In Vases this Monday - Mid July

At the moment Mr S feels overwhelmed with scent and pollen so for now, most flowers have been banished from the house. I think he has the lastest Covid strain which I believe I had a few weeks ago.  Now I am fully fit and back to exercising each day.

During the week I made up two posies in jam jars which hopefully were enjoyed by friends, but first they sat on tables in a friend's garden.  It was our WI President's 60th birthday and she had invited us all to tea at another friend.  Having tea with friends was one her 60 things to do in her 60th of year, and what made this special that it was actually on her birthday.  We had a fabulous tea in the bottom of a peaceful and green valley out of sight and sound of any road with the Mendips rising around us. Unbeknown to her we had a seperate whatsapp group where all the arrangements were made.  Although no presents were requested, we had a joint collection with 'secret contributions' to a joint gift.  Anne had transformed and held together over 70 members over the covid years, and enabled a myriad of interest groups to burgeon.  Anne is very much an enabler and with so many talented people in our group, it was a surprise to all how much was raised.  With a joint buying power and access to prime goods I think Anne will have had a birthday party tea to remember.

 After those vases,  more were quickly arranged for different sections at our gardening group summer party on Friday.

The brief was an arrangement of six different flowers from the garden.  At first I thought I would struggle but since I had cut twelve different flowers I thought I would made two arrangements.  I am by training very much a law, guidance or rule writer and reader and interpreter, but some rules if not tightly written can be widely interpreted and really next time I ought to consult the writer.  All the other contributors had made arrangements, yes with six different flowers but with far more than just one stem of each.  Even the invited judge was baffled by the larger arrangements, but the club said that is fine!  Hence none of these had a look in.  

For today on this IAVOM,  the prize could go to whoever may choose to spend their time identifying all the different flowers from these rather poor pictures. The prize would consist of a 'well done' from several of us.

Completely new flowers and making an appearance today on my blog are a new rose to the garden: Rose Timeless Purple and Chrysanthemum White Gem a Korean White Hardy Chrysanthemum with spoon petals, seen here 

At present both these arrangements have been plonked together with a bit of the greenery which was cut several weeks ago and is today sitting on the utility windowsill.  I can't bring myself to throw them into the recycling bin and they are a little too far gone to give them away now. 

I have very loosely adhered to the underlying rules and regulations but hopefully not the spirit of joining in with Cathy to show flowers from the garden for In a Vase on Monday.  Next week my usual one vase with named flowers will hopefully form the basis of my offering.