Flowers at the start of August - In a Vase on Monday

Today is another very hot day, and we haven't had rain for weeks and weeks.  The range of flowers is minimal as plants dry to a crips, but I have been watering a few, and others seem to have been quite resilient.  I am joining with Cathy who came to start this weekly Monday get together on her blog, a fair number of years ago.

This week's arrangement is in the Caithness vase and by its side is the little crystal watering can which I have used many times before.  It signifies that watering is needed to keep the flowers alive. The little trio of seed head rounds are from seeds I purloined during my holiday from a plant with very red stems which I believe are from Lunaria annua 'Chedglow'.  

I wanted to feature the Amni majus, which I have grown for the first time. I have been watching the Amni at every stage loving it from its green frothy foliage stage right up to flowering. It came to me as small plants sent over from Ben, Maggie's son: both are keen gardeners.

The cosmos were a mixed bag of seed, and there are several forms including this sea shell form.  

The achillea Lilac Beauty is somewhat bleached, but still goes nicely with the other colours.  The regular IAVOM gang know that I like seed heads, and looking rather elegant are the seed heads of Betonica officinalis 'Alba', and Teucrium hiranicum. In the background but not easily seen is a leaf from  Japanese aralia 'Tsumugi-shibori' or Fatsia japonica 'Spider's Web'

When I went to take back a couple of library books I came across 'Hortobiography' by Carol Klein. I was a little ambivalent about Carol Klein, and having read her book, mainly during our holiday away last week, I am now off the fence and will be looking out for other books, and perhaps searching for some of the TV programs she presented. I wouldn't have bought the book, but as it was one I could borrow from our local library, I am pleased to have read it. I also took some notes.  We are so lucky to still have free to borrow libraries, unless you reserve a book from a different library, for which there is a small fee.

 There is much about her life here, and interesting from a socio historic point of view. 

In a Vase on Monday - 13 July 2026

I am staying calm even if I am in a pickle!  That is what posting on IAVOM can do to be. It was Cathy's great invention and I say many thanks for this weekly habit, my contribution this week may be described as 'snippets'. It was a delight a couple of days ago to pick some lovely calendula and therein lies one of  the sources of my worries.

Accompanying the lovely pale cream calendulas in this week's vase is the grass Phalaris arundinacea var. picta which I love to call Gardener's garters.  The elephant also thinks it is too hot!

The seed was a gift received in the post from a blogging friend.  This year I was grateful to received seed from three friends. After sowing the seed, I must have discarded the envelope, what it you Cathy? If so, let me know, and would like to say thanks to you.  

Close up of Calendula from gifted seed

What is not to like about receiving seed and growing something that has been hand harvested and then sown again?  

These little violas/pansies are the smallest but still cute flowers from a garden cross seed which just found a little place to grow, either moved by the ants in the garden or just ejected to lie dormant in the soil. They were all from the same plant. I recently picked up this heavy cut glass vase from a local charity shop, and the watering can is a crystal miniature which once belonged to my mother, and I use it as a prop to indicate that we are in a drought situation and some plants need to be rescued with a little water.  I don't bother watering the violas as I now feel confident there is an abundant seed bank in the soil, and they will re-emerge as new plants when the conditions are right. They are all naturally pollinated so none will be similar

What a week we have had: it has been very hot and very dry, and today we awoke to strong winds and scorching sun by mid morning, which meant when opening windows early to try and cool the house we have a layer of dessicated pieces of grass and other plant material settle on everything in the rooms  at the back of the house!  I had to do shopping and go out to Knit and Natter, but Monday is Mr S's cleaning day, and I returned to a home put back in order: all ship shape.

I'm currently reading Mr & Mrs Disraeli: A strange Romance by Daisy Hay. I am pleased I picked this book following our visit to Hughenden back in May this year.  I thought I would read one of Disraeli's novels which are put into context in Hay's book as being the way Disraeli put into writing thinly veiled observations of his day and also trying to portray his own social and political thoughts and observations. I may yet choose one.  I am part way through this novel and it gives a good overview of society at that time. 

N is for Nasturtium

Hurrah it is Nasturtium time.  I knew it was time to feature some in a vase, as yesterday whilst having breakfast Mr S mentioned the vibrant red display at the end of the path.  I didn't see red but an orange, and when I questioned him he said it was on the plant I sometimes use in salads.  I knew it just had to be the nasturtiums for this week's vase. 

