flowers in the house

Sometimes when I have a small vase of flowers I move them from room to room with me. These ranunculuses (ranunculi?) spent some time on my desk today.

And on the table next to my favorite reading chair. They will go to the kitchen with me when I make dinner. Speaking of reading, I'm one of those people who reads more than one book at a time. Here's some of what's on my reading table right now.

Nocturnes, a collection of poignant stories by Kazuo Ishiguro, was recommended to me by Haricot, one of my favorite bloggers, who writes movingly of Japanese landscapes and tanka poetry, among other things.

I always have flowers or greens in this spot by the stairs. If you've ever lived in a two-story house you know you go up and down many times a day, so I get to see my flowers often.

I don't often buy irises, because they don't last long, but I love the way they look here. Elegant flowers and wild greens.

Here's something I've been thinking about: I love vases, and have a lot of them at home and in the store (above). But I think flowers often look best in the simplest vases, jars, and pitchers. Fancier, more decorative vases seem to be competing with flowers, and they almost always lose.

This Roseville vase is beautiful, but what could I put in it that wouldn't be fighting with it? Last year I often brought ferns, which grown in abundance on our property, into the store, and they look good in any vase. So is there a simple to fancy ratio between flower and vase that has to be proportionate? I am hoping that Jane, who is hosting the always enjoyable Flowers in the House today, has something to say on the matter.

Jen