In a vase on Monday: Roses

Since it's almost Valentine's Day, roses seem like the perfect flower for this week's post. Though I only have one rose in my garden, I have the remains of many roses from many romantic bouquets: Dried and turned into potpourri. If I grew old roses or David Austin roses, I might be more of a fan of roses as cut flowers. But since I don't, I have to admit that my favorite roses are dried like this necklace of rosebuds and pearls.

I've never actually worn it even when it was new and pink. Instead I put it at the feet of a little gilded figure of the Buddha in our Thai Spirit House. If you look carefully you can see the hand-painted scenes on the back walls. On the top are two ceramic figures that we refer to as our studio gods. The pig is a leftover from the Year of the Pig. The figures on the lower shelf are stoneware Christmas ornaments that are so delicate they live here.

This rose pomander may have lost most of its color but it still has a strong rose fragrance. Not the world's most practical item but certainly a very pretty one. The item in the background is an ink stone used for grinding an ink stick to make black ink for Japanese calligraphy. It's 5.5 x 10 inches.

I've had this raku vase since the 1970s when I bought it from Fanny Garver Gallery right after I finished graduate school. I was working as a waitress so I always had a little cash on hand when something special came along. The vase is composed of three separate parts: the scrolled base, the body and the lid and is 9 inches tall. I've been putting dried rose petals in here for years.

This quirky image is taken looking into the interior of the vase, which is resting on its side on the base. You can see the mix of lavender and rose potpourri topped with dried rose petals that I've had in this container for years. 

Years ago my husband flipped the vase over to look at its decorative curved bottom (below) with the artist's name stamped into it (John Natale). Unfortunately Mark forgot to keep a hand on the lid which fell off and broke. He glued it together for me and was most apologetic. I was able to be fairly understanding about it since  his mom did the exact thing to a pot that he made when he was in college.

To see what gardeners who are able to go out into their gardens for material to put into a vase are doing today, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.

Comments

[Lisa at Greenbow]

Nice way to keep those roses. I have a glass jar full of dried roses that I have been given over the years. Happy Monday.

[Kristin]

That is a lovely vase. Clearly you've had a good eye since at least grad school. Do you find that what you like in art has changed much over the years, or remained fairly constant? I do love your choices and style!

[Linda from Each Little World]

Kristin — That is a really probing question and one I have not thought about too much. I've always been interested in design and interiors in particular. I think I've also been an Anglophile from high school on, in love with those country houses that are packed with interesting things from around the world. That means almost anything that catches your fancy can be fit in which is how my husband and I think these days.

[Linda from Each Little World]

Lisa — Fascinating how we find ways to keep these kind of things.

[Noelle]

A nice entry this week..I love the stories and memories.

[Dee Nash]

A great spin on what's in a vase. I dearly love dried rose petals. I have a rose petal rosary my confirmation sponsor gave to me when I became Catholic at 27 years old. I cherish it and my other rose petals. Your post brought back such good memories. Thank you. I look forward to your posts on making the garden easier to maintain. We could all learn more of this.~~Dee

[Loree / danger garden]

I winced as you told the story of the broken lid. My husband brought back a pair of rice bowls from his time in Japan (we were not married then) and I broke one a couple years ago. It was an easy shape to glue and so we still have it, but I felt horrible.

I love your collection of dried rose buds and petals, I've never understood how people can be so quick to through things like them out.

[Donna@Gardens Eye View]

Oh my we are both thinking dried roses....and I love your accompanying ornaments...that ink stone is fascinating as is the raku vase! All beautiful displayed in your temple.

[Linda from Each Little World]

Donna — ​From the comments, it sounds like we are not alone!

[Cathy]

Thank you for sharing your rose buds and petals and all your precious possessions and the stories behind them - sometimes Mondays feel like a confessional but it is indeed a safe place for us to share some of our personal thoughts. A lovely post Linda

[Linda from Each Little World]

Cathy — I had not thought of it but we do tend to reveal other things while talking about our vases!

[Amelia]

Very, very creative and lovely containers - you have a great eye.

[Kris P]

The Spirit House is wonderful as is the rose pomander but I love that intricate vase containing the rose petals and lavender - it even looks great displayed on its side!