The seeds were kept from last year which I was pleased that I did.  Usually nasturtium seeds overwinter, but for the first time, none came up in the garden, and I started these in pots.  The original seed came from my friend Carolyn's old garden.  She has just moved to her new house after being in temporary accommodation of over a year and ought to ask her if she would like some seed back.

Although not obligatory, the Queen of this weekly get together Cathy always has a story: this week Cathy pays a tribute to her mother. This post will be linked into hers as will others.

I had a root around in an effort to find the old printers' block made of wood with the letter N. The ginkgo leaves which are the same as the ones posted a couple of weeks ago and are still fresh and a similar green to the nasturtium leaves.  My mind then wandered to things Japanese and the beautiful Japanese paintings of nasturtiums.  

As for books, it is along with the post on flowers that I sometimes show what I have been reading.

Code Name Hélène by Ariel Lawhon is excellent, and also enjoyed by Mr S. It is the second book by Ariel Lawhon for the book club, the first  being The Frozen River. The Outrun by Amy Liptrot isn't a book club book, and I love its sense of place, the story too.  I would love to visit those far away islands but somehow they are too far away, I had a good sense of place from Liptrot's narrative. As for The Seven Imperfect Rules of Elvira Carr, I wanted more hours in the day but also wanted it to continue.....

Interesting online read:

Just a short quote from the article about Nasturtiums from the site of Isabella Stewart Gardner.  I'll be spending the hot afternoon exploring this amazing Museum, of course without having to put my foot out of the door.

It received its common name “nasturtium”—which in Latin translates to “nose-twister”—from Renaissance botanists due to its peppery flavor and spicy fragrance similar to watercress (Nasturtium officinale). 

In a Vase on Monday - 22 June 2026

It is already hot, and forecasts are for even higher temperatures later in the week.  I have just read that in Korea Hydrangeas are associated with perseverance and resilience.  Cathy who heads this weekly blogging get together certainly has these in plenty, having been at the helm for a number of years.

I was expecting my friend Eileen to pop over on Sunday, and with the seating circle being in the shade, I went and gave the chairs a wash down and the circle a sweep.  

Nigella and shadows

A clump of the white Love in the Mist had already formed the attractive pods, and since they were leaning well over the circle, they were removed, and just some of them formed the start for the arrangement. I took this photograph of the nigella a couple of weeks ago to submit under the title shadows for our WI monthly photograph get together via zoom. I also cut down some of the overtall stems on the verbena bonariensis, and added three heads of Hydrangea. 

Alongside is my 'pebble vase' with some of the leaves which I pulled off the stems I had pruned off one of the Gingkos. The shade of matt green and form of these leaves feels cool and calming and have been on the mantel for a couple of weeks now. 

The reason Eileen was coming over was to exchange a vase for a cake tin, and of course enjoy a drink and a tour of the garden.  Eileen had entered a sponge cake for the Bishop's Palace Garden Party competition and I a couple of vases, one of which was this larger one.  I had little chance with the amazing very professional looking arrangements using florist flowers for an arrangement for a table for lunch.  Eileen's kind offer of cake was gladly accepted and I reciprocated with my arrangement.  After a slice each, the delicious cake was passed along to our neighbours with two teenage boys, they all very much appreciated it. 

This was my arrangement with a few of each of the flowers looking good that week in the garden.

Arrangement from different sides

In a Vase on Monday - A mini arrangement

 This is not an arrangement I made specially for today's In a Vase on Monday, but a photograph of an arrangement I made for the competition at the Bishop's Palace Summer Fête just over a week ago.  All these flowers are still available in the garden.  This In a Vase on Monday was the brainchild of Cathy, and I am joining with her and others today.

Included in this vase are Rodohypoxis,  Achillea x lewisii 'King Edward', Sea Campion: Silene Uniflora Alba, the little daisies are Erigeron karvinskianus, smallest of the Tiarella Spring Symphony, white love in the mist, and some little sprigs of the seed heads of Omphalodes Linifolia, and finally the purple edged leaves of Semiaquilegea.  

It was a very small vase and the whole thing had to be no more that 10 x 10 x 10 cm.  Well it was that when I had it at home. I had asked if I could position it myself but no that was not permitted.  Anyway it was deemed to be too large at judging,, and my thoughts were that when the arrangement was carried up, and watered the next day, the flowers must have loosed and just got a little larger than the required size.  Anyway I tried to be the best of losers, and at the end of the day offered the little posy to the judge. 

