I've been having a lot of fun this year with cut blooms as well. I also like to use interesting dead plants. My grape hyacinth looks great now that it's all dried up; and I have a curly willow that drops some really neat twisty twigs. Maybe some pictures are in order.

Neat! Isn't it so much fun to have flowers from your garden in your house? I finally picked some for myself - instead of the restaurant - yesterday. :)

Your gardenia is gorgeous! We had a gardenia bush, but I killed it. I love the way those flowers smell.