My poor fireplace mantel.
It hasn’t been changed out since I did this version with the dried brown hydrangeas. During winter!
Can you tell I’m not huge on seasonal decorating? 🙂
I honestly would have just left it, but the metal containers were really dusty and it needed a good clean. Plus I wanted to summerize it before leaving for Maui. (this is a scheduled post… I’m still there)
So I gutted the mantel, washed everything, and brought a bunch of stuff upstairs.
Nothing worked. Nothing.
So… I did the only thing left to do.
I put it ALL back…
… and added some fresh hydrangea clippings in water, to brighten things up for summer.
The funky little reclaimed wood deer head (see it here during Christmas as well) gets to stay for another season! I’m kinda attached to it at this point.
I just think the quirkiness and scale goes well with the rustic fireplace.
I really love this adding fresh flowers idea. When the blooms start to wilt, they can easily be replaced because there aren’t that many. And the dried hydrangeas will still help to hold the look together, even without them.
Dead AND alive. My kinda plants!
I’m terrible with plant names, so forgive me! The brown hydrangeas came off the blue hydrangea bush in the winter. (I didn’t prune the old blooms off)
The blue hydrangeas were picked fresh… and I have NO idea how I get to have them so beautiful. I don’t take care of them. They just quietly perform year after year.
Did I mention I’m not a heavy (if at all) pruner?! That may be the key.
Don’t prune those hydrangeas!
And the pink flowers, I have no idea. They grow like a vine type weed and they are wrapped around my honeysuckle. I just let them do their thing too.
I think flowers are just happy if you leave them be. Or something.
Don’t these colours look wonderful against all that delicious galvanized metal?
Sometimes it pays to NOT change out your mantel… it would appear…
Read how I made the little trunk into a sidetable HERE.
A couple other mantel designs with hydrangeas…
Abundant fall hydrangeas on a mantel (this one is over the top)
Baskets upon baskets of purple hydrangeas on a mantel
What do you have on your ‘summer’ mantel?
What a lovely mantel. I love that you put it all back and added the fresh hydrangeas to the dried ones. I would be so honored if you would come by and share this at my new link party at Celebrate and Decorate!
Hello Donna – I’m not much into seasonal decorating either. I love what you did with the fireplace, all that metal reminds me of containers from my grandma’s house. Very nice display and the hydrangeas are perfect, softens everything. Hope you enjoy a beautiful week.
Carole
Simply gorgeous! I love it and your style! I really enjoy your blog!!!
Oh Donna
The blue (indigo?) from those hydrangeas are breathtaking.
I can’t stop looking at your photos.
<3
Pia
I love it and if you love, don’t change it! Sunflowers in the late summer/fall would also look great with the metal pots. The quickest and most effective redo for me is to change out my flowers and throw pillows. I have had friends think I have totally redecorated with just a new pillow or two. I match up some luscious flowers from my cutting beds and there you have it, instant makeover!
Hi Donna,
The color of your hydrangeas looks amazing against the galvanized metal! What a beautiful mantel. By the way, I learned the hard way that hydrangea plants bloom on the “old wood” of the shrub, so not pruning your plants definitely helps in this case. How did I learn that? Well years ago when we first moved into our home, my husband decided to drastically prune a well established hydrangea shrub back…and while the green leaves of the plant grew back lush, it didn’t produce any blooms at all that year! That’s when a friend told me about how they bloom on old wood. We’ve left the shrub alone after that and it has blessed us with gorgeous blooms ever since. From what I have read, the newer varieties bloom on both old and new wood, but after our experience years ago, I am hesitant to prune any of our hydrangeas. Thanks for sharing your beautiful mantel.
This was fun and the colors are great. Isn’t it inspiring to find what you can do with what you have at hand?
Hey, I thought you were in Hawaii. Or are these pre-prepared posts since you mentioned that the internet connections were not great?
Hi Joan!
I scheduled a couple of posts from home before I left, in case I was too busy travelling around to post something. You’ll see one more too. 🙂
The internet is only part of my issue… I’m not in love with my sluggish laptop either. haha
I say go with what works and what inspires and if that’s the same with a few tweaks all the better. Looks good to me – and those antlers – love finding interesting looking sticks so deer antlers are now on my to make list. Thanks for the inspiration. Ah Maui !!!! – enjoy.
I can’t seem to let that deer head go… may have to just find a new home for it so I can change my mantel! 🙂
Your mantel is an absolute knockout, Donna…really love the sparkling combination of the metal pots along with the hydrangea, new and old! Your hydrangea must be the mophead variety which grow on old wood. Mopheads are better off not being pruned rather than pruned incorrectly at the wrong time, which a lot of people do and then wonder why their bushes aren’t producing blooms. No matter which type of hydrangea you have, you can always remove the dead heads and dead stems without harming the plant…the real harm comes in removing new blooms unless your hydrangea is of the type that can regenerate…these are called the “Endless Summer” variety. If not pruning works for you, then I say, keep on keepin’ on…your blooms are obviously very beautiful…and I am ever so envious of that gorgeous mantel and your keen styling abilities! Hope you and your son are having a most beautiful and blissful vacay! 🙂
But if I removed old blooms, I couldn’t display dried brown ones in the winter! haha I seem to find a use for anything, even dead stuff. But yeah, one day I plan to be a little more active in all things garden.
Re: the vacay, it’s been 1 week as of today…. fastest week of our lives!
Personally, I love that you find uses for things that most people would discard…yes, even dead stuff…hehe! It looks like your method is working for your hydrangeas, so why change it? I like to dry hydrangeas for use in winter…I’m crazy over the way they look in Christmas arrangements…and you’ve proven here that they still look amazing well beyond the holiday season!
It is true what they say…time really flies when you’re having fun…that’s why you have to do all you can to savour every single second of this special time with your son! I know you two aren’t letting a single moment go to waste…enjoy it thoroughly…all of the other stuff can wait…you’re on island time now! 🙂
What a brilliant idea!!! Looks fantastic. Oh I realy love it.
Happy summer
Elisabeth