. My tiny garden yields only so much though so I do buy flowers to brighten my day at our local grocer. Or I should say my husband does
A beautiful seasonal vase Donna ❤️ What a shame that you have to do battle with with the landscape team. At the end of the day I suppose they are just doing a job as quickly as they can and they are not gardeners. Hopefully you will convert them
I doubt I will convert them. But they are so accommodating to allow me to do my own thing. Glad you enjoyed the vase.
Great elements for your vase: It looks festive and beautiful. And the other elements add joy, too. 🙂
Thank you so much Beth. That means a lot coming from you! I always admire your beautiful arrangements.
That is gorgeous Donna! You have really inspired me to go on a search for some remaining berries for a Christmas arrangement!
Thank you Cathy!!