In a Vase on Monday - Delicate Spring Blooms

 

 I've been watching the Sorbaria sorbifolia 'Sem', in last week's vase,  gradually unfurl and turn a pale green, the curving leaves adding a soft flowing movement.  They have been reused this week, with the addition of  a stem of Lamprocapnos spectabilis Alba, several blooms from Epimedium x versicolor 'Sulphureum', and a stem of blue forget me not looking flowers from the Siberian Bugloss: Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost'

If you have ever felt the leaves of Brunnera the many hairs that cover the surface give a very rough texture.  When I found the common name Siberian Bugloss, that led me to wondering about the name Bugloss as we have a wild flower called Viper's Bugloss which is a type of Echium. Bugloss comes from the Greek for Ox-tongue .  Thankfully the Brunnera is well rooted and cannot come chasing me, as one is likely to be if you find yourself in a field with young cattle, and yes, I have felt the coarseness of a cow's lick!

On a recent walk across fields and styles, the little piece of litchen covered bark caught my attention and came home to sit on the mantlepiece.

Each Monday I join in with Cathy who rambles through her garden, and posts an anchoring vase often with stories and props.  Do go and have a peep at what other IAVOM posts there are linking into hers.

Six on Saturday - 1 May 2021

 With cold temperatures at night, there is  ritual of moving plants out into the garden, or back under shelter, each end of the day, covering or uncovering plants with fleece.  This week we have had a little rain, but not sufficient; light levels have been excellent.  Growth is fast and some of the early spring plants are starting to melt away soon covered by nearby early summer herbaceous plants, with hardy geraniums showing beautiful fresh leaves.  

1. The clumps of Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' are now in leaf and the first of the stems of blue forget me not looking flowers are ones I often use in my small posies which I show each spring on IAVOM. Later in the season, when the flowers are long over,  the leaves often feature in arrangements.  I have grown this plant in several of my previous gardens, and would not be without it.  Not long after moving, my neighbour offered me a plant, and this is it now nicely bulked up.

If you have ever felt the leaves of Brunnera its surface is the opposite of smooth or silky and not at all shiny.  They are covered by coarse hairs which can be quite rasping and which is why I use gloves when handling this plant. When looking up the common name, which is Siberian Bugloss, this led me to wondering about the name Bugloss.

2.  There is a wild flower called Viper's Bugloss which is a type of Echium. In summer it stands out beautifully with its blue flowers   For great detail and photography do visit Brian Johnston's post: on Echiums. This one is a biannual, that I fancied growing just the once maybe, as it is one of those plants that several butterflies and bees love. Last year during its first year, it quickly grew handsome looking rosettes which in themselves added a good structural element to the area.  I am sure that we shall have some fine flower spikes in a couple of months time.

Bugloss comes from the Greek for Ox-tongue and the name bugloss comes up in several plants in the Borage Family, and of course Borage also has those hairy leaves.  Yes that one too is part of the Boraginaceae Family, and so is Forget me Not, and also Pulmonaria. I was beginning to twig that plants in that family share the same characteristic of coarse hairy leaves. 

3. Earlier this week,  I cut right back to the ground all the Pulmonaria Sissinghurst foliage and spent flowers, after these had provided a feast for early bees.  The few gentle showers during the week are helping this plant bounce back, within the last five days.

Pulmonaria Sissinghurst cut back

 I often get further flushes of flowers.  

Several members of the newly formed local WI gardening group would welcome some of these. By splitting a plant,  more than one person may profit.  They are now planted back out into the garden, and will be available to be collected bare rooted some time in the coming months.  We have a few experienced gardeners, and some novices and the whole idea is that we share.  

Previously I would have grown them on potted into compost, watering the plants etc, I have taken on the idea that if the plants are quickly being picked up and replanted in a nearby gardens, this is a better way: the only thing is that I loose a little soil.  I am gradually also realising the benefit of sharing seed.  Encouraged by other members of this group, I am starting to enjoy this activity and have benefitted from their generosity.

One Pulmonaria split, with five small plants settling in

I am looking at two further undivided plants and may well do a step by step division mini session, followed by coffee and cake of course. After all, once one is taught to propagate, one plant can become many.....

