Beth of Plant Posting began her last post with a beautiful photo of chokecherry (Prunus virginiana), one of our very common native shrubs in North America. As Wikipedia says, the natural range of chokecherry is "most of the
continent, except for the far north and far south" so it is not
difficult to find chokecherry outside urban areas. The "cherries" it
produces are edible but, unless quite ripe, are very astringent. They
make your mouth pucker the moment you bite into one. They do make a nice
wine though. I have known this shrub for most of my life, but only this year I have realized how nice the bloom is in flower arrangements.
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| Chokecherry |
It turns out that the flowers last at least 4 or 5 days in a vase. They look quite attractive on their own, with the branches hanging down.
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| Chokecherry on its own |
However, where they really work well is as a subdued background for more assertive flowers. I tried mixing them with various things now in bloom in the garden, such as azalea, clematis alpina, and even flower of turnip green, a member of the cabbage family. In each case the combination worked beautifully.
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| Chokecherry and Clematis alpina blooms are in what I call the granny vase. I got this vase from my friend Elaine. At first I thought it was far too ornate and oddly shaped, something my grand-mother might have liked. It turns out, it can blend in with just about anything you put in it. I suppose there is always something excessive about various flowers put together, so an over-the-top vase is a match for this type of excess. Elaine has an eye for such things. |
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| Chokecherry and azalea blooms |
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| Chokecherry and the blooms of turnip green |
Nice! I love this tree. We have several of them among our taller Oak trees. The blooms are lovely, and so are the fruits in fall. I didn't realize they have such a long vase life. Thanks for the mention, Alain. :)
ReplyDeleteHa, this Prunus virginiana looks like our Prunus padus (bird cherry tree) growing in the wild. I love their blooms and smell early in the morning when the atmosphere is wet and not too cold. I like all the arrangements but the Chokecherry on their own and the one with the Clem. alpina are just wonderful.
ReplyDeleteYour arrangements are beautiful, Alain. I never seem to get past a one weed vase.
ReplyDeleteChokecherries also make the best syrup and jellies.
ReplyDeleteDidn't know you were a flower arranger too!
ReplyDeleteWe do it all - stone walling, house building, fire wood splitting as well as flower arranging. However just now I am gravel hauling for road mending!
DeleteSuch a useful shrub, background flowers are always needed in a flower arrangement, all your are lovely.
ReplyDeleteThey do work well in a vase.
ReplyDeleteHello Alain, sometimes it's the simplest arrangements and combinations that look the most elegant and beautiful. I try and cram anything and everything in an arrangement but the pictures you have of the Chokecherry on its own and with another flower makes for a sophisticated display that doesn't rely on flower bling to be noticed and appreciated.
ReplyDeleteJust shows that you can do attractive things with the most unlikely of ingredients.
ReplyDelete