My sisters and I have had some lovely 'e-communications' this past week that have had us thinking back to our childhoods, with some memories forming the basis of this Week's In a Vase on Monday.
With very few flowers in any reasonable condition and leaves tatty and dry and mostly on the ground, it is time to show this lovely alliumi. The name Allium carinatum subs pulchellum ia such a mouthful I call them my shooting stars.
On my Six on Saturday last week, I showed a close up of the flowers in the garden. After guessing at their height in a reply to Anna's comment, I went armed with my tape measure when cutting the blooms in the front garden, and the tallest were around 70 cm.
The leaves are quite desiccated now, and yet the bulb has found some moisture to make the flowers. In normal years it is already growing the new season's leaves at flowering time. I had the original three or four small seedling bulbs from Alison, and have gradually increased my stock. It takes three to four years to yield good sized flowers. I chose the name Shooting stars when I first saw the crazy shapes which probably are more like a little fire work. My father used to sing 'Catch a Falling Star' to us when we were very little, and I have since found the original sung by Peri Como.
The shells are Olives and Harps: all collected washed up on the beaches. After large cyclones, a little beach combing would yield a harvest, with little arrangements made with seaweed and mostly broken shells and corals on the sand, with maybe only one or two better specimens taken home. I have a little kilner jar of my objets trouvés which include these beach finds.
Alliums always look pretty and remind me of little fireworks. Like your little still life with the shells. Have a good week 🙂
ReplyDeleteThis looks lovely, Noelle - I don't think I have tried A carinatum before, but if this is their usual flowering time they would be a good addition to the borders. Are the wispy bits just bits of grass? What a good idea to have a hjar for your finds - better than just having them sitting on random wondow sills
ReplyDeleteThose are the dried leaves of the Allium, which I think because of their twisted form are quite interesting. I also love the sheathes which are long and as they split when the individual flowers burst out it twists around. I also have things on random window sills!!! These shells will stay out until Mr S gets fed up of moving them to dust, then they will be returned to their jar.
DeleteOh thanks for that information Noelle 😂 Your shooting stars look good in a vase as well as in the garden. The twirly bits look most intriguing. Beautiful shells too. I also remember that song well and hope that you will soon have that rainy day mentioned in the lyrics.
ReplyDeleteThe window of rain or very light mizzle passed with only enough to damped a starched napkin, so I got the hose out and watered a few of the plants that have survived so far.
DeleteI love your Alliums, Noelle. I've found that, like Crocus, they die out rather quickly here but I've ordered some more bulbs to plant this fall anyway. The shells are sweet. Even though I can see the sea from my back garden, I can't tell you how long it's been since I walked along the shore but then I don't remember a lot of shells there when I did - or maybe the early beachcombers get the shells ;)
ReplyDeleteAre there any bulbs native to your area that would return year after year? It is often a question of gardening with species that are happy in the climate...saying that I grow succulents from South Africa etc....so I do like to try different things too.
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