It feels like a very long time since I have been here on a Monday evening sharing some flowers picked from my garden. I had planned this post over the weekend, fortunately taking the photos on a bright and sunny morning. I was not sure if I would find the time today to sit down and write a post as it has been very busy. After being thoroughly told off today at a village meeting for my lack of Monday posts however, I thought I had better prioritise and get this one published! I do miss my Monday vases and in particular I miss the process of walking all around my garden, snips in hand, really looking at what is there whilst I decide what to include here each week. A garden that seems very bare at first glance will always reveal a surprising number of treasures if we take the time to really look.
We all know what is flowering in our gardens on a week by week basis and also what is looking its seasonal best, but that is not the same as really taking the time to seek out the beauty, to see not just the freshly blooming flowers but also the seed heads and foliage that are part of the gardens own special atmosphere. Walking through my beds, taking time to really look and consider the elements that are pleasing me whilst thinking about how they might come together in an arrangement is a very peaceful and relaxing experience, the antithesis of walking around my garden , pen at the ready, composing a list of jobs that need doing. The first is very much about beauty in the moment, whilst the latter defines the more stressful prospect of creating planned beauty at a future moment.
This week the starting point had to be the beautiful chrysanthemums that are flowering in my greenhouse. As many of you know I grow indoor chrysanthemums every year and they provide huge joy in the dark months of November and December. I will write a separate post very soon about the varieties I like and my growing techniques. Whilst walking around the garden I was delighted to find a couple of roses ( from the glorious rose Golden Wedding), in bloom and a few white snapdragons which always last well into the autumn. Added to these are some stems of the winter honeysuckle Lonicera x purpusii ‘Winter Beauty, some weed seed heads including my favourite dock, a few dried stems of perovskia ‘Blue Spire’ and some beautiful arching rose stems with perfect hips, also from the Golden Wedding bush.
There are plenty of beautiful chrysanthemums that can be grown outside, but these late flowering heavy headed incurved varieties are best grown under cover where autumn rains and frosts will not damage the petals. Chrysanthemums are said to symbolise optimism and joy and coming during these dark months when so little else is available how could these blousy beauties do anything but lift our spirits. Unsurprisingly they are the birth flower for November. When I was child my grandmother always had a vase of white chrysanthemums in her window in November and December and I know from sharing this story on Instagram that many of you also associate chrysanthemums with your grandmothers. Since then they have gone through a period of being deeply unfashionable, but their star is rising again as many growers and gardeners are starting to appreciate the value of a flower that blooms so beautifully so late in the year.
Whilst late chrysanthemums are at their best in November, a newly flowering rose is a rare and precious gift. I noticed that this rose Golden Wedding was full of buds a couple of weeks ago and wondered whether any of the buds would bloom – and here is the answer – 2 perfect flowers that have proved deliciously scented in my warm kitchen. The outer petals are slightly brown complimenting the multi petaled pristine centres perfectly. Without those browning petals this would be a June rose, but that little touch of decay on a new flower places it firmly in the autumn season.
This is a tricky time of year for floral photography. The light is hard to find and doesn’t last long, even on a bright day. I used my 100mm macro lens to capture these shots as it performs well in low light situations. I also upped the ISO and bumped up the exposure compensation by a couple of stops to get enough light for these pictures. My favourite autumn/winter set up is here, on my kitchen worktop, with a large south facing window casting side light onto my flowers – in the summer this position is far too bright. I only like to take flower photographs in natural light as any electric light will cast a yellowish tint to the photos, so my window for indoor photography at this time of year is short.
I hope that you have enjoyed my Monday Flowers and that it will mark my return to a regular Monday routine. As ever I am linking this post to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden, who has been inspiring increasing numbers of flower lovers to make a Monday vase for about 5 years now. Last week I wrote my Autumn Musings and shared a lot of photos of my garden under a carpet of leaves, so please take a look if you have the time. Later this week I will return with a post about growing chrysanthemums in my greenhouse, including my favourite suppliers and varieties. Do ask any questions you have about growing chrysanthemums below as that would be a great help in preparing my post.
Next week will be the beginning of December and to mark the start of the festive season and to say thank you to everyone who is still reading despite my long absences, I will add a little Give Away to my post.
Wishing you all a lovely flowery week ahead!
Thank you so much Julie! These beautifully lit blooms lifted me up on this long winter evening. I am eager to learn more about these balls of sunshine later in the week!
Thank you Pam – it was lovely to see you today & I am looking forward to our catch up next week! xx
Just lovely. I think the white and yellow combination is stunning. You have made me appreciate chrysanthemums…and will look for some tomorrow in preparation for my rather formal ladies tea on Wednesday!
Thank you Libby! I hope you find some chrysanthemums and have a lovely time at your ladies tea – I am imagining you all pouring tea from silver tea pots with gloved hands. xx
I generally think of white and yellow for springtime but here it seems perfectly to express a quiet, sumptuous, autumn mood.
Thank you Amy for your lovely comment. I agree that it is an unusual colour combination for autumn but chrysanthemums come in some lovely shades of yellow & primrose and once I saw the yellow roses it seemed like a perfect way to use them. xx
Those pristine chrysanthemums are deserved partners for the late rose which is still so perfect – such a joy at this time of year. It’s good to have you ‘back’ and intriguing that you were partially encouraged back by comments on your absence of IAVOM vases!
Thank you Cathy & yes – it was questions about what had happened to my Monday flowers that resulted in my sitting down last night & actually publishing something rather than pontificating! xx
Such a lovely composition and setting….to find such light at this time of the year is a sure measure of your skill.
Thank you Noelle for your lovely comment! I certainly have to watch the light like a hawk at this time of year in order to have any success with my photos. xx
Welcome back to Monday vases Julie. Your lyrical arrangements always touch me. At a garden club meeting today the presenter was a floral designer with a fondness for chrysanthemums. He echoed yours in saying how chrysanthemums are coming back into fashion and we can expect growers who had held onto their heritage seeds to begin releasing fantastic offerings in the next several years. Yours are lovingly arranged and the yellow rose is a treat.
Thank you Susie – it is lovely to hear from you! It must be serendipity to have a garden club presenter bring chrysanthemums to your attention on the same day that I use them in a blog post. I am looking forward to seeing all the lovely varieties that I am sure they are right to say will be coming back onto the market as chrysanthemums regain their previous popularity. xx
Oh that is a most attractive vase of flowers Julie. I look forward to reading more about your chrysanthemums soon. Maybe they are set to become the new dahlia as their star seems to be in the ascendancy.
Thank you Anna – you are very kind! I think their star has been rising for a few years now and judging by the number I have seen posted on Instagram this autumn they are certainly regaining a measure of their historical success. I am sure that as the growers expand the colours and shapes available for floral designers to purchase (as happened with dahlias) they will become even more popular – they are a perfect flower for an autumn wedding or event. xx
Welcome back to Monday flowers Julie; your beautiful Chrysanthemums are an inspiration and you always manage to give us such amazing images.
Thank you so much Christina! It is always lovely to hear from you. xx