I am vase-poor (and not a frog to my name) which becomes problematic...

Why would anyone be intimidated by flowers or flower arranging? Maybe I worry about the wrong things...

I'm also perplexed that someone could be intimidated by flowers/flower arranging. I'm not a fan of mixed bouquets; I always buy a bunch of a single type of flower and am happy with that. I have a somewhat limited selection of vases but that hasn't been a big problem either.

I was not into cut flowers until I had a few flowers in a back yard last year, then I would just cut a few here and there. Now, thanks to AT and Matt I am having a lot of fun with them. I now have 10 calla lillies and several regular lillies in my blender container in my kitchen, so even if others think I've lost it, I think they are strikingly beautiful. Calla lillies are so elegant anyway and our Trader Joe's has flowers to fit any budget. Thanks for the inspiration!

Once a week trip to 28th Street, grab some beautiful flowers for our apartment. It's uplifting and reminds me of why I live in New York City.

At first I was going to say "No way" but changed to "Yes, but give it a go anyway". I remember my mum taking the roses my dad would cut from the backyard and put them in various vases. They always looked so beautiful.

They weren't in fancy vases and they weren't fancy roses. But they looked like paintings. Perfect in their imperfection.

I've never been able to do that. Somehow when I try to arrange flowers, they just end up looking like crap.

But what I do have right now and have had for a couple years, is the same bunch of dried rattlesnake grass that I had gathered, as I was so thrilled with it's appearance.

I knocked it over once and lost a couple tips. But I still sincerely enjoy looking at it. Just kind of stuck in a tiny tarnished vase. Perfect in their imperfection.

Looks like this:
http://jhearst.typepad.com/photos/ptlobos/rattlesnakegrass.html

I suppose some people are good with flowers. I am good with weeds.

Living in the Georgia sunshine, we always were surrounded by flowers. Mom would grow them, cut them and put them around the house. Flowers are forgiving, just having them around in various vases, jars, even cans will lift your spirits. Now, for me, growing them is a different story.

Having a great collection of vases comes handy. I enjoy the vibrant orange of the ranunculus.

I love those vases! Especially the 2nd one (the "O") and the last one (the test-tube). Anyone know where I can buy these?

I bought a couple of old chemistry sets at antique shows and flea markets. They make a beautiful 'simple' presentation at a fraction of the cost of contemporary vases.

Pigletliver,

The entire bunch of vases were from Crate and Barrel and CB2 - the photo shoot was basically an ad for CB (I can't complain, I've been accused of the same!).

The C&B stores here in NYC have a great selection on clear glass vases, some really fun stuff. Between them and Jamali on 28th you are sure to find something affordable and varsatile.

rightangle - you know at the lecture Amy Stewart gave a few weeks ago she said that NYC may be on eof the few cities where the average consumer can get that 'wholesale' experience with cut flowers. It made me appreciate the Plant District even more.

And I agree this was, for me, a funny thing for someone to worry over - which is why I decided to survey it. But then again, I grew up in an artistic environment. If the survey was about any number of things other consider easy (Balancing a checkbook? Dancing? Returning a mixed-up food order at a restaurant?) I would check 'intimidated'.

There are a few things in life that sort of intimidate me, flower arranging is NOT one of them.

A plain water glass from the kitchen cabinet can be wrapped in pretty paper and used as a vase, if needed. And any garage or yard sale will have vases that they will GIVE you.

Flowers arranged to suit you are easy enough to do, I even use weeds or sticks and twigs to make more masculine arrangements for my DH's study.

True Blue, LOVE your rattlesnake grass-WANT.

One person's weeds are another person's flowers - over at Garden Rant they had just been discussing violets in the same way.

I agree that rattlesnake grass is very cool!

Sorry...'versatile'...'others'...need coffee...

Yup, I'm intimidated. I have no design ability whatsoever; I can't even do the artfully casual thing. Plus, I never know what length to cut the stems. I still buy flowers, but I'm never happy with how they're arranged.

The Rattlesnake grass is lovely. It's small, my tiny arrangement is maybe 18" high? Here are more images for those who were taken by it:

Close up while it's green:
http://aphotoaday.blogspot.com/2005/05/rattlesnake-grass.html

Scroll down here to see it dried, this is more what mine looks like now:
http://www.richfarmgarden.com/ornamentalgrass.html

Little ones:
http://www.sacsplash.org/plants/brimin.htm

Various photos:
http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/esadocs/brizmaxi.html

Matt, it was funny how I was walking along the jog path along Lake Merced, and saw signs posted saying that they were spraying for "weeds". I looked around, and saw no weeds. I saw plants and life and death and they were all worthy of staying. They all had their beauty.

The only time I consider something a problem is when it has identifiable effects on other things. Like the burr clover that gets stuck in longer cat fur and makes a knot. It's not that I have anything against the burr clover, and it has a totally cool spiral seed thing (seen here on the left):
http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/pls/portal30/docs/FOLDER/IKMP/PAST/PL/MED/FN1994_049.HTM

But it is a problem for animals.

I tried very hard to get my Viola Odorata to grow. I had no luck and it's hard to find. It was something I wanted in pots.

This fact fascinates me:
"One quirk of some viola is the elusive scent of their flowers; along with terpenes, a major component of the scent is a ketone compound called ionone, which temporarily desensitises the receptors in the nose; this prevents any further scent from being detected from the flower."

source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violet_(plant)

Most violet scented items are artificial. Otherwise, they would not be able to be smelled after using them. And yes, I have violet shampoo, conditioner (both discontinued), soap, body creams, and colognes. I adore that scent.

"Violets only produce a scant amount of essential oils, and are rarely used today. A synthetic replacement for violet is most commonly used, along with other essential oils resembling the violet."

source:
http://www.perfumes.com/eng/materials.htm

I suppose anything is a "weed" if you didn't plant it and/or don't want it. But you just never know what might happen...

"A few years ago in France violet grower, Nathalie Casbas, observed a runner of Violette de Toulouse with single flowers. She propagated plants and shared a cutting with us. The single, deep lavender flowers have the same powerful fragrance as the double parmas and are held well above the foliage making a nice display. This is not only extremely rare and unique but is an outstanding violet in our climate for length of flowering, flower display and unrivaled fragrance."

source:
http://www.canyoncreeknursery.com/violets.html

By the way, IKEA had the Corkscrew Rush a few years back for a couple bucks for the dinky pot, in the dinky pot plant section. Whatever it's called. Just have to grab it when it's available. Scroll down here to see what it looks like:
http://www.richfarmgarden.com/ornamentalgrass.html

It's totally cool.

And I'm pretty sure I killed mine on the way home from IKEA.

So no need to pay a large fee for something you can get at IKEA, if you check there frequently. I had not seen it EVER in any garden center or store until that one time at IKEA.

Close up of some spirals:
http://www.bluestem.ca/juncus-spiralis.htm

Big and little spirals:
http://www.wildchicken.com/nature/garden/nature_200_088.htm

Tight spirals:
http://www.quansettnurseries.com/Juncus%20effusus%20'Spiralis'.jpg

And a perfectly delightful image of why I can see it being the number one indoor plant for AT PlantTherapy:
http://gaertnerblog.de/blog/2006/liebeslocke-juncus-effusus-spiralis/

It could well be THE coffee table plant. Ideal for those concerned with form and design, this little plant has both. If you can keep it alive.