52 Weeks of Flowers

1:52 Winter in Memphis is temperamental, swinging in full force after days in the 60s. It's confusing for plants and people. Yesterday I covered shrubs that have become less accommodating to these new temperature swings and noticed buds on several roses. I clipped them (of course I did) and continued my garden work.
Inside, I put these precious buds into a small porcelain vase inspired by the stripes on this c 11th century BCE Egyptian glass vase I examined as closely as possible on its vitrine on a very busy day at the Met in 2023.

This is my 7th year of documenting what's flowering in my garden every week of the year. I began on a lark in 2019 and began putting the flowers in my own vessels in 2021. It brings me great joy to share this series with you.

2:52 These narcissus were just beginning to bloom when the winter storm system rolled in mid-week. They are planted in the strip between the sidewalk and street in my monkey grass, and are italicus, a variety my mom picked up in Natchez MS (I remember similar narcissus blooming at Christmas as a child when we went to visit grandparents near Shreveport, Louisiana). I don't remember planting them but I do get tired of spacing bulbs in proper drifts and just begin planting them willy-nilly wherever which I suppose has its own charm? (Let me continue to believe it does, because I'm a passionate but not serious gardener)
This vase is the same form as last week's, but with handles, in a sky blue commercial glaze (I think it's an amaco celadon series) I bought for a project. It's a new favorite (both the glaze and the vase).

3:52 Right as the holiday break ended I began thinking of the pansy rings I made in the early 2000s, then inspired by vintage pieces, brought back to mind by @larissaroseceramics ' ring vases. I threw several pieces in fine English porcelain that I'd bought to test. This is one of two that survived. Friday I lifted the frost cloth covering several large planters to pick these tiny viola blossoms and tucked them in the scallop cutouts of this very small delft-inspired piece. The center opening is sized to fit a taper candle, as well. It is giving me a moment of joy on this unexpectedly snowy Sunday.

 

4:52. The Christmas rose, helleborus niger, which I kept in pots on my during the holidays and am looking forward to planting out in the garden soon. It is the earliest of the hellebores, must of which begin blooming for me in February. Hellebores can be expensive but they are extremely long-lived perennials that bloom when little else does.
This tiny bud vase is one I made several years ago and will make again (minus the handles because 3:4 of them broke before firing).

5:52. The shyest hyacinth spike (did you know that forced hyacinths often put up a large spike then one or two tiny ones? Then when planted in your garden they will produce multiple tiny spikes instead of the large spike over time? I have come to prefer the smaller stems to the large ones) in a new bulb-like bud vase. I had new porcelain to test last month and threw multiple bud vases. When it was time to glaze I mixed up a new glossy jet black glaze to pair with it.

6:52
Every year when my snowdrops bloom I'm grateful. They like neither heat nor clay soil, both of which I have in abundance, but I'm learning where to plant them and am delighted by every single bloom. I've tucked these 4 into my smallest egg vase, dreaming of brighter days.

 

7:52
Flowering quince in a pagoda vase.

8:52 Early signs of spring: ice follies and campernelle (the bright yellow) daffodils, and hellebores beginning their show. I popped them into a small urn vase on Tuesday before our snow and ice began and they are still happy on Sunday. You know the hellebore trick? A shallow slice down the length of the stem keeps these wilt-prone blossoms standing tall.

9:52 Though the calendar doesn’t yet say spring the daffodils proclaim winter’s end! These are all my earlies- lent lilies, ice follies, campernelles, and tete a tetes blooming in profusion, filling this new pagoda-style tulipiere.

 

10:52. Daffodil season! I gathered a pitcherfull and tucked them into my hydrangea bowl, one of my favorite flower vessels because it’s low enough to see over at the table and holds so many blossoms. I’ll enjoy these on my dining room table this week.