It’s Monday and the day for Cathy’s In a Vase on Monday meme.
I’m excited because these are the very first flowers to be cut from the cuttings garden!
Well, Okay I didn’t grow the Gerbera plants but bought them from the supermarket of all places! But they have been planted in the cuttings garden for almost a month and these flowers weren’t there when I bought the plants so I think they fit the criteria.
Looking down on the arrangement
The form of the vase is seen best in this image
The vase was given to be by a very good friend who also sells ceramics from Italy on line, if you would like to see the range she has click here.
The vase is reproduction bucchero.
From Wikipedia “(Bucchero (Italian pronunciation bukkero is a class of ceramics in central Italy by the region’s pre-Roman Etruscan population. This Italian word is derived from the Latin poculum, a drinking-vessel, perhaps through the Spanish búcaro, or the Portuguese púcaro.[1]
Regarded as the “national” pottery of ancient Etruria, bucchero ware is distinguished by its black fabric as well as glossy, black surface achieved through the unique “reduction” method in which it was fired. After the leather-hard green ware was arranged in the kiln and the fire started, the vent holes were closed, thus reducing the supply of oxygen required in a normal kiln firing. In the smoke-filled atmosphere of the kiln, the oxygen-starved flames drew oxygen molecules from the iron oxide of the pottery. This process caused the fabric of the clay to change colour from its natural red to black. The lustrous, shiny, black surface of many bucchero pots was achieved by diligent burnishing (polishing,) or, occasionally, through the application of a thin slip (clay emulsion).”
There are remains of the Etruscan civilization all around where I live, I have even found small pieces of their pottery in the garden when I’ve been digging but sadly no whole vases! Most Greek pottery that you see in museums all over the world was actually found in Etruscan tombs.
Thanks Cathy for hosting, what’s growing in oyur garden that you could harvest to put in a vase? Do share!
Creating my own garden of the Hesperides 
Wow! Gerberas from the Cutting garden, I can only dream of that here and I don’t think there are any rules about growing from seeds. Lovely and exciting!
I’m having problems finding the seeds I want so when I saw these plants at the supermarket for €2.50 I couldn’t resist! I don’t really know what growing conditions they need and they aren’t as long stemmed as the ones you buy in the florist but I don’t mind that too much.
The flowers’s beautiful bold colors look perfect paired with your bucchero pot. Interesting to read the background of this type of ceramics. I haven’t been able to grow gerberas although I’m tempted each time I pass them for sale.
The bucchero is made in the same way as some native Americans make their pottery. My husband wants to collect bucchero from all the places it is produced traditionally. He has some from Eretria but they haven’t all been fired very well and they don’t hold water! One actually just collapsed when I filled it with water.
Beautiful vase and arrangement.
Love the vase and the Gerberas! Gerberas are usually sold here in early summer, when the heat can quickly put an end to them even if you’re careful to keep them watered. Getting them started while the temperatures are still cool might be the ticket to keeping them around longer. Their colors are luscious.
This is the first time I’ve ever griwn them so it might be it is too hot for them here, I’ve planted them in a position that will give them some shade in the afternoon from the olive trees.
I love gerbera and those colours are simply great – pure sunshine! What a good start to your cutting garden Christina. 😀
Thanks Cathy, I think Gerbera are like the flowers a child would draw and colour, very simple with bold, intense colour.
You got a good deal on your supermarket flowers. They are perfect with the black pottery! It is fascinating how the bucchero pottery was produced. Your reproduction is lovely; I especially like the shape.
The shape and form of a lot of Etriscan pottery is really beautiful and timeless, when you see many pieces in museums they look as if they could have been designed today.
I love your flowers and your vase – congratulations on your first Cutting Garden flowers!
Thanks Julie, a small thing but it gave me a lot of pleasure, I am looking forward to seeing what grows well here to cut.
No, I don’t think anyone will insist we grow all our vase contents from seed – perish the thought! It is such a momentous occasion, cutting from your special beds for the first time, so thank you for sharing them in a vase on Monday. I was intrigued to read about the pottery and the process of making Etruscan ware – there is a similar finish on some British pottery (Prinknash?) and I wonder if it is deliberately emulating the original process? It will be a long time before I have anything as bright as these gerberas to include in my vases, so thank you so much for sharing yours.
When a lot of Etruscan pottery was being found in this area, Wedgewood made his own version that was very popular for a while, I’m not sure they still make any pottery in this way. As I said to Susie, it is a method used by many primitive peoples, it is still made in Africa today for example.
A very successful “first”, can I say? So unexpected to see those colours growing at this time of year – or at least it is here. The pot is perfect with them. Lovely!
The stronger light here needs stronger colours or they just look washed out.
Beautiful vase and I love the mix of colors. I have similar colors in pansies (it’s just barely spring here after all) and might have to look for a few gerberas too now!
Have you grown gerberas before? I never have and don’t know anything about their requiments except that they are not hardy through the winter here.
I’ve grown a total of one (1) so I don’t think There’s any advice I can pass on! It did well though and seemed to handle the heat without a problem -they sure do look nice in the vase, maybe I’ll try them again this spring!
…. Can I just mention we have snow again! It might be a few more weeks before I’m planting any gerberas
Oh! I’m sorry to hear about your snow; if it helps at all our temperatures are supposed to drop to 2 or 3°C, that’s only just above freezing and I’ve already planted out most of the summer crops.
That’s an important moment! I do love gerberas, such happy flowers, and the vase is beautiful, I imagine it will make all manner of blooms sing out, so I am sure we will see it again!
I’m sure you will.