In a Vase on Monday

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Dark, dramatic purples inspired this arrangement on a chilly spring morning in Alabama.

Arranged in a Moscow mule mug, today’s IAVOM includes:

  1. Jean Scherer tulip: The purple petals are so dark they are almost black. These theatrical blooms look almost otherworldly against the bright greens of early spring. A few days back, the blooms were completely open, but they closed when cold weather returned. As soon as I brought this bloom inside, it opened right up again.
  2. Heuchera ‘mocha’: The new spring foliage is a lovely purple–a hue so deep it almost looks coffee colored, as the name suggests. As the foliage ages through the year, it becomes more of a dark green.
  3. Red-veined sorrel: These leaves will make their way into my salad tonight.
  4. Foliage from a black parrot tulip (not yet in bloom): This tall, sculptural leaf was calling my name for today’s arrangement.
  5. Foliage from a Camelot lavender foxglove (not yet in bloom): I interspersed the green leaves with the heuchera ‘mocha’ leaves to help them stand out.

To see what gardeners around the world have put “In a Vase on Monday” visit Cathy’s blog, Rambling in the Garden, and be sure to see all the comments below her post.

Note: The “vase” here is a serving vessel for a refreshing drink called a Moscow mule, a combination of vodka (2 oz), ginger beer (5 oz), lime juice (0.5 oz) and fresh mint served over ice. The traditional mugs were copper. Modern Moscow mule mugs like this one are stainless steel with copper plating on the exterior only (otherwise, the copper will react with the acidic ingredients and leach into the drink). Apparently, the Moscow mule was invented in the 1940s, but it’s become popular again in the last decade. After a family vacation where we drank a lot of these, my in-laws gave us a set of the mugs as a Christmas present! Here’s a link to mugs I have.

Author: Terri Robertson

I'm a novice gardener who creates arrangements using cuttings and plants from my yard, vintage containers, and found objects both natural and manmade. In my work life, I am a writer and editor, who recently joined the team of Flower magazine as digital media manager.

13 thoughts on “In a Vase on Monday”

  6. Terri, please tell us, what is a Moscow mule mug? I love your selection of dark foliage and dark tulips, and the red-veined sorrel is brilliant at linking the the dark shades with the plain tulip leaves. It all looks so well thought out – thanks for sharing – and see you next week!

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    1. Thank you, Cathy! A Moscow mule is a delicious summer drink with vodka (2 oz), ginger beer (5 oz), lime juice (0.5 oz) and fresh mint served over ice. It was traditionally served in a copper mug. Modern Moscow mule mugs like this one are stainless steel with copper plating only on the exterior (otherwise, the copper will react with the acidic ingredients and leach into the drink). Apparently, the Moscow mule was invented in the 1940s, but it’s become popular again in the last decade. After a family vacation where we drank a lot of these, my in-laws gave us a set of mugs as a Christmas present! I found a link to one I have: https://www.kitchencollection.com/catalog/product/view/id/8450/?gclid=CjwKCAjwypjVBRANEiwAJAxlIsm3O9LjtoB8IWqqrNc5up0scJw_mVYYBbIGl_rcaC911DX4EmE8YBoCGOUQAvD_BwE

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  7. I love the combination of colors of your tulip and foliage. The inclusion of the sorrel makes it magical. I grew sorrel at one time and now you make be want to do so again. Sadly, however, growing tulips in my area is just short of impossible.

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    1. Thank you so much, Kris! I am glad we can enjoy tulips in Alabama. I am told they cannot be perennials here because of the hot summers and mild winters. But still, at least I can grow them as annuals! I just visited your blog and am stunned by your gardens. I have so much left to do in my own yard to reach that level.

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