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.  

Plants at the start of March 2026 - Six on Saturday

If you go over to Jim's you will find several of us, and you too could join in, who mark six things from our garden on a Saturday.  Let's start the the list! 

1.  Last autumn I bought a few bulbs from Pottertons and was going to plant the Tulipa Sylvestris out in the garden this spring when I could see where to position them, so had planted the bulbs in November in 10cm pots.  However I ended up planting them a few weeks back in a pot as a table display.  Nice effect wouldn't you say but at some time I shall have to release them in the garden where hopefully they will naturalise.  One of these is not Tulipa Sylvestris but I think it is T. Turkestanica which I have growing in the front garden.

Tulipa Sylvestris

When I have posted this I'm going out to wipe the Sahara dust off the garden furniture.

2. This year I took a chance on growing the Tropaeolum tricolor right through the winter outdoors without protection.  A few years back I was lucky enough to visit the now closed nursery Avon Bulbs, they said they grew their outdoors all year round outside their polytunnels.  I put all the tubers into one pot this season, but being outside as opposed to in the conservatory, they have plied themselves around the stems and have made a tangle near the top, which is impossible to untangle without breaking their brittle stems.

Tropaeolum tricolor

3. Corydalis Beth Evans seems to have taken to this garden and I now have several good clumps including this one in the shady border, as well as several elsewhere including spots in the conservatory bed and other sunnier spots.

Corydalis Beth Evans

4. I love violas and violets and these seed very happily and sometimes need weeding out.  However wherever possible I leave them till I can appraise their flowers. More and more I am enjoying watching out for how seedlings from all the plants emerge and choose ones with good constitutions and not worrying that they are not 'named varieites'. I have Viola odorata Kim and also Viola 'Baronne Alice de Rothschild' but I am now getting seedlings even within their own patches that are somewhat different from the parent.  Here in the middle of the gravel garden not far from the washing line hole, is this charming new violet seedling with flowers quite large for the size of plant and larger than others I mentioned earlier. I'll grow this on for another year to see how it performs in a more mature form.  It holds its flowers nicely above the foliage but this may just be the growing conditions, the full sun and the baking conditions.

5. Primula 'Petticoat' a lovely double old variety has thankfully come through the dry summer and is starting to flower'.

Primula Petticoat

6. Primula: 'Blue Horizon'' which like Primula Wanda is a juliae type is just starting to flower and in a couple of weeks will be full stride.  Nearby I have the very similar  Primula vulgaris 'Hall Barn Blue' which I bought and planted last year but this has yet to flower.

The Robins are nesting, I've spotted butterflies and a slowworm who was sunning itself. With lots of ladybirds stirring, I feel that the garden is awakening. After a couple of dry sunnier days todays it has reverted to being overcast with a slight mizzle.  

Plants etc from the garden at the end of February 2026

Another month almost gone, and this regular garden chat is being linked in with others over on Jim's blog. 

The end of February has still some lovely crocuses and the sunshine has been bringing out 'giant' bumblebees.  Watching them delve down into the crocus cups is both a delight tinged with a little suspense as I wonder whether the crocus bloom will right itself.

1. I am very fond of the colour purple...

Crocus tommasianus Ruby Giant

2.

Crocus Shockwave

There is one bulb with a much larger flower, I wonder whether I ought to 'separate' this from the clump to give it a more uniform aspect? I am sure this will be done by end of day.

3. A healthy robust crocus for me is this stripy Crocus vernus Pickwick, which I have had for many years, and is slowly increasing.  It is the last of the crocus to flower.

4. Verbascum phoeniceum violetta has been growing in its original position for over six years, and each year I've thought that it ought to be moved.  It was too far inboard for me to enjoy the lovely form of the flower spikes. I could see there were various good growing sections with roots and they were seperated to give five plants.  Hope they survive this and flower this year.

Verbascum phoeniceum violetta

5. It was only when I noticed how large the clump of  Symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'Purple Dome' was encroaching on surrounding plants that I decided it was time to do something about this and hence the 'shuffling' in the garden. With the soil a little improved its space was baken by the Verbascum.

