Pink and Green

I've been sorting through all my vases while I've been cleaning out my gift shop here at Springville Lavender Gardens, in preparation for converting my gift shop to my ceramic studio. I collected vases for years in preparation for opening up my shop. Yesterday I came across this vase I purchased at a thrift store many years ago. At the time I can recall I was drawn to the color and shape of the vase. I was about to put it into the thrift store box when I decided to look at the bottom. It was handmade by Janis Walters in 1986, which is inscribed on the bottom. When I pick up the vase, it feels heavy. Since I do flower arrangements, I can appreciate a little heavier vase. When I put lots of flowers in the vase, it won't tip over if it is a little heavier or weighted on the bottom.


I'm also getting my daily watering done and while walking along the upper path in the herb garden, I heard thousands of bees buzzing on the Texas Sage, Leucophyllum frutescens. This plant doesn't look like much until it is in bloom. It is drought tolerant and has thick, felt covered leaves and grows to about 5 to 8 feet. The highway department uses this plant along the highways here too, and it is blooming in many places right now. Texas Sage comes in several different colors, light pink, dark pink, and white. Mine is the lighter pink.

I planted the Texas Sage three years ago. I think the pink contrasts nicely against the rose geranium in the foreground. I planted it at the back of the herb garden to soften the harsh lines of the fence. My plant is about 6 feet tall now which means it grew over 5 feet in three years. That's amazing!