I was a judge for the preserves and originally our 'self made' rules, ie not written in tablets of stone, were that judges couldn't enter the categories even for which they were not judging. Just a few days before the date,  when our WI, who was for the first time undertaking the organisation of the competition, sent out a plea to members to find friends etc to enter, as we had a poor show.  I then asked if judges could bring entries for other categories.  The 'rules' were then altered, and the entries were to be brought the day before, and brought to the entrance when 'runners' would take them and place them in the exhibition room. 

Charisma - In a Vase on Monday

 These roses in the Timeless Series called  'Timeless Charisma' are probably the most colourful and strong of the rose trees I planted just a few years ago.  They withstand rain, sun and wind very well, but just before the downpours I decided to pick for this vase all the one variety  

As I was very busy I put just the roses in this large pewter biscuit barrel, but the next morning when I looked at them, they really did look like one of the stark 1960s arrangements that housewives may have put into a cut-glass vase. I went out early and picked some white Nigella aka Love in the Mist.  Well Charisma and Love probably go together! 

Another day passes and I nipped out into the garden to do a little cutting down of spent flower stems during one the drier spells, and rather that disposing of the seed heads, I thought they could be added to the arrangement.  Charisma and Love drew in Pimpinella major 'Rosea' seedheads and stems from the purple Verbascum phoeniceum violetta...So Charisma, Love, Pimpinella and Violetta form a charming arrangement.

Yes, I was happy with that....no more need be added. I am joining in with Cathy for this week's get together. 

In a Vase on Monday - The Florist Roses - 25 May 2026

It is really hot today, and after getting up early and throwing open the windows just to refresh the house, before closing them and the blinds and curtains on the sunny side of the house, which normally happens just after breakfast, I went for my usual early morning tour of the garden.  The first roses are fully out on the four Home Florist Rose Shrub collection with a lot more buds to come.  Early this morning I picked three one each from 'Timeless Pink', 'Timeless Cream' and 'Timeless Charisma'.

Rose Home Florist in a Vase

These remind me of my Parents who grew in addition to all their tropical plants and flowers, rose trees and the roses were a great attraction for bouquets in the tropics.  My father was a botanist entomologist and plant pathologist and run the growing side of things, whilst my mother was the business woman and florist, helped of course by a number of talented people. 

I myself favour the more relaxed form of domestic gardening and flower arranging.  When I was once looking at the rose bouquets from David Austen and saw 'Florist type roses' rather than their more floppy stemmed varieties, I thought they also sold those type of rose trees, it got me searching, but their roses for their bouquets are sourced from Kenya, so loads of air miles! A  few years ago the 'Timeless Collection' came to my attention, and their blooms really are like the long tall stemmed roses you buy as cut flowers. In bud and open too, they are superb, and the rose shrubs strong and healthy. To get the large terminal rose I find that a little disbudding helps.  I used to love helping my dad do this job on the flowers destined to be used as cut flowers.

These roses with strong thornless stems are in a large white jug, together with Sedum Hylotelephium  erythrostictum 'Frosty Morn', aka 'Alison's sedum', and some flowers from an unnamed heuchera. The heuchera has pretty leaves too, but not featured here. Since it so hot I have included the old elephant and my Mum's little crystal watering can.

Yesterday was definitely a 'getting out the deckchair day'. I has worked in the garden till lunch time, and afterwards started on my current Reading group book: apt really as it called The Gardener.  This month's book was my choice.  I do like her style of writing, topics and have read several of her other books.  Even only three chapters in I love it.

The previous two book were also interesting and worth reading: The Wrong Sister by Claire Douglas and The Names by Florence Knapp.

I'm linking this with Cathy's post called 'Stately Spanish Galleon': the creator of 'In a Vase on Monday'.

In a Vase on Monday - Birthday Lily in the Valley

 A few weeks ago I was walking round a beautiful garden with friends, and as often happens we split into two or threes depending on the interest in different sections. Carolyn who is one of the two ladies who selects and plans our WI  Blooming Fun outings and is equally interested in gardening as I am enjoyed pointing out different features to each other.

Today I dedicate my little vase to Caroly: Lily of the Valley and blue forget me not like flowers from Brunnera Jack Frost.

