Sunday 6 September 2015

In a Vase on Monday - Roses are Red

 A few hours in the sunshine gardening on Sunday, cooking some English roast lamb,  flower arranging...a walk across the fields to buy some eggs, birds harvesting caterpillars, all made for a quiet day and happy day at home.  I first posted this Vase on Monday, late on Sunday evening, as I knew we would be away all day Monday on a trip to Eltham Palace.  Now I can give you the link to Cathy post where she also is enjoying a new flush of roses.

The Munstead Wood Rose has enjoyed the thorough drenching from the recent rains, as well as the great big mulch I have given the whole garden, and I could not resist picking some blooms.  The colour is a deep red tinged with purple, and the smell wonderfully fruity.  


The 'supporting' cast this week is some variegated leaves to give a contrast:  Pittosporum Garnetti, Rhamnus alaternus Argenteovariegata, aka Italian Buckthorn, and Ugni Molinae 'Flambeau'.  The Ugni's deep red stems but still with variegated leaves is an attractive addition.  I had not wanted to cut too much as this is a new shrub growing in a pot.


The cloisonne vase was bought by my mother during her travels in China...it is a graceful thing, perched on its carved wooden base..a little too precarious though.  When Mr S and I went to China quite a few years ago, we visited a Cloisonne factory and saw similar vases being made.  There is so much work involved, and hard polishing, by people sitting on the floor in front of a row of grinders.

Some years ago the vase unbalanced and went crashing onto a hard floor and got 'bruised'.  So it is now probably worthless, but it is still water tight and a lovely shape, and I remember all the hard work that it took to made the brass and enamel glow.  I just turn it so that its best side faces outwards.  Maybe a metaphor for my self?




7 comments:

  1. The red roses are lovely, and the variegated foliage is a favorite of mine, it sets the red off so well. The Chinese are really good at cloisonne, what a pretty vase!

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  2. I adore the colour of your Munstead Wood rose - really deep and rich for this new season. The vase is lovely too (my husband works in enameling and using the Cloisonne technique, so I know the work involved). I hope you enjoyed Eltham Palace (one of my favourite places).

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    1. I very much enjoyed Eltham Palace, and guess what they had... Alice in Wonderland panels high up in the circular reception room! Wonder how they came to be there?

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  3. Yes, it's good to be able to love things for reasons other than their value - and perhaps there is a metaphor in there as well.... ;) Your Munstead Wood roses are beautiful, one of my favourite roses. Mine is in a pot but doesn't flower especially well and I am wondering if I should find a spot for it somewhere else - I am sure it would reward me if I did... Thanks for sharing and hope you enjoyed your trip

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    1. I have another of this class of roses in a pot: Gertrude Jeykll which is doing quite poorly, I think there is insufficient moisture, so it will be going into the garden any day now. My MW rose is in part shade for half the way and is doing very well. The foliage is strong and disease resistant too.

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    2. Oh a most attractive vase Noelle both the container and its occupants. 'Munstead Wood' is top of my rose wish list. I read that it has a strong scent and wonder whether you can verify or otherwise.

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    3. It has a really superb scent. If I had no sight and smelled the rose, I would see the deep red multi petaled rose! Put a few stems in a vase, in a room, shut the door, reenter a little while later, and you would look round to see where the lovely smell is coming from.

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