Berries & Birdcages
by petal & pins
Walking back from the post office today I picked a small piece of Hedera helix – also known as common ivy, English ivy, European ivy, or just ivy!
I do have ivy growing in my garden but not with the dark purple-black fruit and I’d been thinking it would be striking in a flower arrangement, so today I’m sneaking it into my In A Vase On Monday arrangement with flowers and foliage from my garden.
You may remember my peony tree ‘pink sticks’ from a few weeks back – I’m pleased to report they kept their colour once dried – so I’ve added a few of those and some blackened plum sticks (the water shoots that grow nice and straight up from the base of the tree).
I’ve used 3 cobra head lilies, one pink rose and some bergenia flowers that after a few days of good rain and a little sunshine are providing a lovely splash of colour in the garden.
I’m not sure the sticks work so in the morning I may have a fiddle and try it without them but I am pleased with my choice of vase – an old tarnished silver sugar bowl, which I’ve used with a ceramic flower frog to help hold the arrangement in place and my miniature wire bird cages from Faff & Rambling seemed the perfect little props to sit along side.
Cathy from Rambling In The Garden started In A Vase On Monday to inspire people to bring something from their garden inside to enjoy – what ever the season. Pop over to her blog to see what she and others have gathered this week and if you feel like joining in one Monday put a link to your vase in the comments on her post.
Petal & Pins 
I’d say it is a perfect vase from bowl to sticks, to berries and flowers! Really lovely!
Thank you Donna sometimes it’s just not what I imagine starting out!
I love ivy berries – plenty of them here although of course the birds also like them! A really intriguing combination in your vase – and your birdcages are a great prop. Thanks for sharing today
Thanks Cathy – I’ve read they are poisonous, obviously not to the birds!
Strange indeed – our local blackbirds certainly love them!
This is beautiful. The berries, colors, textures all work together.
I’ve never seen cobra head lilies – they are rather cool-looking!
I didn’t plant them and it was rather startling the first time I saw one !
The berries on ivy are such a surprise! I’ll have to keep watch on the ivy at the bottom of my slope to see if it produces any beautiful fruit like that. The lilies add another exotic touch,
Hi Kris, I don’t know if it’s a particular variety or the age of the plant that determine if it gets the fruit – mine doesn’t but then I do try and keep its presence to a minimum or it would just take over.