4. I happen to have brought one of my  Kenilworth weeds with me in the soil and it is one I like.  I used to search out ones with different colours, and I also have the white form of the dog violet...the ants distribute the seeds, and many plants can be found near their nesting areas.

5. A few years back on a visit to Birmingham Botanical Gardens I saw one of its 'American cousins' and it was love at first sight! I am quite patient and have waited five years and now have a Viola Pedata.   More information of location in sandy soils, and how best to try to keep these plants going has 'passed' some pleasurable time. 

6. Viola Tricolor is now ready to be planted out in odd spots around the garden. I grew these from seeds received from Jim: one of the very experienced and knowledgeable SOSs, last November, and then pricked them out into this module tray when they were showing the true leaves.  I'll try them in different places and see where they like it best! 

Joining up with Jon and other gardeners, whether it is just to see and read, or if you are tempted and would like an interesting way of noting six items in your garden each week on your own blog, and sharing, is open to all.  Any rules and guidance are on The Propagator's blog. 

 

In a Vase on Monday - White Hot

Its white hot, and the conservatory is not the place for flowers...but this little glass rhino, a present from my friend Diana many years ago feels completely at home there.

In a little while the arrangement will be placed on the chest in the guest bedroom, where my sister visiting from Spain will be able to enjoy it.

Against the black slate board, the arrangement made up of just three elements stands out....

White agapanthus, Brunnera Jack Frost to remind us that one day it will be cool again, both plants given by my neighbour Val,  and a stem of  Fuchsia microphyilla 'Silver Linings'.


Cathy who hosts this meme created a posy to take to a barbie...go and see what lovely blooms she has cut from the garden for this, and maybe check in to see what others have come up with.

In a Vase on Monday - Frosty morning

 It is clear, cold and frosty.  This last week has seen the frost that caught the nasturtiums.  It feels as if winter has arrived. I was going to pass on making an arrangement this morning, preferring to keep inside, skipping the Earthly Joys of gardening, for the joys of reading .  However the window cleaners turned up for the big annual and pre Christmas clean.  I'm so pleased that it is after the storm as that left the whole house and garden covered with 'shredded tree' material and what looked like a bumper harvest of conifer seeds.

After I had moved all the pots out of the way, so that they can get access to clear out the gutters and wash and polish all the facias, I had worked up a cosy warmth, and a trip down the garden, yielded some Fuchsia Hawkshead stems, and a supporting frill of  Arum maculatum.

I thought a few leaves of Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost', would be timely, but they were rather weather worn and tatty.

Keep warm and safe, and enjoy the simple of things in life such as a good book.  I am currently reading Earthly Joys by Philippa Gregory.  This is the first of two books.  I bought both  some time ago on the recommendation of my friend Jean who used to be a professional gardener. The writing is superb, the historical content cleverly woken in, and particularly riveting for any gardeners interested in the history of gardens and plant introductions. Yes I too would recommend this book.

I'm linking in as usual with Cathy, and wonder what other contributors will be sharing with this week.  Of course, we are lucky to be an 'international' bunch, so there is the Joy of all climates and season to share. 

Six on Saturday - 13 May 2023

We have had deluges of rain, but also a couple of days of sunshine. Already the Holm Oaks are starting to go through their summer moult, as evergreen trees do and this is when I hope that we don't have too many easterly winds as we did on Friday as they shed over on my garden rather than on the other side of the wall where they are growing. 

Here are my Six this Saturday:

1. The Nemesia Vanille Fraise was left in situ over the winter with just a light prune and just look it now, growing in the 'Willow Pot' in full flower and filling the garden with its scent. 

2. Another plant which I hope will flower year after year is the Choisya 'Aztec Pearl'.  It is somewhat dominated by the Persicaria Red Dragon that seems not be at all snuffed out by the huge amount of rain, in fact the converse is true. It was just a small new plant last November.

3. One of the plants in full flower and much admired was again a white:  Centaurea Montana Alba.  Over three weeks I have had requests for this plant and having divided this and positioned it at various points in the front garden over the last couple of years, was able with my trowel to provide some good plants straight away to friends.

