In a vase on Monday: whether the weather

Tags

Allium Purple Sensation, Anthriscus sylvestris, Aquilegias, cerinthe major purpurascens, columbines, cow parsley, early summer flowers, Geum Totally Tangerine, Hebe hulkeana, Honeywort, in a vase on Monday, Iris Sibirica, New Zealand lilac

In a vase

How glorious the weather was on Friday and Saturday. Clear blue skies, not a breath of wind, balmy temperatures. The lanes around me are quiet and have been since lockdown. No sounds shouting over the birdsong. Bliss. Delivery drivers continuing their work dash through avoiding the numerous cyclists, the regulars in spray-on Lycra, the lockdown cyclists making the most of the quiet lanes, wobbling and weaving two or three abreast.

The chance to enjoy the weather, to sit in the sunshine, to have time to savour the pleasure of a peaceful breakfast outside. This is what summer should be like. If only it would last.

This morning is windy and cool and the forecast is for overnight temperatures falling to 1 degree. This is disappointing. Too cold for the newly emerged seedlings. Potentially burning new foliage and petals.

This vase was picked on Saturday to dress the table outside. Above is the NZ Lilac a delicate lilac colour but without the scent of real lilac. Geum Totally Tangerine is flowering profusely and hopefully it will continue throughout the summer months. A head of Allium Purple Sensation almost a common sight in gardens now but still offers much to be admired.

Iris sibirica

There is a single Iris which I am enjoying very much. The three 1L pots I planted two years ago have clumped up sufficiently for me to snip one or two for a vase. The froth of white is cow parsley. There are purple columbines, Aquilegias. I am pleased to see that this year they have taken themselves to all corners of the garden and are even in the bark chippings between the raised beds.

Cerinthe

The exotic Cerinthe, Honeywort, a rather glaucous and pleasing mix of greens to deep purple, are another favourite of mine. They too have self seeded a short distance from where I originally planted seed.

Now inside the house, these flowers I picked on Saturday are still looking perky. Close up I love the orange of the Geum outshining the yellow of the Iris.

Thank you Cathy for hosting. Have a great week, wherever you are and thanks for reading. D.

In a vase on Monday: hedgerows and bonnets

Tags

Allium Purple Sensation, Anthriscus sylvestris, Anthriscus sylvestris ravenswing, Aquilegia, Borago officinalis, cerinthe major purpurascens, Hebe hulkeanea, hedgerows and bonnets, in a vase on Monday, New Zealand lilac, persicaria bistorta, Sweet cicely, Thalictrum Elin

From the title, some of you may immediately know what I am going to have in today’s vase: Cow Parsley and Aquilegia. You are not wrong.

A froth of cow parsley in its own cream pot.

Shades of purple bonnets from Aquilegia in the tiny cream pot sharing space with Cerinthe.

In a separate old syrup of fig bottle is stand alone Allium Purple Sensation. Too stylised a form to share space with the froth.

In the fourth vessel, another old cream pot is a mix of blue starred Borage, Anthriscus sylvestris Ravenswing which is, most certainly, a refined form of cow parsley blessed with burgundy stems.

There is yet more Cerinthe which is having a bumper bloom. There are candy floss pink sticks of Persicaria bisorta. The taller purple flowers are from Thalictrum Elin and the whiter froth is from Sweet cicely.

If you look carefully, there is also the just about to open, lilac coloured sprig of Hebe hulkeana or New Zealand lilac. This is the first time it has flowered.

A complete contrast to my green and white effort Last week.

Please now take a look at Our host Cathy to see her vase and those from other bloggers all over the garden world.

Have a great week and thanks for reading. D.

Six on Saturday: pulling away

Tags

Brunnera macro Dawson’s white, carpinus betula, cerinthe major purpurascens, euphorbia griffithii Dixter, Hornbeam, philadelphus coronarius aureus, six on saturday, Tulip Ballerina, tulip Brown Sugar

After some time away I am looking at the garden afresh. So much has pulled away thanks to the light and warmer temperatures. My favourite six to share with you and The Propagator this week are these.

1.

Fresh foliage doesn’t come much fresher looking than Philadelphus coronarius aureus. Catching the sunshine it is luminous.

2.

Euphorbias are such good plants somehow always interesting looking. This is Euphorbia griffithii Dixter showing its orange bracts to the sunshine.

3

Cerinthe major purpurascens

These are self sown from last year. I like the glaucous, slightly fleshy leaves and drooping purple heads. They make a good cut flower.

4.

‘ Pleats please’ of the Hornbeam, Carpinus betula variety rather than the Issey Miyake creation. Such neat foliage.

5

A new combination for me Brunnera macro Dawson’s white ( yes I know the flowers are blue but the foliage is white) Tulips. I cannot find the note I will have made, somewhere, with the names of these two varieties. Sorry about that. So annoying when that happens.

And 6.

More tulips. These are the scented ones I had in my vase here this week. They are in a raised bed to help the bulbs keep out of the thick clay. It seems to work well as these are last years bulbs. In the foreground are Tulip Brown sugar and Ballerina.

Thank you for looking at my Six for this Saturday. Enjoy the long Easter weekend and some warm weather, perfect to enjoy the garden. D.

In a vase on Monday: tulip mania

Tags

April, Avignon Parrot, Ballerina, Brown Sugar, cerinthe major purpurascens, in a vase on Monday, Japan, la Belle Époque, marmalade, origami, Queen of the Night, tulips

When I left for my trip away, the tulips were just beginning to bud. Two and a half weeks later they are in glorious technicolour.

Delicious marmalade colours in an old Dundee marmalade jar.

Cathy our host of IAVOM always manages to find props to accompany her vases which I rarely do. Today however I have added some origami swans, yes they are swans! The colours compliment the tulip colours and indicate where my trip was to.

Back to the flowers, the tulips are Ballerina, Brown sugar, Avignon Parrot all of which are scented. Belle Époque is the soft smoky pink one. Queen of the Night is the dark one.

Cerinthe has self sown and is flowering beautifully, such an accommodating flower, mixing well with the tulips.

That’s it for me today. Enjoy the short working week if you are lucky enough to have the Easter weekend off. D.