Welcome to ‘In A Vase On Monday’ when I am linking up with Cathy at Rambling In The Garden to share a vase of flowers picked from my garden every Monday.
When I opened the kitchen door this morning I knew that autumn had finally arrived. The temperature had dropped and the air felt chilly – for once I knew exactly which clothes would be right for the day ahead! Whilst I waited for my son to finish getting ready for school I threw on a coat and took the dogs outside in search of material for today’s vase. Somehow on a grey morning like this the delicate pastel dahlias and pretty annuals had lost their appeal – what my flower soul needed today was chrysanthemums!
And chrysanthemums I found!! These are the flowers of just one plant, which were all lying sadly collapsed on the grass. A combination of neglect (I should have staked them) and rain (the wet heads are very heavy) had brought these beauties to their knees so I had no qualms about cutting all these stems – they would only rot if left in the garden. I snipped all the stems and quickly brought them inside. A quick strip of the leaves and they were plonked in a jug of water before we left for school.
On my return I had intended to arrange these beauties tightly in a bowl to make the most of the stunning heads, but when I walked back into the kitchen I rather liked the way the bent stems had arranged themselves in casual abandon, so I decided to leave them like this for a day or two at least.
This chrysanthemum is called Allouise Orange, just one of a series of colours in the Allouise series. This is a good chrysanthemum for the beginner(me!), as it is quite easy to grow, without some of the many technicalities associated with chrysanthemum growing. I buy my cuttings from Chrysanthemum Direct around Chelsea week – it was at the Chelsea Flower Show a couple of years ago that my eyes were first opened to the beauty of chrysanthemums.
They are a lavish flower – along with velvet fabrics and log fires they encapsulate autumn for me. I grow them in various shades – pink, purple, lemon, cream, white and this beautiful orange. The scent takes me right back to Christmas at my grandmother’s house.
I also added a mini pumpkin and three of the last pears of this season to my tray, along with a few candles that seemed to be asking to be used on such a dank day.
I have written about my penchant for chrysanthemums before so apologise if I am repeating myself today. I love to grow a selection of chrysanthemums in my greenhouse every autumn to make sure that I have flowers for cutting for as long as possible. Long after the dahlias have succumbed to the frost, I should have some beautiful chrysanthemum blooms still flowering in the greenhouse.
As it is best to grow greenhouse varieties from new cuttings every year I decided to try planting out last years chrysanthemum plants in the garden this spring. I have ignored these plants all summer – no watering, feeding or cutting back the stems to encourage branching. Although they have all grown too tall and collapsed in a heap each plant has rewarded me with a huge number of blooms in a variety of sizes and colours – an amazing crop to be harvesting in November!
As I said at the beginning, this jug is filled with the flowers of just one plant! Whether the plant will survive the winter remains to be seen but if not I will have my greenhouse plants, which are just starting to flower, to be planted out next spring (and next year I will remember to lavish them with the same care my indoor chrysanthemums benefit from).
Next week I will be away on a little holiday in Lancashire with my mother, so will not be here on Monday. As we are celebrating Cathy’s first birthday of this lovely meme I am planning to put together a post looking back at my favourite vases from the past year, which I will post at the weekend. I have to say a big thank you to Cathy for orchestrating this lovely meme, which has brought community and friendship to our blogging lives as well as regular flowery fun!!
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Love the colour of this one Julie; and we both chose Chrysanthemums today! I like the abundance of your vase, I’m new to growing them, I only bought these last week, but have already taken some cuttings from the edge of the vase. Have a good week, Chrisitna
Well done for taking cuttings Christina – you are ahead of me there! I will take cuttings in the spring when the plants start to grow. I am glad that you like chrysanthemums too – they have such a bad name but really extend the season and last so well in a vase. This arrangement was still looking lovely when I left home yesterday.
Julie these are gorgeous chrysanthemums. I love how they flop in the vase and the color is amazing…you always capture the mood with your display and pictures…feast for my eyes.
Thank you Donna – I was annoyed at myself for not staking these flowers as that meant the stems were very bendy – the result in the vase worked so well though that I might leave nature to take its course next year as well.
Another lovely post – orange is just so ‘right’ for autumn.
And you’ve completely won me over with regard to growing chrysanthemums next year. Thank you!
Thank you Jen – I am so pleased I have ‘converted’ you!
Gorgeous. This is quite a bounty of blooms from just one plant–amazing. And how special the fragrance reminds you of your grandmother’s house. Hope you have a nice time with your mother.
Thank you Susie – they were still looking lovely when I left home yesterday – a full week after cutting them.
I love the colors here, and especially with the bit of candle light. One plant! amazing. Enjoy your time with your Mother, Julie. “See you” next week!
Thank you Libby – all the plants I put out in the garden in the spring have flowered in abundance – I am quite amazed as each greenhouse plant will only produce a handful of blooms. The advantage in the greenhouse is that they are protected from the wet and windy weather though, so stay perfect for longer.
Yes, their ‘flop’ is their attraction in this vase, Julie – and the mini pumpkin is a natural here! I am still undecided about chrysanthemums myself – but I can feel myself beginning to waver with recent vases people have posted! Thank you for your good wishes and your enthusiasm throughout this year – and have a lovely time with your Mum. I look forward to reading about your favourite vases 🙂
Thank you Cathy – I am sure you will come round to chrysanthemums in the end – they really extend the flower season and come in so many lovely shapes and colours. I wish I had more indoor growing space to really extend the varieties that I grow.
I never used to like chrysanthemums but I love them now. These are real beauties. What a gorgeous colour.
I think that the supermarkets and garage forecourts have put us all off chrysanthemums with their year round insipid daisy style varieties. I have only started growing chrysanthemums in the last couple of years, but now love these glamorous late season flowers!
Gorgeous chrysanthemums, Julie! I don’t blame you for leaving them as is without further adornment – they make quite a statement all my themselves and additions might detract from their form. The Chrysanthemums that arrive in our southern California nurseries in late October don’t look anything like these – they’re runty little things that have been forced into bloom.
You are right Kris – the plants that they sell in garden centres as chrysanthemums in late autumn are nothing like these ones that I grow in the garden.
The reflection of the candles on the chrysanthemums is a delight.
Thank you John!
I agree entirely! Cathy’s meme has introduced me to many more blogging gardeners and is so enjoyable. I love those Chrysanthemums and am so glad you didn’t “arrange” them as they are perfect the way they are. And the candles make it look cosy and welcoming in your kitchen Julie!
Enjoy your holiday!
Thank you Cathy – I love it when a flower arranges itself!
Gorgeous warm colours and you’ve created a beautiful atmosphere, Julie 🙂
Thank you Annette!
Enjoy your break in Lancashire – a lovely part of the world. Gorgeous chrysanthemums. 🙂
Thank you – Lancashire is where I was born and although I have lived elsewhere for a many years it always feels like home. I have brought your lovely book with me for some bedtime reading & for inspiration in planning next years garden.