In a vase on Monday: simple, sweet and succulent

The stand-out plant in our garden this week has got to be good old Crassula ovata. Our specimen is seriously old: it has a trunk like a tree and stands at least six feet tall. I didn't originally set out to create an arrangement featuring only one type of flower, but once I had slotted these blooms into place, I thought that adding anything further would detract from their sweet simplicity.

The vase has been passed down through my family - I believe it belonged to my Nana. To be honest, I'd always been kind of miffed as to what sort of arrangement would work in it, but I think this does the trick.

 I think the individual flowers are really quite amazing when viewed close-up. Perfect little stars.

The vase/arrangement also works in well with our retro-themed kitchen.

Our Crassula ovata is a beast of a thing. I wish I got a picture of the trunk - it's thicker than a man's thigh!


Looking all starry in the last of the afternoon sun

Cathy over at Rambling in the Garden is the creator and weekly host of the In a Vase on Monday meme. To see what other gardeners have filled their vases with this week, check out her blog here. Perhaps you have a vase of your own garden blooms to add?

Comments

  1. That is some Jade Plant, I wish I could see the trunk, too! Pretty flowers, theshrubqueen

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    1. Thanks, I’ll have to do an update with the trunk! - HC

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  2. What an astonishing plant - when you said crassula I envisaged a low growing rockery type of succulent, so was not prepared for this! And it looks absolutely brilliant in that vase - thanks for sharing it with us on IAVOM

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    1. Thanks Cathy, I think this one is about 60 years old! HC

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  3. I agree these flowers need no other adornment. They look terrific in the heirloom vase.

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    1. Thanks Susie, it was kind of a fluke - I have found that vase a bit perplexing previously!

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  4. As jade plants go, that one is spectacular and you couldn't have designed a better vase to contain the stems than that one. In my experience, it's unusual for succulent flowers to hold their own in an arrangement but these are definitely an exception.

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    1. Thanks Kris, yes I’ve found that too. Except for Aloe sp. perhaps? I hope to have some of those flowers to add one day too, however my plants are still babies.

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  5. Oh wow that is amazing. I used to grow Crassula ovata as a house plant. I had never seen one in a garden until I visited buy uncle about 20 years ago and he had a huge one growing in his front garden. I don't think I have ever seen it in bloom. How stunning. And your special vase is perfect these special flowers. Gorgeous.

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  6. Thanks Donna, I’d never thought of growing it as a house plant before, but in a snowy climate, it makes total sense!

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  7. I was amazed by the size of the plant! It looks lovely in your vase - a perfect match.

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  8. Thank you, yes, it's a triffid!

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  9. Those dainty intricate flowers look just prefect in that vase. I'm amazed by the size of your plant 😂 I have a teeny tiny specimen inherited from my mother some five years ago and not a single flower as yet. I doubt if they would survive outside in north west England.

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  10. Yes, growing most succulents (apart from maybe some Sedum sp. and Sepervivium sp.) in England is taking gardening to a whole new level! In my experience, Crassula ovata likes plenty of sun to bloom.

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