In a vase on Monday: 27 July 20

Tags

Ammi majus, Astrantia major, Daucus carota, in a vase on Monday, seed pod of Nigella, seseli, Thalictrum

Greengage plums

Greengage jam

As the rain fell today I took time to make some jam with surplus plums from the garden where I work. I am surprised at how orange/ red the jam is given the colour of the fruit to start.

It is Monday so of course I also like to make time to share some pickings from the garden. This week I avoided the roses and dahlias for something more delicate looking.

Vases on a Monday

Ammi majus

Thalictrum

Seseli in centre

Seed pod of Nigella

A late entry to join Cathy our host. Have a good week wherever you are and thanks for reading. D.

In a vase on Monday: on a Tuesday

Tags

Alchemilla mollis, Ammi majus, Digitalis purpurea, in a vase on Monday, Nepeta, penstemon garnet, poppy seed heads, rose a shropshire lad, Verbena bonariensis

The day got away from me yesterday and I did not get chance to prepare a vase until last thing. Here it is:

Outside on the table in the summerhouse is my vase full of Alchemilla, Ammi, Nepeta, Digitalis, Penstemon, Rose a Shropshire Lad, a spike of Verbena bonariensis and a couple of poppy seed heads for good measure.

‘Summer house’ sounds a bit la-di-dah. Apologies. It is summer but it’s not a house as it has no windows or doors but it is a shelter and with this weather we are out there all the time.

Cathy is our host for this lovely meme. Take a look at her blog to see some other pretty vases full of flowers. Such a nice thing to look at.

Have a good week wherever you are and thanks for reading. D.

In a vase on Monday: finally the roses

Tags

Ammi majus, cerinthe, David Austin Roses, in a vase on Monday, Nigella hispanica, Rose 'Gertrude Jekyll', Rose Morning Mist, Stipa gigantea

Hello.

As we fast approach midsummer I am finally getting to enjoy my roses. They suffered the indignity of standing about for months in cold water until March. They were then baked in hot weather only to have their new foliage burned by a late frost. No wonder their flowers have taken so long. There were times when I thought I might have lost them all together.

Climbing rose Morning Mist is on a sheltered south facing wall and has been flowering for well over two weeks. I picked some last week to door drop to my friend who was celebrating a birthday.

Everything but the kitchen sink

The terracotta toned pink rose of Morning mist was mixed with Stipa gigantea, Ammi majus, blue Nigella hispanica, Californian poppies, a bit of the Cerinthe and a couple of Dianthus Carthusianorum. As I said, everything but the kitchen sink pulled into that bunch.

Today I have picked the delicious Rose Gertrude Jekyll. She is a strong pink colour and has the most incredible strong rose scent. The only thing you have to watch about Ms Jekyll is that she is as prickly as they come.

No messing with those thorns

Her petals make lovely confetti when dried. I am saving petals for the day that sister Dorris gets married. All plans have had to change of course but when the day comes I shall be ready to shower her and David with petals.

Sharing my flowers with you and our hostCathy.

Rose Gertrude Jekyll

Have a great week wherever you are and thanks for reading. D.

In a vase on Monday: Bishop and the mist

Tags

Ammi majus, apothecary jar, Bishop flower, easy category, grown from seed, in a vase on Monday, Love in a mist, nigella

Cow parsley is long finished and the Bishop flower has replaced her. Grown from seed, Bishop flower is pushing 6ft tall and is a wafty, wavy, lacy kind of flower.

Ammi majus

Great as a filler flower in an arrangement or on her own like here. These seeds were sown in the Autumn, in the ground where they now grow. Easy.

Ammi majus in apothecary jar

Sat beside the Bishop in a mist of her own is Nigella.

Nigella Love in a mist

A jewel of a flower with whiskers, Nigella is all around my border. Some have self sown, some I sowed in the autumn. The intensity of the blues are like shades of denim, inky blues.

These are my garden flowers for this week. Joining our host Cathy and bloggers from around the globe.

The rain finally fell. More is promised. Have a great week wherever you are and thanks for reading.D.

In a vase on Monday: 25 May 2020

Tags

Ammi majus, Erigeron, in a vase on Monday, poppy Perry’s White, Sarah Raven seeds

A cooling white selection

After all the colour in my vase last week I fancied using whites today. White poppy ‘Perry’s white’ I think, with Ammi majus, and Erigeron.

I watched as much of the Virtual Chelsea coverage as I could and one bit I saw was Sarah Raven demonstrating how to condition flowers for a vase. I have sacrificed one of my precious perennial poppies for this vase and hopefully her technique will mean that it will last.

White petals

The trick is to sear the freshly cut stem of the poppy for at least ten seconds in boiling water and then plunge it into cold water. A trick? Not really. A technique that perhaps you have all be doing anyway. Hopefully it will work and my poppy will stay as fresh as a, well a daisy.

I hope you and our host Cathy have had a good Monday especially if it is a bank holiday where you are. The sun has shone all day and it looks to be a nice week ahead.

Have a good week, wherever you are and thanks for reading. D.

Six on Saturday: everything but the kitchen sink

Tags

Ammi majus, Ammi visnaga, Cercis canadensis, Crocosmia Lucifer, Echinacea purpurea, hydrangea arborescens Annabelle, Hymenocallis, July, poppy seed heads, sempervivums, six on saturday, Spiderlily, Verbena bonariensis

Blast off! This is such an exciting sight for me, the Spiderlily is flowering. Granted not as exciting as man on the moon and it is not a Spider from Mars but it is a spider from me. I love it! Looking smart enough to be allowed in the house. The clay pot is my one special Whichford Pottery pot.