What is so good about this silver leaved perennial cornflower is that as soon as a flush of flowers is over, I cut it right back to the ground, and it spring back and flowers again.  I get at least three repeats, and this year I shall monitor this clump to see how many regrowns I get.

It  is not just one way with plants: this week I received a piece of Brunnera macrophylla 'Hadspen Cream' from Brenda,plants were exchanged when we visited Batcombe House, this week. That has been planted in a shaded area.  Once it grows and I can judge its habit here in the garden, it will be a good one hopefully to place in different areas. I've visited Batcombe House previously but went mainly to meet up with gardening friends.

4. This is the view of looking towards Gooseberry corner but with the planting and with the fruit trees growing on nicely. It was looking at this border which featured in May 2021, early this morning, which illustrated to me how worthwhile taking a weekly overview of the garden is.

5.  Always a favourite area of the garden, the gravel garden is looking fine and for the last couple of weeks the creeping thyme 'Jekka' has been attracting pollinators. It easily roots along its long stems into the gravel and I have been placing 'new' plants to start to give the front Mediterranean themed garden some early carpeting cover and colour.

I've read that it is a good culinary thyme, and I really ought to put that to the test.  Also I understand if you cut this one back it bounces back with perhaps another display to follow.

6. Another little plant which has given pleasure since first planting three years ago is the heart leaved globe daisy: Globularia cordifolia.  Batcombe House also have this trailing off a short brick wall to great effect.  It was obviously very happy there as it had been in for years as seen from it thickish woody base. Here it is just starting to flower today:

Globularia cordifolia

Finally: 

Since high profile people can made a U turn, I hope readers won't be dismayed that after writing recently about my decision to temporary halt my weekly posts linking in to memes, I feel it important to return at the very least to SOS which is hosted each Saturday by Jim. 

For one I won't be silenced:  after receiving

 'Your post titled 'Apple D'Arcy Spice' has been unpublished' Your post titled 'Apple D'Arcy Spice'was flagged to us for review. We have determined that it violates our guidelines and have unpublished the URL

I have no idea what caused an infringement, but I have removed the links to apple suppliers to the RHS and others, and now it is accepted. How those links were an infringement I do not know, however on resubmission it was 'uncancelled'!

Secondly I had some friends round for a Book Club and luncheon, and their comments regarding the garden and some of the plants made me look at the garden with fresh eyes.

And looking back at my post in May 2021, I realised that these weekly posts allow me to note my feelings and also views of the gardens and plants which I enjoy looking back on myself. They give me so much pleasure....

In a Vase on Monday

The top flower this week has to be these two stems of Narcissus Thalia which despite the rain and cold winds, and ever marauding slugs and snails is sufficiently perfect to reach today's small arrangement.  Joining them are some stems of Brunnera Jack Frost and Pittosporum Tom Thumb.

On my way back from cutting these, I passed the Primulas which had been potted up for display on the 'shed shelf', and with the purple in the middle of the Primula Gold Lace matching the dark purple of the Pittosporum, a few were snipped for this arrangement.  The Vase is a lovely pebble shaped vase which with its small opening hold such flowers nicely without the need for any additional aids. 

On Mondays Cathy posts and a few of us join her in showing a vase from material from our garden.  The idea should you wish to join in, is that you post your vase and you make a link to it within the comments section.  Otherwise using the link, you will undoubtedly find several other pretty arrangement to enjoy. 

In a Vase on Easter Monday

 Yesterday I went to help serve teas at the Wessex Daffodil Society show.  Our gardening club helps out to serve refreshments to the many who travel miles to stage their special daffodils in so many different classes.  All are beautiful and perfect and the judges take hours to reach their final decisions.  Thirsty work of course.  I had made a large tray bake of the Hairy Bikers' Cardamon Coffee Cake which I first made over a decade ago.  I halved the cardamon and added grated lemon peel, and had many compliments over it.  

