Rainy Day Inside Flowers

It's a rainy, dark and inside sort of day today.  So I thought I'd show some of the pretty flowers that have graced my tables inside the house, for a change.  

Here I've got some of my favorite flowers of all time - white freesia.  And I do think the white ones have the best fragrance!  I'm not sure if it's true or not, but that's been my experience.  I'm sure it all depends on the source.  As you can see, I'm not very tidy about my paper stuff - I think it reflects how my mind works if I don't meditate enough!  Yikes!

My husband brought me these beautiful orchids one day.  He said the "flower guy" was in the parking lot of his workplace and wanted to get rid of stuff quick, so he got them for a really good price. !!!!!  Well, I won't complain, he did bring me some lovely flowers, even if it wasn't his original idea, lol!  These are dyed a pretty blue and they lasted a very long time.

Here is an absolutely gorgeous cymbidium that I got at the grocery store.  It was marked down to half price, so I couldn't refuse.  I just love the foliage on these, they spread out and drape so wonderfully and make for a big statement.  

That cymbidium lived for a long time, but eventually I ended up getting a new lime green one.

And then a pink one.  Well, during all that time I figured out I couldn't give the cymbies what they needed to thrive, which is cool and humid.  I've got cool and dry inside and hot and humid outside.  Aaaarrrgh!  I did talk to several orchid enthusiasts and they all said they had given up on growing them as they have difficult conditions.  I did find an Aussie grower that had amazing success and I think she must be an enchanted green witch and I want to know all of her ways! 

A fallen branch at the local garden store that the salesperson was kind enough to let me "rescue".

 Love those mini orchids!

Orchids galore!  (ok, enough orchids....on to other things)

A couple of years ago I was in the local garden club flower show and was surprised to take a first place for my bouquet.

It was held at the West Indies Home Collection store in Naples. We had to set our table and place our arrangements.  I was going for a simple British Colonial look.  I had to laugh as I had used an inferior florist oasis as a base and my flowers were shifting around as the judges were walking the floor.  

It was fun to work with the ginger and protea.

Recently, I bought some pink alstroemeria.  I sure wish I had a big enough garden to grow cutting flowers.  I always loved bringing in huge bunches of flowers from our garden as a kid.  

I love that they last a long time.

Lilies always provide brilliant color and a tropical statement.

I could provide a few more shots, but I think it's time for tea and a good book.  This is a lovely Assam from India - perfect for a little caffeine to keep me awake so I can enjoy my British mystery.