"The water like a witch's oils,
Burnt green, and blue and white"
- from 'The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner' - Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
Meet "Mrs Betty Ranicar" possibly my favourite hellebore who you can see floating in a glass container. She was going to float in another receptacle - an old dark blue flower shaped glass sugar bowl which nestles in a silver stand. I prepared to launch her when disaster struck. After three attempts which saw water oozing out of the bowl I reached in to remove the bowl, only to discover that it is fatally cracked. So a last minute change of plan resulted in the 'vase' you see which normally holds a candle. Its origins have been lost in the mists of time. The glass beads came with a gift from my mother I think.
The hellebore was purchased in 2005 at an RHS Show in London. Although she has never been a particularly vigorous plant she is still going. The plan is to move her later this year as she is possibly in too shady a spot. She is named after a renowned Tasmanian gardener in whose garden she was discovered. Apparently she usually comes true from seed. However last year was the first year that she produced any seed! Instead of sowing it immediately on discovery the seeds went into a little brown envelope just for a few days or so was the plan. The packet was swallowed up in the contents of my seed box only coming to light a few days ago. I have now sown it but am not sure how successful germination will be knowing how the seed is best sown fresh.
The bottle of water was required for me to quench my thirst after the exertions of wiping the water up. In this case fortunately there was a drop to drink. It also seemed to echo the colour of the glass beads and the fact that the shape of this hellebore reminds me of a water lily.
Thanks as always to Cathy over at 'Rambling in The Garden', who came up with the excellent idea of celebrating the start of a new week by sharing floral offering from our gardens.
Your last-minute replacement worked out beautifully, Anna. The glass pebbles and the water bottle are nice touches too. I hope those seeds germinate!
ReplyDeleteI love the waterlily effect, Anna - and it looks lovely in that glass. I sadly discovered a crack in one of the vases I used a month or so ago - I suspect I dropped the metal pinholder into it too carelessly :( I have a a bag of these glass nugget things too which a friend gave me for creative purposes and they work well for holding stems in place as well as adding extra colour. Interestingly, I had decided to actively seek a double white hellebore for myself as it's not something I have - although I suspect this one wouldn't be easy to come by. If your seeds germinate perhaps you could put my name on one...? ;)
ReplyDeleteHello Mrs Betty Ranicar - what a stunning hellebore she is! I am sorry that your planned vase (or sugar bowl) has broken - I always feel very sad when I lose a favourite container.
ReplyDeleteAnna I love the way you displayed this beautiful hellebore and the contrasting glass bottle is perfection.
ReplyDeleteGreat garden minds think alike Anna. Betty is by far my favourite double. She was my first and remains the most reliable and hardy!
ReplyDeleteSimple, yet so effective and elegant, love it! Shame about the broken bowl but the resulting product because of that looks fab!
ReplyDeleteThis is a pretty way to display a hellebore and what a special one it is. Such pure white.
ReplyDeleteI do like that Hellebore Anna. I shall have to look out for Mrs Betty Ranicar.
ReplyDeleteI've not seen a Hellebore that shape before; it's really beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI was going to comment that at first glance I thought you were floating a water lily, you beat me to it. This is such a lovely way to display hellebores, we often miss their true beauty with their heads hanging down but this way we get to see every little detail. I wonder, how long do they last in water like this?
ReplyDeleteBetty is very lovely, and you've picked out the lovely pale green at the centre by adding those glass pebbles. I like the colour coordination!
ReplyDeleteI agree with, Jo I'm that it looks like s miniature water lily. If the seeds don't germinate try sowing fresh from seeds gathered this year as ours self seed.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Betty, she does look rather like a water lily. What a lovely shape. It is unusual to get seeds from doubles. I hope they will germinate. I am always carefully taking seeds of things and putting them in safe places. I' m glad I' m not the only one who does it.
ReplyDeleteI do like this combination although I loath the Ancient Mariner as I had to learn it for my O level English and can still quote chunks of it.
ReplyDeleteI think the glass bottle gives it a very continental feel
She is perfection. I have a "mystery" hellebore I picked up that was mislabeled and misplaced at the garden centre. I am keeping it indoors right now, but can't wait to see what jewels it reveals. :)
ReplyDeleteA beautiful Hellebore and lovely way of presenting it. It will be interesting to see how the seed turns out, I used to let all my hellebores self seed, then I'd grow them in situ to see what combinations I got, always exciting when they started to flower after a year or two :)
ReplyDeleteThat is one gorgeous hellebore, and it looks almost like a water lily floating on the water ... oh, gosh, I thought I was being original, but have just read the other comments, and see that I am just echoing what most people have said!! Lovely arrangement !
ReplyDeleteAt first glance I was sure that was a water lily! I saw the most gorgeous deep dark purple hellebore at Bodnant a few weeks ago, though sadly not in the plant shop... Great way to admire your favourite up close and personal!
ReplyDeleteThis ist just adorable, looks like a miniature water lily, so sweet :)
ReplyDeleteHow beautiful! What a lovely hellebore - and as you say, it does look a little like a waterlily in the vase. Hope the seeds do grow!
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the lovely comments and compliments which I've passed on to Betty. I'm glad to say that they have not turned her head. She hasn't even blushed which I'm relieved about. Cathy, if there are any surplus seedlings one will certainly have your name on it :)
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