As we were walking round Brow Cottage which coincidentally featured in April 2026 Gardens Illustrated, Carolyn told me the story of how her mother used to prepare a little vase of Lily of the Valley each year for her birthday, even just a very few stems of just opening blooms.  So here today although not the exact date of Carolyn's birthday, which is nearer the end of the month, I dedicate this vase to a beautiful and generous lady.

We also both had the same piece of delicious cake at Brow Cottage.  I had to go back and check if the recipe was available.  It was called The Queen Mother's favourite cake which is a Date and Walnut Tray Bake with a fudge type topping.

Each time my Lily of the Valley comes into bloom I shall now think of Carolyn. I shall not forget the precious moment of Carolyn sharing this memory with me.

The little watering, can which I have shown before, signals hot days and watering.  The Lily of the Valley are suffering but it was worth cutting the last fairly OK blooms for this IAVOM. Each week we link into Cathy's Post.  

In a Vase on Monday - Small spring vase

For this In a Vase on Monday I give you this spring mini arrangement featuring the beautiful Primula Treborth Yellow.  The lovely soft mauve flowers are from Polemonium ‘Lambrook Mauve’ which contrast beautifully with the yellow of the Primula.  Anna recommended this Polemonium to me, and since getting it in 2021, each late winter I have taken pieces and simply pushed them in the ground such that I have several plants across the garden.  The third little flower is a diminutive pansy Viola Tricolor which seeds itself gently around the garden.

The little vintage brass snail often slithers across the photographs, and helps to give a idea of the scale for some IAVOM. It was the idea of the imaginative Cathy to start this series of get togethers each Monday with flowers from our gardens. 

In a Vase on Monday - Beauties and Thugs

A larger vase than normal is needed this week had me hunting around the house.  Most had arrangements of dried flowers, but I spied amongst my Pewter collection in the kitchen the deep and wide pewter biscuit barrel.

The White Centaurea Montana Alba is a 'low effort plant'. I was reading an article by Jack Wallington In the April 2026 Gardens Illustrated, and it struck me immediately that White Centaurea Montana Alba falls into the group of surefire plants that grow in many conditions, don't need pruning and don't need staking. I just cut it right down and it pops back up with more flowers throughout the year.

Slightly more effort is this double white Hellebore, which is now green and forming seeds.  With only one flowering per year it is a slightly different league to the Centaurea. The stems keep firm at this stage and I rather like the detail.

The thug this week are the Spanish Bluebells, which I have been in constant battle with since we moved here.  I try to cut the flowers as early as possible in the season as well as pulling up and trying to remove the bulbs. Otherwise the garden would be overrun by them.

As usual I'm joining with in Cathy to celebrate the act of cutting a few flowers from our gardens, and talking about them on our blogs. 

A Vase of Nodding Tulipa Sylvestris

This morning I picked all the lemony yellow tulips from a pot and decided to also use the clippings of the maple which had been slowly opening in this very vase.  As I walked back with the tulips wondering what else to include,  my notice fell upon the green and yellow foliage of just the right hue on the Chamaecyparis a dwarf threadleaf cypress. 

We have enjoyed looking out at the two pots I planted out with Tulipa Sylvestris on the garden tables for a couple of week.  The Tulips have swayed in the wind but remained unscathed by the hail storms but with their sinewy stems they would look far better in a more natural planting scheme, so this week, I shall relocate the bulbs.

I'm linking this post to Cathy's blog for the In a Vase on Monday get together She talks about clouds and books on clouds.  I too am a  lover of clouds and very much enjoyed the book she mentioned 'The Cloud Spotters Guide'.

In a Vase on Monday - Botanically inspired

Botanical drawings are beautiful and fascinating and shows the beauty of structure and details of plants. I love them and from time to time like to try my hand at studying and drawing specimens.  Yesterday whilst gardening I decided to remove the 'rogue' tulip from the garden table pot, and just plonked it a vintage apothecary bottle.  I thought no more of it until this morning when some of the blooms had opened.  We are having a strange day with mists swirling around, and the subdued light was perfect for this species multi headed Tulipa turkestanica.

This 'In a Vase on Monday' get together is the creation of Cathy, and just follow this link if you would like to learn more, and even join in.

Tulipa turkestanica

This morning as I walked through the dining room, I realised the copper stock pot and a large platter needed cleaning, then I realised the sideboard was overloaded with dried arrangements. I had started to clear some of them when I realised that they could also feature this week for In a Vase on Monday.

