In a vase on Monday: dainty

Tags

amelanchier, daffodils, in a vase on Monday, Narcissus 'Tete a Tete', Spring, Spring flowers, yellow

Good morning. Spring is absolutely happening. Whilst we have to lockdown, stay indoors and isolate it is all happening outside. Hedges are beginning to open to reveal a type of fresh green that is almost impossible to visualise in the depths of a dark grey, wet winter.

The snowdrops have been and gone but if you are quick there is time to divide clumps. Hellebores are pushing out their new foliage as their flowers have peaked. Crocus in my lawn are still flowering but are beginning to get leggy so are past their best already.

This is time for the daffodils to shine. Along roadsides and verges, in window boxes and containers, vast swathes of all shades of yellow and gold are brightening the scene. I love to see daffodils en-masse, they really do herald spring like no other. The ones I love most are the more delicate ones. Give me Tête-à-tête that pack a punchy yellow but do not blow over. Show me clumps of Thalia, not yellow at all but white, small flowers, long slim stems and leaves. Later in the daffodil season is the oldest known variety, Pheasants eye, Narcissus poeticus which has a refined scent and small polite look. No brash trumpets here.

Anyway they are still to come through. Right now in my garden the tête-à-tête are beginning to go over, slightly browning at the petal edge. Could be down to the change in temperature. Instead the highly scented multi flowered stems of narcissus from the Isles of Scilly are shining.

Just two stems provides me with a vase full to share with you and our host, Cathy. Each flower is only 2cm across but together each stem provides multiple flowers (5 and 11 to be precise).

Tiny fruit beetles are emerging, I think that is what they are?

Those of you who are kind enough to follow this blog may have seen this next vase.

A tiny Japanese pot, a piece of Amelanchier and a single bloom.

Daffodil season is officially here. I hope that you are able to enjoy them from wherever you may be holed up. Challenging times.

Have a good day wherever you are. Thanks for reading. D.

In a vase on Monday: 9/3/20

Tags

blossom, daffodils, in a vase on Monday, Iris reticulata, March, Narcissus 'Tete a Tete', Narcissus ‘Rip-van-winkle’, Viburnum bodnantense dawn

My garden has been swamp like for what seems like months and months. So horrid. I have hardly been able to get out there. Today I squelched across grass that needs cutting to look for some flowers to join Cathy and her regular followers.

There are hellebores and daffodils, iris reticulata and viburnum. There is blossom on the plum tree and fresh growth showing on the Hemerocallis and those plants formerly known as sedums. Leaves are budding on the Sambucus and the Hydrangeas. Roses are budding their purple leaves. There is much happening out there.

I have chosen a small selection to put in my vases

Small scale vases.

This pot has Narcissus tête-à-tête and Rip van winkle. You can see they are mud spattered. The one with the orange centre came as a birthday gift box of bulbs from the Isles of Scilly. Highly scented these are always delightful, thanks Kay.

Iris reticulata are exquisite and I shall try adding some named varieties for next year now that I know they are happy under the chestnut trees. Behind is a twig of the delicate pale blossom of the plum tree.

A sprig of candy floss pink viburnum blossom and that’s my lot for today. Please take a look at other participants picked flowers, it is incredible how different they all are each week. Thanks to our host Cathy who always, without exception responds to our posts.

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

In a Vase on Monday: juicy

Tags

April, daffodils, in a vase on Monday, Narcissus

So captioned after my lemon squeezer ‘Juicy salif’ these daffodils have such juicy citrus colours.

Their scent is heady.

These are a mix from my garden and Thalia is the pale but interesting one in the midst.

I am joining Cathy today from Holland. These daffodils were prepared yesterday, knowing I would be off to see the tulips today.

I hope you have had a good Monday. D.

Wordless Wednesday: majestic Fagus sylvatica

Tags

beech tree, daffodils, English country garden, Fagus sylvatica, sweet chestnut bench, the Chilterns, wordless wednesday

In a Vase on Monday: cock-a-doodle-do

Tags

April, daffodils, Easter Monday, frog, in a vase on Monday, Muscari, Narcissus 'Tete a Tete', Narcissus ‘Rip-van-winkle’, Narcissus Lemon sailboat, pulmonaria, Spring flowers

It is Easter, it is Monday and therefore I was on the look out for flowers and eggs to share with you and readers of Cathy’s blog.

No eggs, this cockerel has sat looking out of the window for about twenty years.

Now he is on my desk with these tiny flowers from the garden. Muscari, pulmonaria and various daffodils.

The two small daffodils are Tête-à-tête on the left and lemon sailboat on the right. Rip van Winkle is the scruff at the back and the large Daffodil is just a regular garden daff.

Held in place on a florists frog, no amphibians were hurt in the process.

I hope you have had an enjoyable long weekend and I am sure you will join me in chanting “rain, rain, go away” D.

In a Vase on Monday: all buds, no duds

Tags

all buds no duds, camellia, daffodils, grown by me, in a vase on Monday, March, Narcissus 'Tete a Tete', Surbiton, yellow

Many more years than I care to calculate, I lived in Surbiton. There was a chap outside the station with a flower stall catching those commuters who needed to buy a bunch of flowers on their way home. There are many reasons why people buy flowers, good and bad, and with my companion we used to like to speculate who was buying and why. My abiding memory of the stall was less about the flowers, more about the banter. His catch phrase was bellowed in unsuspecting commuters ears “all buds, no duds.” This amused me but then perhaps I am easily amused.

So sharing my vase with you today as part of Cathy and her meme, the Surbiton florist came to mind.

Lots of buds yet to open on this Tête-à-tête arrangement of bulbs. I love the simplicity of the container, these tiny little flowers need no adornment. Thanks daughter Dorris. 💛

On my desk, another bud, this time a fattening camellia bud, cut from the garden.

This was tightly shut last week when I cut it. Slowly the warmth of the house has encouraged the bud to swell. I hope that it will eventually open to reveal its surprise: this pink bud will be a predominately white double flower.

Hopefully this won’t be a dud rather a fully functioning bud.

Have a good week. Thank you for reading. D.

Saturday smile: yellow

Tags

daffodils, March, Narcissus 'Tete a Tete', Saturday smile, Spring flowers, yellow

Spring flowers are some of the most delightful, don’t you think? Perhaps it is because they signal better weather, and longer daylight hours. They show us that Winter is finally weakening its grip.

It is so much warmer here than of late, there are lambs appearing in the fields, lambs and daffodils. Bright and brassy yellow daffodils. These are Tête-à-tête the little short ones which, in some ways, I prefer as they tend not to get broken by the vagaries of the weather.

Tough-little-cookies could have been an alternative suitable name. A Saturday smile for you. D.

Saturday smile: daffs.

Tags

daffodils, English weather, Narcissus sempre avanti, orange trumpet, Saturday smile, white petals

It’s a grey day here, blustery and drizzling, the sort of weather which wreaks havoc on my hair. On the constitutional dog walk, this caught my eye. 

I guess that this particular Daff is Narcissus Sempre Avanti.  Bright and cheerful, daffodils herald Spring don’t you think? They certainly make me smile, I hope they do you. 

Wordless Wednesday: it’s got to be daffodils for today

Tags

daffodils, Heron Cross pottery, jug of daffs, March 1st, St Davids day, Staffordshire pottery, wordless wednesday

Silent Sunday: I’m spinning around

Tags

black, daffodils, daffs, flowers to brighten your day, In a vase, shop bought flowers, Silent Sunday, Spring flowers, yellow