Welcome to In A Vase On Monday. As ever I am linking to Cathy’s blog Rambling In The Garden with my contribution for this week to her challenge to find something from the garden every Monday to fill a vase with.
I have to admit that today was a challenge! I had to abandon my original plan as everything in the garden was wet and muddy and it was poring with rain this morning when I got back from the school run. As I drove up the driveway I noticed my curly hazel and a new plan was hatched. After retrieving a waterproof coat and wellies from the house I popped out and cut a few stems of the hazel. I then noticed the brown heads of some hydrangeas in pots that are waiting to be planted into the garden. I snipped a few heads and went to the greenhouse to cut some stems of narcissi Paperwhite. They all went quickly into a large white jug waiting in the kitchen. I felt the arrangement needed a bit more punch, so remembering Cathy’s macabre display last week, I popped out and cut a few stems from my witch hazel which has just come into flower.
As I got ready to take the photographs the sun came out!
I have included a lovely tea set that my mother bought me for Christmas in some of the shots. It is called Delamere by Spode.
I believe that this lovely witch hazel is called Diane – although as the label has dropped off I am not sure.
I have used the twigs to support the heads of the Paperwhites.
I thought I would try a few shots in black and white for a change.
The weather was suddenly so nice that I had the kitchen door open for half an hour.
This shot was a focus accident, but the view of the garden through the window looked so good that I thought I would share it anyway!
On a practical note, the Paperwhites that I arranged last week lasted until Friday and the eunonymous in the base is still looking good. I have put it outside as I may reuse this base in a future week. Also the cyclamen which I used a couple of weeks ago proved to be an excellent cut flower. I have never used them before in a vase, but they lasted 6 days before starting to lose their colour.
Please do pop over to Cathy’s blog and see what she and her other readers have come up with this week.
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Well done Julie – see, it falls into place every week! I was very blinkered and decided immediately not to look any further than the snowdrops. That witch hazel really adds another dimension so I trust you do not regret cutting it at all – I was going to ask if it was Diane, so I think this confirms your thoughts. Seeing the narcissi like this really emphasises just how ‘white’ they are, blindingly so when you see them in black & white! Thanks so much for joining in – and already I am thinking I need to order extra bulbs this autumn for potential Monday vases!
Thank you Cathy. I was just thinking today that I should make some notes about bulbs I would like to have flowering in the greenhouse next winter! We will certainly need to do some September bulb potting this year. My February project is to dig over a weed filled stretch of border and expand my winter garden into it. This meme is having all sorts of benefits!
Indeed it is! And how lovely to be extending your winter garden!
I was going to ask the name of the witch hazel too Julie 🙂 A lovely Christmas gift that sets your arrangement off to perfection.
Thank you Anna. Apart from flowers one of my other loves is china – I am really enjoying her present!
Julie, your arrangement is a charmer. The addition of the witch hazel worked well. Glad to know cyclamen are long-lived as cut flowers. I’ve been tempted to try some this winter and now will follow through. Susie
Thank you very much! I have never used cyclamen as a cut flower before, but saw it done at a floristry display I went to before christmas. It gives a totally different look to the flowers when you bunch them in a posy and if you use the large flowered varieties (mine were small) they almost look like a peony.
Really beautiful photos Julie! I love your dedication to this meme! I have a lovely image of you racing out in the rain snipping off stems with rain drops dripping everywhere! I think I have a very similar vase to you too – really sets off your very elegant display 🙂
I think you might need to amend your image slightly Sarah – it was more a downpour than raindrops!! I am still thinking wistfully about your table under the plum tree. Thank you for your kind comments.
Wow, very pretty, Julie! Diane is so pretty – I have her too and enjoy her flowers at present. The combination with the paperwhites and hydrangea is superb 🙂
Thank you Annette – I would never normally put dead flower heads in an arrangement, but Cathy’s meme certainly has me thinking outside my box! I guess that it works because everything is part of the same season.
Lovely arrangement with your mixed assortment of seasonal flowers. Yes, my non-existent prop cupboard – right now its all in boxes – but I’m working on it!
Have a good day!
Ingrid
Thank you Ingrid!
Julie x