I knew that I would be wanting this tall narrow vase soon, and for several months it had been just the right height to show off the dried stems of Allium carinatum  subs pulchellum.

Allium carinatum  subs pulchellum

Needing my pie dish, the dried poppy heads were next to be spread over the garden.

Dried Poppy seed heads

With the ones which I had rescued from the garden last year, I tied into a little bundle which I have now moved into the conservatory.

All that is now left is the vase containing other flowers which I picked from the garden and dried last year. 

I think most of them featured last year in vases.  Just as some people like artificial flowers, I rather like dried flowers during the winter, reminding me of the beauties of summer.

Tulipa turkestanica closeup

When I see a multi headed tulip now I am reminded of the time years ago when we visited my uncle Noel.  He was a great prankster and had that reputation from a youngster.  When we arrived he took us straight into the garden to such us his prize tulip....there it was: a multi headed red tulip, a sole one in a bed of other straight up 'traditional' tulips.  Of course we could not reach it to inspect it or even see it that clearly, and we all just creased up at the joke, absolutely no one believed him and thought he had planted an artificial bloom.  Knowing what I know now, it was no joke, it was indeed a multiheaded tulip.  

In a Vase on Monday - a Trio and Angel Number 333

Looking out the window I noticed this morning that the Amelanchier buds had that swollen look a sure portent that the sap is rising and soon there will be a flurry of blossom. Looking back this is not particularly early. However I love this narrow few days and given that we have had some warmer temperatures arriving there may be a noticeable daily change.

After lunch I wanted to mark this brief period, and found a few of the later flowering snowdrops under the Amelanchier trees and thought they would make good companions, as these are probably the last of the snowdrops. However I have very few daffodils; they just don't last well from one year to another and I have no more than ten or so blooms from all the bulbs I have planted since moving to this year.

The little set of three vases are just right...and this is probably their first appearance as a trio. For more delightful arrangements, why not go over to Cathy's post where you will be able to find links from others such as me for this 'In a Vase on Monday' topic. I do enjoy posting these arrangements from plants from my garden, and have realised that my last post was Number 333 which is considered to be an Angel Number. 

I know many of us have stretched the boundaries regarding different considerations such as What is a Vase? No water required as in dried flowers or a wreath, and even for those friends snowbound bought flowers have sometimes had to creep in, but at least the arrangement carried the guarantee 'arranged with my own hands'.  I therefore knew I had to present something like the above trio, even if I felt you would love to see the following composition.  None of it is of my making but could well be a start point for future arrangements especially for those which are intended to be left outside. These would also making a charming decoration for a ledge or porch on a church or old building.

Nest form of Snowdrops

I went on my pilgrimage on Friday to the Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Festival.  There were workshops for Snowdrop Kokedama and lots of lovely special snowdrops for sale.  However on a stand I spied  Snowdrops in a bird nest inspired arrangement of twisted hazel twigs.  I believe these had been made  to raise funds for the festival. Later when the ovaries start to swell, I shall place these snowdrops into the garden, and may use the twiggy arrangement for another plant.

The reply asking for more information from the Snowdrop Festival organisers:   "We are all volunteers and Simon , one of our committee team made the nests from his own twisted willow and  clumps of snowdrops. All the proceeds go towards our snowdrop plantings and enhancing the economic well being of our lovely town. Do enjoy its beauty."

All dried out - In a Vase on Monday

The fresh garden flowers are taking a break this week, allowing me to show some of the dried flowers prepared last summer.  The vase is a soap stone one bought in China and given to me by my mother several decades ago. 

 

The pale green of the vase is not quite the right hue or shade to match with fresh foliage and flowers, so at last it gets an outing and pairs fairly well with some of the flowers I dried last year.  

Pseudodictamnus acetabulosus

Pseudodictamnus acetabulosus dries well and keep its form, and Origanum 'Emma Stanley' too with the colour only fading slightly.

Origanum 'Emma Stanley' dried

I have quite a few dried poppy seed heads around so choose three for the vase, and at the base are three more where the outer skin has been removed to leave the fine inner formations. A couple of years ago I noticed such 'skeletons' where I had dropped poppy seed heads on the beds, and used it again last year to great advantage.

With fellow gardeners who love to bring some of the garden indoors,  I am linkins this post to Cathy's In a Vase on Monday. 

