Samples of the best in flower in my garden this morning: Euphorbias are the catalyst as I experiment with my new set of vases. Test tubes have featured very well in in the IVOM group particularly by Cathy who hosts this meme. This week she has loads of tulips and it is well worth looking at the previous post too.
Last week whilst visiting the Willow and Wet Land Centre where I bought my new white willow basket, I bought these three little sample vases in their carrier in one of little shops on site. They reminded me of those test tubes.
Its the time of year where the lime green of the spurges shine out in the garden. There are very many garden worthy Euphorbias and I have always admired them and grown several over the years. The three which I have growing in the garden at present each have their little vase. All three Euphorbia plants are very different, and not grown primarily for the flowers but for the colour and form of the foliage.
Euphorbia x martinii Ascot Rainbow
The Red polyanthus picks up the red in the eye of the Euphorbia Ascot Rainbow.
Euphorbia amygdaloides 'Purpurea'
With its purple foliage this Euphorbia works well in the border at any time of the year.
The bluebell which is growing profusely is not the native British one but the Bumble bees are not bypassing them. I just need to keep these in check so that they don't spread until I decided whether to ditch them all.
Euphorbia myrsimites
I have had this growing in a clay pot for several years.
A group of plants happier in shade are the Epimediums. Again a group I love to observe. Only one came with me, and I hope it will soon make as interesting a clump as it did in my previous garden where I photographed it with both its lovely flowers but particularly its foliage.
Epimedium x versicolor 'Sulphureum'
Lastly a little sprig of the self-sown Forget me knot. I feature this for my friend Kay...more about that on my post 'Swallowtail' to follow. Kay enjoys reading my IAVOM posts and peeps at others too. She has a fabulous garden and appreciates seeing what is going on in others too.
Your vase is perfect for this time of year. And you are right about the color of Euphorbias pulling it all together in the spring.
ReplyDeleteI like your little tasters in your new 'vase', Noelle, and they might encoursge me to introduce more euphorbias back into the garden. Interesting to see you have included epimedium and forget-me- not because I have just discovered a plant of the latter in the garden for the first time and yesterday I trimmed the leaves on the former for the first time (planted in 2003; trimming prompted by Monty - thanks Monty!)
ReplyDeleteI love euphorbias and can't resist those with red on the flowers. I'm establishing some here. See you tomorrow. I'll be here trying to reclaim the garden after two weeks of neglect. And yes, I do like lime marmalade.
ReplyDeleteI love your special vase and what you chose to display in it especially the Euphorbias.
ReplyDeleteI like your vase+carrier a lot and it's interesting to compare the various forms of Euphorbia. I adore Epimedium and wish it tolerated conditions in my part of the world but, sadly, it died out quickly even in the more hospitable conditions of my former garden.
ReplyDeleteThree lovely Euphorbia. Do you take care when cutting them as the sap is an irritant isn’t it?
ReplyDeleteI walked around our neighbourhood yesterday and saw so many non-native bluebells that I have decided I would be fighting a losing battle if I tried to get rid of ours.
I like your new purchase Noelle and the occupants therein. I prefer to gaze on euphorbias from afar as I suffer from skin allergies and can be forgetful at times. I think that might be a recipe for trouble so I would rather not tempt fate. Epimediums are delightful plants. I must confess I've only just grown them in the last two or three years but I'm now absolutely smitten :)
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