I had not wanted to stage any blooms this year as this would have meant driving out to the Village Hall twice in one day.  Instead Mr S and I went on a long walk in the beautiful spring sunshine.  Last year the Society donated a number of bulbs in thanks for all the help we offer, and which were raffled off a the club.  I had Narcissus Pebble Mill.  

Not surprisingly this is the one I chose to show in my Vase on Monday today.  Alongside are leaves of Allium italicum, and some clear blue flowers from Brunnera macrophylla Jack Frost. 

The Book Club gang are meeting up at Anne's this week to discuss our latest read.  It was a real page turner which I thoroughly enjoyed.  We shall be discussing The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell.

The cult like atmosphere with controlling behaviour was on my mind when I caught a clip on classic FM advertising the the interview with the pianist RIOPY who also lived but escaped a controlling violent sect in France.  I must listen to some of his music, I wonder whether Alexa will have any tracks.

Hope you are having a lovely Easter.  Us IVOMers are gathering under Cathy's watchful eye, but we are also meeting virtually next week for the second time...

Six on Saturday - 7 March 2020

I'm posting late in the day, but the advantage is I get to read amusing comments on the Props page.  He is truly in the propagation mode this week!

(1)Lettuce grown in outer space was on the news this week, following an article in New Scientist saying it was as nutritious at lettuce grown on earth.  They do have an advantage as I doubt whether they took up slugs, for anything other than maybe some experiments rather than to graze on its leaves.  I hadn't chosen the same variety: Red Romaine which they had selected as it germinates easily.

Down on the surface of Earth, a few varieties were sown up and are starting to emerge this morning  in less than a week.  Lettuces Catalogna Cerbiatta, New Red Fire and Royal Oak x 5 modules each.

To complement the lettuce , some modules have been sown up with Coriander Calypso, calendula and dill.  I love a salad, I really do, but Mr S used to be a reluctant partaker.  That changed last year when I started to buy mixed bags of leaves grown within walking distance.  As the year passed I started to add edibles from the garden such as nasturtium leaves, dill, etc. He is now 'on board'.

(2) Rocket: another space related connection!  Last year my son shared a bulk packet of rocket seed for  picking your own leaves from a pot.  As the light is getting better, I have sown a tray and seeds are just bursting into life.

More Veg that is what I want to grow this year, but still in my little patch, with maybe a few pretty leafy things tucked into the borders.  I came across www.moreveg.co.uk  just as I was looking for a paticular variety of lettuce, and was delighted to find a company selling small amounts of seed of rather interesting edibles.

(3) Alliums

Allium schoenoprasum aka chives border the small 'potager' and have been providing a few leaves for the past couple of weeks.  From now on there will be an abundance!

Allium schubertii close by the gravel area are up and a quick peer down into the centre shows that the buds are poised and ready to rocket up into flower.

(4) Corydalis Beth Evans

Two years ago I bought my first little pot of Corydalis Beth Evans.  Last autumn I put the corms out of its pot and planted four small groups.  They have bulked up very well, and will be a spring special in the garden for many years to come.  Once it has flowered and seeded, it will die down and melt into the ground, making room for all the other emerging summer plants.

(5) Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' has survived the winter, it is on the 'dark side' and its silver veined leaves and blue flowers lighten the spot nicely.

(6) Emerging leaves

Tulipa Sprengeri Trotters Form

Will this be the year these flower, or will I need to wait another year?  This and several other clumps around the garden are at about this same stage.

The Acer's newly unfurling buds against a fence green with the tell tale of a wet winter, growing daily.

Plant and shrub cuttings lie along the base of the wall, and with a covering of winter worn wind blown leaves offer shelter for small creatures during the winter, attracting slow-worms  and many forms of small garden wildlife.   This week the blackbird has been collecting long strands of old Phuopsis stylosa and bleached leaves and stems for her nest, and the jays continue to look for long fallen acorns.

In a Vase on Monday - Contemporary Floral Design

Like many gardeners, I anticipate the arrival of my monthly magazines.  One of the ones that arrived a couple of days ago is Garden Illustrated.  I do read all my magazines otherwise why get them?