Divisions ready to be relocated in the garden
or given away

Shuffling was a term my SOS Sis used this week when we were 'chatting' on messenger. It brought a smile to my face, and some encouragement to get out in the garden and do some more gardening. Last autumn I treated myself to a set of three useful plyable handled shallow buckets from a farm shop, I like the pop of colour and I can easily find them compared to the large black one I had.  The large black one went to a friend to use in her large garden!

6. For Gill who is not all that keen on Pulmonarias, this is a lovely one for the garden: Pulmonaria Sissinghurst White.  The bees certainly love it. This is just the first flush of blooms, when trimmed down they will spring back.  I'm going to try to show each flush just to guage it garden worthiness this year.

Bonus picture............seedheads of the Miscanthus nepalensis, which I trimmed down this week.  If any SOSers fancy trying to grow this, contact me and I shall put some in the post for you. Use facebook with my name and send me a message with your name and address. I placed a couple of strands on the soil a cm deep with gritty soil on the top, and I had seedling come up a few weeks later, and this spring have sufficient to start a clump,

It definitely feels as if winter is behind us, spring in on its way!

 

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."

From the Garden for Six on Saturday - 21 February 2026

 For more gardening, plants and tales from gardeners the place to go to, which we and maybe you congregate is over at Jim's, where this post is linked to.

Did I say I wasn't going to get more plants: well that didn't last long!  I went up to visit Jackie at Tryffids Nursery a little later than I have done in previous years.  I had received her snowdrop list a few weeks ago, and I was delighted to pay her a pre arranged visit.  I came away with some pots and have already planted these around the beds.

1. More Eranthis for the garden, as I love that little bit of 'sunshine'.  Although labelled as Eranthis hyemalis I do believe they may be Eranthis Cilicica, I'll be able to tell which when the leaves are fully out. 

Eranthis hyemalis?

2.It has also continued to rain almost continually except for maybe only a couple of spells ofsunshine long enough for the crocus to open. It will certainly go down as the wettest January and February that I have experienced! During the few moments of sunshine Iit is also lovely to see the second wave oof crocus being the Crocus chrysanthus such as this lovely Crocus 'Advance' open up. This is their fourth season in flower and have really proved themselves coming back each year. I lifted them last year to seperate them, which has meant a less congested arrangement, don't you think?

Crocus chrysanthus 'Advance'

There are several other crocus varieties around the garden, but this little slope along the path near the Ginkgo tree seems to suit them well.

3. This is where I planted up three new pots of crocus this week, again with labels that I believe are wrong, these are not Crocus Herald but 'Prince Claus'. This has been confirmed, the bulb supplier sent the wrong labels!

Crocus Prince Claus

As the pots contain several corms I've just planted these in a clump, but when the growing season is nearly over, and the leaves are dying down, I shall lift them and disperse them a little more naturally.

4.  I also came home with two snowdrops which are in the poculiformis form.  This is a pure white one called 'Bridesmaid' and should be easy to spot and hopefully it will settled in and increase.

Galanthus Bridesmaid

The other poculiform galanthus has a slight green marking and it looks like what is written on the label 'Galanthus green tipped poculiformis'.

5. Found locally ie near Ashwick and Oakhill on the Mendips, a stonethrow from Jackie's nursery is this sweet double Galanthus 'Ashwick Green Tip', 

Galanthus 'Ashwick Green Tip'

Jackie also gifted me a good late Galanthus nivalis found locally and another 'unknown' single greentip.

6. A few years ago I planted a few corydallis in the garden.  I enjoy trying to propagate plants, and my prefered method is cuttings, but I have during the last few years trying harvesting and growing plants from seed. It takes time to grow a corm to flowering size from seed. 

Corydalis Malkensis

It is quite possible for an ordinary gardener, to grow these from seed without complicated equipement or shelter.  Proof here with seed of Corydalis Malkensis gathered and sown in 2023, and which germinated in 2024.  It has taken 4 years from seed to first flower.