Fourth of July part two

Berry Baskets

Summertime reminds me to bring out this old berry basket which still has the original wood baskets.  The baskets are paper thin and quart size.  If the entire tray was filled with berries, it would weigh a lot!

  

Blueberries and cherries shout Fourth of July, so I have used them in some of the baskets.  They will only last in the hot weather for about a day or two before you have another crop = fruit flies!  Use the fruit for the night of a party, and then swap them out for something else. For the berries, I fill the baskets half way or so with crushed newspaper so that less than pint of berries appears to fill the quart box, leaving the rest for breakfast.  Lucky thing, as when I went to fill this basket, half of them had already been consumed.

 The individual boxes are lined with plastic to keep them from getting either damp or soiled.  Wet Oasis is inserted for the flowers, except for the hydrangea which is in a little cup of water. Between both versions, I have used red carnations in two shades, gypsophila (baby’s breath), spider mums, hydrangea, dried cockscomb, trachelium, statice and an artichoke flower. 

If you live near the beach, or want to, add shells.  Or if a little glamour is wanted, glittering stones (PetCo, Micheal’s)….. probably best not together! 

 So far I have just kept to the patriotic color scheme, recycling last posting’s flowers.  However….You can have lots of fun with a basket like this.  From late last summer, here are zinnias, cockscomb, allium, ageratum, mosses.

And if you don’t have a berry basket, use a tray and the baskets the berries come in, or lots of bowls or flower pots.  These Japanese ceramics are just the thing.  I tried to keep the white to a minimum, a sprinkling of baby’s breath.  

Fourth of July arrangements needn’t all be large and statement making.   Simply by using the lovely colors of various ceramic vases you have a great starting point. The tasteful police love this one.  The flower is Potentilla nepalensis, growing now in my front garden.  Being shy little thing (among the thugs) it is often overlooked, so having it on my window sill allows it to shine.

Blue and white ceramics again, and one last chance for the lonely long strand of flags from last time.  It is happier in a smaller setting becoming a bigger fish in a smaller pond.

Finally a delightful response (Fourth of July part one) from a gentle subscriber who says her container does hold water.  She long beat me to the punch with her design.  Let’s say that great minds think alike.  See how much fun the allium is.  And how clever to use the white wall (the borrowed view) to complete the patriotic scheme.

I don’t know about you but I have had enough of R, W, & B for this summer. 

Cheers!