Candlemas Bells for In a Vase on Monday

I happened to read just a couple of days ago that today is Candlemas Day.  Therefore as one of the several names for Snowdrops years before Linneaus settled on the name Galanthus was Candlemas bells, it seems so right to feature snowdrops today.

Here in the vase is a selection of some of the larger special snowdrops. The Galanthus nivalis are only just appearing and those would have been the ones picked to adorn churches.

Not being superstituous I haven't waited till now to pick snowdrops.  Apparently before Candlemas Day it unlucky, but for this festival the snowdrop as symbol of purity and hope were picked to adorn Churches and hence not suprisingly can still be found in old churchyards and around old religious places such as abbeys. When we lived in Kenilworth our walks often took us on snowdrop hunts and the churchyard there never disappointed. 

The little brass snail is an old and the decorated pebbles are all dressed up as it were, picked up at a local art exhibition.  As usual I am linking into Cathy's post of her blog: Rambling in the Garden. 

Three little vases with Cyclamen for In a Vase on Monday

This morning I was out on a walk with WI friends, along part of Strawberry way which is a cycle and walking path built along the old Cheddar Valley railway line. We were lucky enough to walk without rain, but here as Mr S and I were having lunch in the conservatory, it got darker and darker and then the heavens opened.  Still feeling happy from my walk, I braved the rain and went out to pick a few cyclamen.

I tried to cajole the cyclamen coum into some of order but they were not playing ball, almost as if they resented being picked!  The leaves are from various Cyclamen hederifolium and the little twiggy bits with tricolour leaves is one of my choice shrubs is Lophomyrtus x ralphii 'Little Star'. with its little green,white and pink leaves. I could have picked more of the special snowdrops, but I thought a change would be good. The Lophomyrtus twigs were actually cut back so that I could see the snowdrops growing close by.

The three little vases are fine porcelain which Mr S bought for me on one of our date day outings to Clevedon at one of the galleries there.

I am linking this Monday's Vase as usual to Cathy's post. 

In a Vase on Monday - Snowdrops

This morning I went out to see if there was something to get me going.  My eye was first drawn to yet another scattering of twiggy bits from the Oak growing just over the wall.  We have several squirrels attempting to build drays and I think these are the ones which fell down or were brought down by the wind and heavy rain yesterday.  They are however the perfect grey green to form a background for the snowdrops in this vase.

Next looking at the Pittosporum I thought a few pieces of that would form a good contrast.  On Saturday Jim mentioned cutting his Pittosporum before the new growth broke out, so this is a job for me this week.  Then I looked around to see which Snowdrops I would cut.  I have a little clump which I can't see from the conservatory which has been in flower for a couple of weeks, and its label read Melanie Broughton.  Since I could not see them when sitting in the conservatory, I decided to cut each bloom, and worked hard on trying to remember the name ready for writing this.  Well, I have looked at other example of Melanie Broughton, and this is definitely not that one, as there are just a little marking.  I felt a huge disappointment.  Can snowdrops loose their markings or is it simply that the label got misplaced.  I shall need to ponder this one and consult any sketches I made, if indeed I did any, when these were planted.  

To bypass or maybe even erase this crest fallen feeling, I shall concentrate on the feeling I had when I was cutting the blooms, before I knew of the problem, and also remember the little robin who came to see what I was up to, and also his song.  Here therefore besides the arrangement is the delightful studio pottery bowl with a robin on it by Laurence McGowan.  

After Knit and Natter this morning, and lunch, I have consulted my planting notes for 2022 when I received a selection of lovely bulbs from my friend Brenda and the name of Galanthus Mrs Macnamara is spot on for position and the description.  I am now a happy bunny!

I am linking in with Cathy over on her blog Rambling in the Garden.

First Monday Vase of 2026

Tonight is twelfth night but knowing that we were having a very hard frost again, and that the snowdrops will be flat on the floor again till they thaw out around lunch time, I picked today's flowers yesterday and photographed them then.

It took me some time to find a vase to display these snowdrops, as well as the one rose from Rosa Munstead Wood which has been in 'suspended animation' for the last few weeks.  The snowdrop at a little more than 30cm for the longest stem is living up to its name of 'Colossus'.  My usual vases for snowdrops would have needed me to cut off most of the stems which would have not shown the snowdrops in their full glory. 

