Monday 16 July 2018

In a Vase on Monday - Bright Sunshine and calling all senses

 Unless you have been underground, and thank goodness for all those heroes who rose to the occasion and saved young lives, you will have not failed to have noticed that in many areas of England we have had very hot and dry weather.  Since coming to live in the Mendips I have met and been told about many cavers who love to explore the underground territory under our feet.

 Last week, we did have one downpour, but not even enough to even coerce any green to reappear in the brown grass.  Even the wells in the Bishop's Palace are having a struggle to fill with water.

I hate to think what our water consumption has been.  Buckets of water have been ferried from spent washing up water and other activities to keep a few plants going.




Bright colours call out across the garden, and the flowers are buzzing with bees of all types, as well as these we have other flying insects and butterflies.


I bought three Tithonia plants when I went for a tour of the old Mendip Hospital Cemetery a few weeks back and one of them is already in flower.  They are really bright, and the center of the flower complex.



Sunday morning saw a gardening friend Jean and I volunteer there, clearing and planting wild flower seeds.  We worked in the shade, until the sun as so high, we started to fry!

 Also starting their blooming season are some annual rudbekias which have been standing the strong sunshine very well.




The bronze fennel flowers add a little softness, and I managed to persuade myself that the night time hoard of moths feeding on the Verbena Rigida would not miss a few stems.  I knew about them because when I started to turn the hose onto the plants when it was very nearly dark, I heard the moths rise up as they flapped their wings to get away from the spray.

Three stems from the yellow Japanese Grass Hakonechloa complete the arrangement.

Usually I wear gloves in the garden, but inside when I was arranging the flowers, my sense of touch came to the fore.  The rudbekia leaves and stems were as rough as sandpaper, but the stem of the Tithonia was soft and velvety:  what a huge contrast.  I started to feel the material...and experience the differences such as stiffness and pliability.  

I suppose that this season all plants that come through will be an achievement.  I for one believe that Cathy has achieved wonders keeping her garden open for visitors, and good for her for acknowledging her first arrangement of zinnias as a mark of achievement.  Do go and look to see them.

16 comments:

  1. Great post Noelle. Your vase looks so fresh, yet reflects the heat of the summer with those hot, strong colors.

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    1. Thanks Susie, I would not have usually grown these colours or annuals, but they were either gifts or a way of contributing funds. I have totally gained, by realising that opposites can lift each other, and annuals are great for filling in between the necessary gaps when having a new garden planted out.

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  2. Lovely contrasts with the orange and purple. I've never grown Tithonia but I think I should give it a go. I've often had rudbeckia though and find them brilliant as late season colour. Still hoping for some rain later but the window gets smaller and smaller each time I look. Perhaps I should stop looking.

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    1. Hope you got some rain Alison...a little here, but we could do with a few days worth over a few days!! Tithonia is new on me too, though I do remember seeing it in one or two other gardens over the years.

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  3. That's a really great colour combination - yells summer. - I need to be braver planting rudbeckia in my garden. It's been boiling hot in Manchester for months (and moorland fires) so I've been doing alot of watering - thank goodness for a small garden - I've got some pinks this week in my vase, love bec xx

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    1. I watched the fires when they were on the news...and felt very sad. Loved your pinks and maybe next you will try pink gin, made by your own fair hand? I made some rhubarb gin earlier this year. Bought some recently and sadly it was not a patch on mine, so will make more next year.

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  4. A lovely arrangement of survivors of your dry heat. Tithonia is a favorite of mine but I haven't grown it in several years. Fingers crossed that you'll get rain soon. We are dependent on snow pack in the mountains for our summer water as we usually get no rain from late June through October. Fortunately, this year we had a wet winter, therefore lots of snow in the mountains so we have no water restrictions.

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    1. Thanks, we have no water restrictions as yet, but we are on a water metre, and every bit has had to be processed...I much prefer to use the rain water I gather in the water butt. Snow capped mountains sound so beautiful.

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  5. Bright colors are always heartening, even in the heat. I've never grown Tithonia and I don't know why as it never ceases to bring a smile to my face when I see it. I hope there's more rain in your near future, Noelle.

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    1. From quite a small plant it has put on fast growth..its fun to try something new. Will it be one you try?

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  6. Your Tithonia is lovely - what an effort it is to keep flowers going this summer but you have been rewarded!

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    1. Have you posted about your garden or vases? Do leave a link here.

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  7. Love your summer heat in a vase, trying Tithtonia here, a great butterfly plant.

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  8. Hi Noelle, your pretty vase is so evocative of hot, tropical summer days. Here we're used to heat and drought in summer but I'm sure it's quite trying for you guys, so fingers crossed the plants will get over it. Grew Tithonia too one year but it's quite thirsty so I rather admire it elsewhere. Happy days, Annette

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  9. Exuberant summery colours this time.

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