Little Vase Syndrome

Marketers sometimes (OK, always) tells us every single thing we own should be big just to be better. And it appears there are a lot of Americans who've bought into the "big is better" sales pitch.

Here is a case for small:

Some garden flowers will never look good in a big vase or in mass. If you believe only a big bouquet is worth the effort, you will deprive yourself of some truly wonderful examples.



This picture has several little containers I've used for flowers. Only the gold glass jug on the left is a vase. Next is a clear spice container, a brown perfume bottle, a blue what-not, white creamer, clear flavoring bottle, blue liquor glass, brown eyedropper, clear juice glass, white creamer, and a frosted candle stick. A little ribbon tied around the top will often cover the grooves where a cap once belonged.




If your water forms crystals on these things, simply fill with vinegar for a day or two, rinse and dry and it should be like new.



Flowers and foliage that adapt to small containers particularly well:



Perennials: Nasturtiums, Violets and Viola, Lily of the Valley, Cosmos, Small Daylily, Roses or Rose buds, Salvia, Clover, Daisy-like flowers, Fern tips, Bleeding Heart, Pinks, Clematis, and Snow Drops.

Herbs: dill, basil, rue, and sage.

Annuals: Petunia, Pansy, Maragolds and Impatients.



Use one stem, three or a little nosegay. A few small leaves will make it more full and formal.



I've found if I put a small amount (one small dot) of bacterial hand wash soap in the water, the plants last longer and the water will stay cleaner.



Be a trend breaker - swim against the current - don't allow commercials to form your criteria for your life - small can be beautiful - just take a look at this little beauty: