The Japanese quince (Chaenomeles japonica) hedge is in full bloom this week, drawing in bumblebees, a flashy male Baltimore oriole and our summer resident ruby-throated hummingbird. 
It is not a plant I love– its exuberant growth must be trimmed frequently, its rhizome suckers and thorns are annoying, but it is forgiven every spring when it blooms.
Narcissus ‘Salome’s peachy trumpets seemed a good complement to the coral quince and its reddish-bronze new leaves. For foliage, I added bright green Patrinia gibbosa and a few Ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) fiddleheads.
Does anyone recognize Gumby and Pokey? As a child I watched their primitive claymation antics on TV faithfully. I wished I could lift my leg back and skate quickly and magically the way Gumby did! I saw Pokey’s orange coat and thought he’d be a good prop for today’s arrangement.
The pitcher belonged to my grandmother and is J & G Meakin English ‘Waldorf’ ironstone from Hanley.
Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In the Garden, who hosts a weekly meme to showcase arrangements created from our gardens. Wander over to see what gardeners all over the world are arranging this week.
Eliza Waters 
Would you believe, South Africans could only enjoy television from 5th January 1976!
Oh, my, really? I didn’t know that. A twenty year delay may not have been all that bad. 😉 I stopped watching in 1989 and haven’t missed it at all. When I see it now on holiday or visiting, I can’t believe the garbage that passes for ‘entertainment.’ Yikes!
I’m going to enjoy reliving spring through your vases Eliza. Here we are slipping into summer although the temperatures are still quite cool.
Glad to extend your season, Christina. 🙂 We are having a prolonged cool spell so the bulbs are lasting very well.
Reblogged this on Anita Dawes & Jaye Marie and commented:
stunning arrangement!
Thank you so much!
Yes, that is a lovely colour combination Eliza. I’m afraid your characters are unfamiliar to me – we clearly didn’t get that programme on British children’s TV! Love the old English vase.
Thank you, Cathy. Yes, I wondered if it would only be an American thing. YouTube (my link gives the intro) has lots of episodes that I sometimes watch with my young neighbors. Those times were much more innocent and the episodes seem quite laughable now, but fun all the same. 🙂
Reblogged this on Purplerays and commented:
Wander over to see what gardeners all over the world are arranging this week. ~ Eliza Waters
Thank you for reblogging!
Gorgeous. Eliza you’re a magician the way you bring flower arranging to an art form and The story behind the treasures in your garden – bumblebees ruby throated humming birds all a part of the description 😊
Thank you kindly, Liz! 🙂
Beautiful.
Thank you!
What a lovely wake-up vase Eliza! The colors sing Spring. 💛
Thank you, Val, I appreciate that!
Gumby and Pokey steel the show in spite of those gorgeous blooms Eliza! I love Quince. I wish I had more space (uh oh). Another wonderful, over the top arrangement!
Thank you, Kathy! Word of warning: if you buy a quince, put it in a tub… 😉
I love the sense of whimsy here, Eliza with the props!!
😉 Thanks, Kim!
Beautiful! Happy your Hummingbirds are back! Being a child from the (very early, early ’50’s 😮) Pokey & Gumby were a favorite show…Rin Tin Tin, Lassie, Lone Ranger & Mouseketeers as well.
All the classics! Thanks, Alice.
Gumby and Pokey were the first things I noticed 😉 I watched their show all the time when I was young. And, of course, another fabulous arrangement.
Thank you, Laurie. I loved that show!
Lovely arrangement of warm, spring hues! I love the quince! I planted a quince shrub this year after seeing one in bloom in early March. The variety I purchased is thornless and apparently, disease and pest resistant. It’s quite a bright punch of color at the edge of my yard. Blessings, Sarah
Thank you, Sarah! Quince has a pretty flower, but unchecked, I find it a bit of a monster. 😉
What a perfect pairing. I had to laugh at the idea of a quince hedge as having one quince that blooms annually is a big deal here!
Thank you, Linda. The former owners must have loved quince as they planted at least a dozen as a hedge next to the front walk. I have to trim it several times a year to make sure no one gets stabbed by the thorns when they pass by. I know enough to steer clear of it, but others don’t!
A lovely colour combination Eliza. I just love Salome.
Thank you very much, Chloris.
Your vase is lovely. Do you get to use it often or is it more of an heirloom, being your grandmother’s? The fiddleheads are a great accompaniment to your beautiful blooms and Pokey and Gumby were the smile I desperately needed today!
Thank you, I use it mainly as a vase, as my mother did before me. It may have been intended for cream (a lot!) or gravy.
Glad G & P were able to lift your spirits today. 🙂
The quince flowers really are gorgeous – I would probably put up with a lot to have those in the garden, too!
Thanks, Sarah. In a month, I’ll be back to cursing them. 😉
I don’t know these characters but they make for great props – I suspect they are a bit like ‘Morph’ that was on children’s programmes in the UK. Now that my ornamental quince is taking off I need to heed your warnings before it is too late – as you say, the flowers are gorgeous, and the narcissi and fiddleheads look lovely with them
Thank you, Cathy. Yes, Beware the quince! Baby Boomer characters for kids – it was primitive art, but it kept us happy. 😉
Beautiful as the floral and foliage elements in your vase are, Eliza, I got a good laugh when I scrolled down and saw Gumby and his equine companion. They make great props!
Thanks, Kris, a bit of whimsy. 😉
If your hummingbird is back, I must be on the lookout soon for ours. We haven’t seen any sign of them yet. Lucky you to have a Baltimore Oriole. I love them but have only seen them once in our yard. Gumby and Pokey were a fixture of my childhood. It’s a bit startling to see them in color!
Haha, that’s right G&P was in B&W. The episodes on YouTube are very entertaining, if you haven’t seen them.
The Oriole never stays past quince bloom, unfortunately. The closest I’ve seen a nest is at the river. Elms used to be their tree, but sadly, they are no more.
But happily, the hummers stick around all summer.
Lovely.. Interesting that the Japanese quince was attracting the bumblebees. I didn’t notice any on ours but it was flowering a couple of weeks ago.
The queens are hungry after hibernation and don’t seem to mind nonnative plants like quince and privet. They hedge is buzzing with them.
Our emerging queens tend to focus on willow and dandelion. But I agree anything that gets them food I am sure they would be happy.
I always enjoy seeing quince flowers with daffodils, whatever the varieties. The fiddleheads are an inspired touch and I love the whimsy.
Thank you, Susan!
Eliza, I like these colors together. I’d like a quince but have resisted for reasons you cited with the suckers and thorns. But it’s so pretty.
Thank you, Susie. It’s pretty but really better in someone else’s yard. 😉
Annually forgiven Quince, beautiful bulbs and Gumby and Pokey. Perfect.
😀 Thanks, Amelia.
Absolutely beautiful arrangement and I loved the addition of Gumby and Pokey!
Thank you, they’re fun little characters.
Gumby and Pokey! And quince! How perfect can it be? I do love quince. It’s just magical. Of course, I’ve never had one in my yard…
Thanks, Lisa. 🙂
Oh yes, I remember Gumby and Pokey! Your chosen vessel, having belonged to your grandmother, filled with the ebulient new life of spring present, accompanied by figures from our childhood – A shuttle weaving through time to create a tapestry of immediate beauty and worthy of deeper contemplation.
Thank you, Peter.
Gorgeous colour combination!
Thank you, Fi!
I love the fern fronds, so Spring-like. I love Japanese Quince too, and have tried several times to grow it only to have it nipped off by hares I think – they do their own landscaping – opening up lines of sight and maintaining them. Perhaps I will try again now that there is more cover.
They may be doing you a favor. 😉
Beautiful peachy tones in your beautiful jug. For a moment I thought you’d added nettles there but I see now you didn’t . They are bright green but might not be very comfortable to collect!
Thank you, Alison. There is a nice bunch of nettles just down the road that I think about harvesting, but I never remember to bring gloves and clippers. I hear the greens and tea are very good for you!
Beautiful colours and shapes set off by the ironstone vase!
Thank you, Belinda!
Another lovely arrangement Eliza! I remember Gumby and Pokey! 🙂
Thanks, Julie. They are iconic!
Eliza, that is a lovely arrangement!
Thank you very much, Peter!
Love the unexpected Gumby and Pokey additions!!!
Thank you, Denise. I don’t usually do props, but Pokey’s orange kind of begged to be used! 😉
Surrounded by wealth…🤗
Indeed. 🙂