In a Vase, on Monday – a Thanksgiving Ikebana

Chris Mousseau

It’s Thanksgiving Day here in Canada. A holiday when we almost always have a table loaded with delicious food, surrounded by friends and relatives….it’s a bit different for everyone this year though, isn’t it? Still, I’m thankful for many things, one of them being the relatively mild temperatures we’ve had so far this autumn. No frost for us yet (although many areas not too far from here have experienced it) which means the tomatoes and peppers are still ripening, the basil is still green, and the zinnias (and other annuals) are still in full bloom. Although the house is full of vases which are full of those zinnias, I’ve decided to feature a single, small display using the ikebana vase you’ve all indulged me with this year when I’ve used it as a second, ‘bonus’ vase on Mondays.

The ikebana started with a desire to show off a few small sunflower blooms. This volunteer plant has been flowering since August, if you can believe it. It’s in a raised bed near the back of the yard; I’ve been seeing it in the distance every time I go out the back door, even after it toppled, slightly, in September. I’m sure the blue jays will soon be competing with the chipmunks to gobble down the ripening seeds.

I cut three blooms and stuck them in the vase, and quickly realized it needed something more.

Zinnias to the rescue, providing an orangey, Octoberish feel.

Many thanks to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for hosting IAVOM and giving gardeners around the world an opportunity to share their flower designs. Wishing everyone a wonderful and safe week and, to my fellow Canadians, Happy Thanksgiving!

26 Comments

  2. Nice combo, Chris. Orange and gold say ‘October’ to me. 🙂
    I’m envious you are still frost-free and enjoying produce this late. Happy Thanksgiving! Despite current events, we have much to be thankful for.

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  3. At least you had no frost yet. Others farther south have! Those three sunflowers would have been fine on their own. The zinnias could have been on their own too. They are all so colorful.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Last year the first frost was on the 5th, a few years before that it was the 17th…the forecast lows for the next two weeks are well above freezing so perhaps we’ll have fresh tomatoes til November!

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  6. Happy Thanksgiving! That red and yellow zinnia does a nice job of integrating all the elements in your vase. I pulled my own scruffy sunflower yesterday. Even though freezing cold isn’t an issue here, the dahlias and zinnias will have to go soon too as those plants are also looking sorry for themselves.

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  7. I’m in Ontario and so far only spotty frost. This was my first year with Zinnias and must say, they pop with colour right now – think I’ll borrow your Ikebana idea and find a perfect vase.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. By now I don’t know! I keep collecting seeds every year and plant them in spring….I may try for some named varieties next year. My neighbour has one that looks like one of those spider dahlias….

      Liked by 1 person

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