2.

A fistful of flowers for a friend.

There are verbena bonariensis, Hydrangea Annabelle, Echinacea purpurea, poppy seed heads, a pink lily, Ammi majus and Ammi visnaga both grown easily from seed and a Buddleja flower . All of these are from my garden.

3. Leading you down the garden path:

My favourite tree, Cercis canadensis has thrived since it was moved from its pot into the raised bed. I am enjoying how it is overhanging the path. ( I know I keep using this using this on my SOS but I don’t care, I think it’s fab.)

4. Successful looking succulents and sempervivums

Those of you who grow these know that little skill is required, just free draining soil and lots of grit. I think they are delightful, each one slightly different.

5. In your face, red

This is Crocosmia Lucifer. Such a vibrant red. It is very, in your face, dominant but I am quite liking them with the Stipa tenuissima behind.

6. This is Hydrangea time. Hydrangea arborescens Annabelle.

I do love a Hydrangea and they have become fashionable again so that’s good.

How could anyone could resist these.

How they graduate from lime to creamy white, getting fuller and bigger as they open. ( shown in reverse order here).

That’s it, my Six on Saturday. The Propagator is our host and thanks to him we share our favourites each week.

I hope you have a great week wherever you are. D.

In a vase on Monday: All white on July 1st.

Tags

Ammi, Ammi majus, Ammi visnaga, Astrantia major, Daucus carota, in a vase on Monday, Malva moschata, musk mallow, opium poppy seed heads, Saponaria officinalis, Soapwort, white, white valerian

Good morning. Having survived the extreme heat of Saturday I am pleased to report that normal summer weather has returned here, a relief for most of us. The garden has perked up all ready.

As it is Monday I am sharing my bunch of (white) flowers with you and Cathy. I resisted using roses this week instead choosing seed grown whites.

Ammi visnaga, Ammi majus , the spectacular umbel of Daucus carota, a white Malva moschata or Musk-mallow which has appeared by magic ( birdies perhaps) white valerian, self sown Astrantia major, and seed heads of various opium poppies.

If you look carefully you may also see Soapwort, Saponaria officinalis . This is great for Hummingbird Hawk-moths but I have yet to spot one. The name is derived from the Latin word for soap and rubbing a leaf produces a slightly slippery froth which will absorb dirt particles. (Information from the wonderful book “Wild Flowers” by Sarah Raven).

Have a wonderful week, wherever you are. Be sure to take a look at some of the other vases taking part in this meme. Thanks for reading. D.

In a Vase on Monday: blue is the colour

Tags

Ammi majus, blue, blue enamel jug, Bupleurum rotundifolium, calendula officinalis Neon, cornflower black ball, in a vase on Monday, Larkspur

On Saturday I spotted a blue enamel jug for sale in Wendover. I did not need another vessel for flowers but the colour grabbed me and I gave it a home. 

To set off such a strong colour I have picked blue Cornflowers of course, and a dark purple/blue Larkspur to match. Then, so that it is not too  ‘matchy matchy’ I have added lime green Bupleurum rotundifolium and Calendula officinalis Neon. 

I could not leave out the pretty Ammi majus although to be honest it was not really fair to put her amongst the show off colours today. 

Cornflower Black Ball has done really well but it has been bashed to the ground by the heavy rain so I had to pick some of them too.

Cathy hosts the Monday vases and it is always wonderful to see what other contributors have found to display. Stop for a minute and take a look. 

Tuesday view: 25/7/17

Tags

Ammi majus, calendula, Echinacea purpurea, echinops ritro, grown from seed, nigella, poppies, Tuesday View, Verbena bonariensis

The garden benefited from the rain on Saturday, a freshness has returned to the planting after a long dry spell. 

Taken this morning before the sun had broken through. There is a pink haze thanks to the verbena and grasses.

The Echinops ritro are peeping above. 

All tall and full. I must just show off my Echinacea in the opposite border. 

I do love them. 

That was my quick dash round before work just before the sunshine emerged. Now take a visit to words and herbs Cathy and catch up on her view. 

Oh one final thing, my few packets of seed are looking rather good: 

Enjoy your evening. D.

In a Vase on Monday: cheers

Tags

Ammi majus, Bupleurum rotundifolium, cheers, cornflower black ball, cornflower polka dot mix, cornflowers, Dahlia Arabian Night, Dahlia mignon.mixed, Echinops, in a vase on Monday, Persicaria amplexicaulis Firetail, tankard, Verbena bonariensis

Today’s Vase is actually a beer glass and the flowers are a pleasing selection, well pleasing to my eye, apologies if not to your taste. They are from my homegrown patch,  which was a large patch of bare soil just a few months ago, onto which I planted a few seeds.

There are Dahlia mignon and Arabian Night, Ammi majus, Verbena bonariensis and the lime green of Bupleurum rotundifolium. 


White perennial sweet pea, pretty but alas with no scent. Cornflowers Black Ball, Polka Dot Mix and just your regular, good old delightful cornflower. Jo, if you are reading, I hope you like them. 

Now pop over to Cathy and take a look at the other Monday vases. They will not disappoint.