It was therefore with great joy that, in the May Edition of Gardens Illustrated, Freda Kim Flowers has a full page picture of an arrangement of two Solomon's Seal Stems and some buttercups.  The new book: Blooms: Contemporary Floral Design is reviewed and sounds very interesting and maybe our Regional Interlibrary lending platform will hold this at some time in the future!

 I do enjoy looking at flower arrangements at festivals and exhibitions and making simple ones for our home, but I have never been drawn into attending classes or imitating the wonderful arrangements my mother and her florists used to make.  I have gained so much inspiration from Cathy's group In a Vase on Monday, and from looking to see some very good gardeners and 'Contemporary Floral Artistry' so do go and explore if you have time.


Today's simple arrangement has just three elements...please do say what the term is for different types of plant material.

White flowers are Centaurea Montana Alba
Tall Blue flowers are from Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost'
New plant in the garden Corydalis flexuosa Purple Leaf - Blue Dragon had blooms removed and fitted in with the composition.

Nice weather so its back to the garden...this afternoon he who is currently out with pals will be helping me to 'unturf' the front lawn.

In a Vase - Spring pastels

The winds are roaring, and even in our sheltered garden, plants are getting a good buffeting.  Before lunch, just as the winds were picking up I went out to pick a few spring blooms for today's IAVOM.  Cathy who gathers us together in a great ponytail of flowers, her topic this week is Fringe Benefits, which when viewed will make you smile.

Rarely used for its original purpose the vintage half pint pewter tanquard beer mug is today's Vase.  Usually it sits with its fellow full pint version on a kitchen shelf together with a few other pewter bits and pieces.  It makes a lovely container for posies of flowers.  

Rescued from the winds are soft and delicate blooms: the blue Brunnera Jack Frost flowers masquerade as forget-me-nots, and  the pretty pink sweetpea looking flowers of Lathyrus vernus ‘Alboroseus’. 

With a little twirl of the vase you can see the pale pink Dicentra eximia both flowers and ferny leaf, and a cousin of this one Corydalis Pseudofumaria alba with its white and yellow blooms join together and are surrounded by fresh unblemished leaves of a white edged trimmed leaves of a small hosta.

In a vase on Monday - Bleeding Hearts and Baby clothes

Remaining cool and collected that is what we ought to do. .....

I am finding comfort in my regular home activities.  One being of course the weekly flower arranging and post.  The weather is glorious: bright and clear, a little on the cool side, which is my favourite type of day.

Centaurea montana alba, 

Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' little forget m enot blue flowers

Hylotelephium erythrostictum 'Frosty Morn'

Lamprocapnos spectabilis Alba

The star performer happens also to be one of the most attractive plants in the conservatory border this week.  Much easier to say is "White Bleeding Heart".  Its flowering stems from which exquisite white blooms hang,  arch gracefully sometimes half hidden by the bright green foliage. 

Lamprocapnos spectabilis Alba

Many of us are putting on a brave face and adjusting to the new regime.  I realise that things out there are extremely serious, and for some very hard and dangerous.....

Another diversion has been 'emergency' knitting for twins boys yet to be born:all the baby merino yarn was already in my stash.

I may yet knit a full sized kimono jacket for myself.  The colours just happen to match the vase today, so I felt it had a place.

Cathy will be rallying  several of us...and for a few moments we can loose ourselves in the beauty of home grown blooms. 

Six on Saturday - 27 April 2019

What a week it has been:  Sunny and hot at the start and temperatures falling by 10 C within six days!  Overnight into this afternoon, we have been experiencing strong winds that have resulted in apple petal confetti and young green leaves off trees, and unstaked plants flattened.  If there is a bright side to the weather this week it that there has been sufficient rain to help replenish the water butt, and water the garden.

Many gardeners including The Propagator who runs this weekly review will see their plants rush along now..do you and see what he is showcasing, and then through the comments and links, those of other people who love their gardens and plants.

From the conservatory which is my favourite place other than the garden, immediately and close by is this lovely Clematis Moonbeam.  As I write this I have searched the web and found that it is said to be tender, but I have had it now over two winters.  I liked it so much, that I bought a second plant in 2018.  Here one plant sprawls over old stems of a honeysuckle.  I love to collect old twisted pieces of plants and keep them to use as supports.  The clematis is evergreen, but is not self-supporting...it needs to be trained and tied in.  It has lovely cream anthers but being male produces no seed heads.

