Dear Readers,
Last Friday was my mother’s funeral – one of the hardest days of my life. I am still not quite ready to return to my regular Monday vase making, so today I am sharing with you the flowers that were made for her funeral. I cannot take any credit for these – my dear friend Brigitte from Moss & Stone made all the arrangements for the day – she did cut most of the foliage in these arrangements from my garden though – the flowers, of course, had to be bought in.
Somehow it did not feel right to photograph the coffin spray – even though I have it outside on my front porch it was just too personal to share here. Above however you can see one of the arrangements that Brigitte made for the reception, which was held at my mothers house. I choose to time the funeral just as the afternoon light began to fade – imagine if you can a country church filled with candles – large church candles burning en mass not only in the side windows but also in the large stained glass window behind the alter. Imagine next a coffin covered in a much larger version of the arrangement you can see above with foliage cascading over the sides and a line of church candles that burned brightly throughout the service woven into the flowers. Add to that a selection of beautiful organ music, moving hymns, a stunning solo verse by my daughter that filled the rafters with perfect sound and poetry and bible readings and you will have an idea of the heartbreakingly sad but very tranquil, peaceful service that bid good bye to my beautiful mother.
Brigitte’s flowers were everything I could have asked for – into a base of seasonal greenery she arranged roses, ranunculus and Paperwhite narcissi in shades of white. There was trailing jasmine, a few anemones and a handful of iris’s – my mothers name was Iris.
Although roses are not seasonal they were my mother’s favourite flower and always look right at Christmas when we long for a few flowers in the house. Brigitte and I both love the more graceful form of a garden grown rose but these David Austin florist’s roses were undeniably spectacular.
Just a few Paperwhite narcissi were enough to fill the rooms of her home with scent. My own first batch of Paperwhites are very close to flowering in my greenhouse, but I don’t think they are quite going to make Christmas this year. They will be bringing me joy in January though, so I am looking forward to their arrival.
Ranunculus have to be the most perfect flowers of the winter season. Although I try to avoid buying flowers as much as possible I am always tempted by a bunch of these winter beauties. Fortunately they are not generally readily available anywhere close to me – if I were to live in London or Paris however I think I might have to restrain myself!
Brigitte makes such an artistic composition when she works with flowers – the airy touches that she adds – a bending ranunculus stem, delicate twigs and trailing foliage – bring a lightness and movement to an arrangement that might otherwise seem to be over heavy with flowers at this time of year.
The three arrangements that looked so beautiful in my mothers house after the funeral last week are now taking pride of place in my house & I have my fingers crossed that by keeping a cool house and refreshing the water regularly they might just make it through to Christmas day, although 10 days is a long time for an arrangement to remain fresh.
Christmas this year will be a simple quiet affair in my house – now that the funeral is behind me I am hastily writing cards, wrapping presents and planning food for the festive week. I am looking forward to having my children under one roof for a couple of weeks – they all have extensive travel plans next year, so we may not all be together again until the later part of 2017. I am intending to take things slowly over the holidays with plenty of films, hot chocolate and chatting and a new notebook to start my garden plans for next year.
Although this post is not about a vase that I have made from my garden I am going to link in with Cathy at Rambling In The Garden and say a very big thank you to her for the time she puts into this meme. Without Cathy I would have stopped blogging altogether during my mothers illness and that may have been the end of Peonies & Posies. By feeling the need to pop in however and join in with this meme that has been part of my life for so long, even if only occasionally, I have not lost the habit of blogging completely and am looking forward to making a fresh start next year.
I will be back on January 2nd with my first vase of 2017 – until then I wish you all a very peaceful and happy Christmas and New Year.
Thank you Julie for this beautiful and moving post. We are thinking of you.
Oh Julie I am so sorry for your loss….what gorgeous flowers that are a perfect reflection of your mother, her legacy and love as you have written about here. I wish you solace and send many healing thoughts to you and your family.
Absolutely beautiful flowers Julie, a very fitting tribute to a much loved mum I can tell.
Wishing you a peaceful Christmas with your family around you.
Sue x
I’m sorry to hear of your loss, Julie. I know that there’s nothing that makes this period easy but the support of friends and family does offer comfort and I’m glad you have that to draw on. The arrangements created by your friend are truly beautiful.
Julie, I am so sorry to read of the loss of your mother. I expect your mother would be well pleased with the beautiful arrangements made in her honor. Wishing you peace and comfort this holiday season and into the new year.
Flowers and children and church and candles and tradition make the really tough times bearable. My prayer for you is for peace in your heart. Have a blessed Christmas.
Such beautiful, beautiful flowers. I hope they last another week…I find that if I take them all out of vases and water etc., lie them on the counter, and “reuse” the best ones, it makes several vases into one gorgeous one.
We are all looking forward to your winter posts and flowers in your greenhouse. Our best to all of you…
Julie, these flowers are so beautiful.
They will always remind you of your mother.
Have a blessed Christmas.
Dear Julie, my sincere condolences. The floral arrangements are perfect in their ethereal beauty. Wishing you peace and comfort. Susie
Oh Julie what a beautiful, touching and loving tribute to your Mother, Iris. I wish you and your family a peaceful, reflective Christmas full of wonderful memories of your dear Mother. And may the New Year fill your heart with the promise of happiness and consolation in your gardening, flower growing and blogging.
Your friend Brigitte’s blooms are such a perfect tribute to your mother and are clearly just what you wanted to to celebrate her life and all that it entailed. We are privileged that you have chosen to share them and your thoughts with us and humbled that the meme has served a purpose for you over these last few months. I think the supportive nature of this blogging community has taken many of us by surprise but it has proved invaluable in this respect in many different ways. Your regular and instructive contributions and wonderful photography have been missed and I am sure we all look forward to a time when you will be amongst us again on a regular basis. Have a peaceful Christmas with your family and memories, and treasure that wonderful wedding photograph of your parents. See you again soon xx
This is a lovely post Julie – your words combined with those beautiful flowers and fabulous photos are a most fitting way to honour the memory of you dear mother. I hope your Christmas is also a peaceful one, and happy too as you spend time with loved ones. Take care and I shall look forward to your return to the blogging world next year.
Thank you for showing us these flowers. Truly beautiful arrangements for a very beautiful Mum.
Thank you for sharing such beautiful arrangements, stunningly photographed. I’m so sorry for the loss of your mum.
Wishing you peace at Christmas and, I hope, a regular return to the IaVoM fold in the New Year.
Sorry Julie I missed this post but I hope I am not too late to offer my condolences . How young your parents look in the photo and how happy. Your mother was beautiful. What amazing flowers you organised and the service sounds beautiful. Wishing you all the best for a peaceful, relaxed Christmas with your family.