The vase on the left has the longest stems and the one on the right the slightly shorter ones, but they are all from Galanthus plicatus 'Colossus' with the smaller of the blooms appearing as the second flower growing from the same bulb that produced the first larger and longer stemmed flower. It is not usual for snowdrops to produce more than one stem and flower from each bulb.

Galanthus plicatus Colossus close up

When we clear away the decorations this evening, the mantle shelf will be the last place to be cleared and this arrangement will certainly last a few more days. Then the fir cone on its little branch and the lichen encrusted twig will be more apparent.  These last two were little treasured finds from walks a few weeks ago.  I am one of those people who find little things on walks and just cannot resist bringing them home like trophies, a bit like a dog on a walk wanting to bring home a stick. I mention these as on Six on Saturday this week, my SOS sister 'Off the Edge Gardening' whom I have never met, seems to have such similar tastes we often make a joke of this. Fir cones and lichen were mentioned last Saturday on her post hence my kitchen windowsill trophies made it into IAVOM.

Thanks to Cathy who devised and has led IAVOM for many years, we and that could be you too, link in our posts over onto her weekly one.  Happy New Year everyone on In a Vase on Monday.

In a Vase on Monday - 15 December 2025

After clearing the table quickly this afternoon, I took a picture of this little posy even as the light was starting to lessen.  We are not far off the winter solstice and soon the days will be getting longer again. A few years ago, when we first moved to Somerset, one of the IAVOM ladies realised that I was not far away and introduced herself. Since then Alison and I meet up several times a year, and today Alison came to lunch.

Posy for Alison

Can you believe it that I felt it was more important to pick a little posy for our lunch table than it was to get changed!  Anyway I apologised as Alison stepped through the front door, and she graciously allowed me a couple of minutes to change.

In the posy are five early flowering snowdrops all from one clump, some pale pink and darker cerise cyclamen coum, for foliage I have used some Pittosporum Tom Thumb, and some of the lovely soft green leaves of Corydalis ochroleuca which self seeds gently around the garden.  I first saw this plant in Alison's garden and it was from her that I got my first plant. At present I can't locate the label for these snowdrops but what I can say I haven't had these ones flowering so early before. 

I like stones, and at a local Calligraphy exhibition picked up these three beautifully decorated stones,  even though they have been on the table for several months, because they are suitable coloured, they are my nod to Christmas decorations

I had made a soup new to me and also a Pecan Pie which I have never made before. .  I love the flavour of pecans, and also maple syrup, and after two elegant servings you can see what is left.

On flower themed books, I have enjoyed The Book of Garden Flowers with the artwork by Angie Lewin and the text by Christopher Stocks.

On a more serious note, but one I would also recommend is Stuck Monkey: The deadly planetary cost of the things we love by James Hamilton-Paterson.  This book was on display when I last went to my local library.  I thought this would be a book I would dip into, and skim or speed read sections, but how wrong was I.  It was a page turner and an eye opener!  I was half way to understanding many of the aspects James Hamilton-Paterson was covering, but I learnt so much more.

Stuck Monkey  by James Hamilton-Paterson

I am linking in with Cathy the creator of In a Vase on Monday. 

The addition of books is just my own idea: a way of my keeping a record but by no means to I show all the books I read!

 

Flowers from the garden at the start of December 2025 - IAVOM

During the hot and very dry summer it was impossible to imagine that well ahead of time late winter or early spring flowers might start making an early apperance.

Just after lunch today, I popped out in the wet windy weather to see what had survived the recent few days.

Lamium maculatum 'White Nancy' and feathery greenery from the Corydalis  ochroleuca are there to provide a green foil to the snowdrops, Cyclamen coum, and Jasminum nudiflorum. This vase could very easily be built up in January or February but by then the Aster Monch would be missing. I believe this snowdrop to be Galanthus Natalie Garton: it is flowering in the same place as the named one was planted.  The drops are quite large on this snowdrop but had not flowered this early in previous years.

My very first entry for IAVOM was probably in 2015 but it has only been in more recent years, with the advance of technology, that Cathy has organised annual zoom meetings. Cathy who started this weekly get together years ago called 'In a Vase on Monday' organised a zoom meeting yesterday, when some of us joined in from very different climatic regions.  We talked about the best doers in the garden, and in the second half another Cathy showed us lovely pictures of her garden focusing on grasses.

I am linking this post to Cathy's blog, and that is the place where several others link in.  New comers are welcome of course should you feel like joining in.