My second item is another clematis: Clematis Montana Warwickshire Rose.  Just like the Propagator who hosts this weekly meme, mine was a bargain from Morrisons.  It grew away very well, but earlier this month is had to be dug up so that the rotten fence post could be replaced.  Out of the ground for less than a few hours, a few of its longer stems trimmed back, with good watering, it went back in.  A couple of weeks later it appears to be thriving.  This is the alley of 'shame'  where bags of compost, old plant pots and plants in pots are kept....just a narrow sunny cul-de sac of a patch.  Hopefully the clematis will cover the fence in time.

Whether Hakonechloa Macra Aureola will ever get into the soil is anyone's guess.  I turn the pots every few days to give an even round shape, and they usually group around larger pots.

So long as Jack Frost keeps away I shall be pleased, but we are sheltered here.  In the shady border the hopefully hardy Brunnera Jack Frost is looking fresh with it silver leaves edged and ribbed in green.  It was given to me by one of my new neighbours.  In my last garden I had tried it, but the Midland slugs unlike the ones here found it a delicacy of choice, so much so, that it never survived the onslaught.

Another plant doing nicely in the Shady Border is this one...the one peeping up amongst the ferns, (click on this to find out more about the fern in the foreground), the one with lovely two toned leaves: Epimedium versicolor sulphureum grown as much for the lovely leaf which starts out with the bronze shading.

For my last of the six this week, over towards the acer corner, this little geranium glows in the morning: Geranium Blue Sunrise.  I suffer from Winter Blues...and back in 2015, whilst in the Midlands went to seek the cure:  a day of indulgence at Cotswold Garden Flowers.  Without any growth showing, I gave total confidence in Bob Brown's nursery, by buying this geranium...a piece of which I brought to the new garden.  Looking out for this to emerge from its winter slumber always gets me peering at the space allocated to it.  At it starts to flower probably in three or four week's time it will be less golden.

I'm posting this late because I have been spending the morning at The Hardy Plant Sale....such lovely plants and people!

Spring Beauties In a Vase on Monday

 With small flowers it is a delight to cut them and arrange them, and have them on the table.  Their detail can easily be admired and even on a cool dull day after the bring cold clear days, a little posy is much to be treasured.  So rather than kneeling down myself to admire the flowers in the rain, my kneeling Terracotta Army miniature soldier can demonstrate my usual position when looking at the flowers in the garden.

Spring Beauties in a Vase this Monday

Having arranged this little vase, it is time to share it with others via Cathy's Monday get together.

This new treasure this year is the palest of blue grading to white at the tips.

Muscari Americanum Esther

I have them growing in a bowl on a pedestal by the front door and also on a shelf in the back garden.  When I had snipped a few blooms, with second ones coming from each bulb, this was no robbery, I went around to choose something to go with them.  The blue green highly dissected leaves of Dicentra cucullaria was the top choice, and then I thought why not add some of its pantaloon shaped flowers.  Since getting my first little pot in 2018, a healthy population allows me to have some growing in a pot as well as in the garden.

To finish it off a few of the tiny blue flowers from Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' PBR growing nearby just to show how pale a blue is the Muscari Esther. 

In a Vase on Monday - April 2020

I had planted some Narcissi Thalia for the first time last Autumn.  They were in one of the wettest parts of our clayey garden, and have come through the winter well.  I had hoped to put some of the three flowered stems in the Daffodil  Society's show which is held in Henton, but that also has been necessarily cancelled.  They have comes through the sunshine and strong winds unscathed, and deserve to feature at least once.... 

In the vase this week:

Narcissus Thalia

Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' little forgetmenot blue flowers

Gardeners' Gaiters Phalaris arundinacea 

Sedum Autumn Joy

Arum Italicum


I seem to be stuck for words this week.  Words escape me, I am not even my chatty self, I think it is the strange situation we are in.......

Linking in this week with Cathy with her Stark Contrast arrangement