I’m joining Cathy at Rambling in the garden for her meme, where she asks us to make an arrangement from materials from our gardens. Joining in this meme I realise how much I have been missing in the past by not cutting flowers for the house. I still don’t like robbing the borders but having started a cutting bed, so far I am finding enough material each week, to be honest there is almost too much choice already, I hope this will not be like the garden which hibernates in mid-summer!
Today I needed to use more of the Longiflorum lilies which won’t last another week; last week’s vase was always going to be a difficult act to follow so I decided the arrangement needed to be totally different. There appeared to be enough white or creamy white flowers around the garden and cutting bed to create a vase with just this one colour.
In the hearth which I intended the arrangement to be
Materials used:
Lilum longiflorum ‘White Heaven’, Rosa ‘Sally Holmes’, Solanum jasminoides ‘Album’, White Hyssop, seed heads of Hemerocallis, seeded stems of Sisyrinchium, a White dahlia (no idea of the variety as it came in a mixed pack from Lidl (I am amazed at the quality of these packs which cost less than five euros and contained about 50 different bulbs, corms and rhizomes). There is also a white Gerbera, White Cosmos and the first flower of Lysimachia ephemera (although I’m pretty sure that it isn’t actually that, the flower is different than I remember and the foliage is certainly different), Pauline from Lead up the garden path very kindly sent me this seed so perhaps the seed became mixed up somehow, anyway not to worry as I like this too! I also used two white Wisteria flowers although these secondary flowers have a slight pink cast to their petals.
Rosa ‘Sally Holmes’
Dahlia, Gerbera and Solanum
Lilum longiflorun ‘White Heaven’
On one of the garden tables with the bay hedge as background
On days when it isn’t too hot or too windy I like to work outside; saves so much mess in the kitchen. We have an old Peperino stone sink which has a large flattish area by the side and so is ideal. One day I hope we may make this area into an outside kitchen but at present I have my potting bench here for the summer as it is quite shady for most of the day.
On good days I work outside
The finished vase
Creating my own garden of the Hesperides 
A beautiful vase! I adore white lilies, especially longiflorum, with its simple shape. And so nice too see them in an all white arrangement. The other white flowers add to the interest (not the single arrangement of bought lilies!) and don’t detract from the impact, by mixing in other colours. I love your potting bench, too!
The potting bench is just out of shot what you can see is the sink! thank you for your kind comments.
Absolutely stunning!
Thank you Sheryl, I am quite pleased with it.
That’s gorgeous!
Thank you, you are very kind.
That is an amazing arrangement! The lilies look so pristine and the mix of bloom shapes and sizes really akes it interesting eve when you stick to one color. I was wondering what the wisteria was until you mentioned it, nice addition, and not too much pink.
Is the dahlia growing on you? I thought I remember you saying you were unsure about liking it.
Yes, Frank, I was very unsure about the dahlias and I still wouldn’t want them in the garden borders but it has grown on me as a cut flower especially as this is very very double, not what I usually like at all.
That shaggy dahlia is definitely worth a second look, isn’t it, and great for cutting. With your creamy white arrangement I have just realised how interesting a nominally single colour vase is, as you notice the different shape and structure and relative shades of the flowers more than with mixed colours. It also stretches your imagination when deciding what to choose, perhaps using things you mightn’t have used otherwise – your vase really works well, and you must be pleased with it. The old sink is lovely and a great asset for this Monday task. Thanks for sharing.
The old sink was actually in the kitchen when we bought the house although more as an ornament than a real sink, I’ve given it back its dignity and it is used when we’re barbecuing as well.
I’m very fond of all white gardens, but never have the discipline to create one. You have just presented the perfect solution: a white garden in a vase! Brilliant!
Yes, that’s true, it is easier to select a colour scheme that works for the vase. Can you let me have your website again, I would like to read about your garden etc. The link to Google isn’t very helpful, thanks.
Lovely white bouquet. It’ s gorgeous. Have you tried growing the seeds of lilium longiflorum? It is one of the quickest and easiest lily to grow from seed.
The rose Sally Holmes is a winner too. It’ s been in flower for ages in my garden and still blooming.
I didn’t think Sally was very happy in the English climate, I’m glad she grows for you; it is a wonderful rose, mine were from cuttings from a friend, I have three! I haven’t tried from seed but the little bulbils that form also flower very quickly.
It’s a beautiful combination, Christina. The yellow tones at the center of the lilies and some of the other flowers help to integrate the creamier tones of the fringed Dahlias. I generally don’t care for white Dahlias but these are attractive.
Thanks Kris, I’ve never grown Dahlias before and I’ve always disliked this kind but I quite like it as a cut flower.
Love the shape of this one Christina. And the white Dahlia is very nice!
Dahlia as a cut flower is growing on me; good thing as I have lots of annual ones planted in the cuttings bed as well as some tubers I moved from the garden that should flower well over a long period, I hope anyway!
Gorgeous! I have Sally Holmes – she is one of my favorites. Well, I only have four kinds of roses, but still, I’m very fond of Sally. And those lilies! Are they fragrant?
The lilies are very fragrant. They are the same type I used last week; they don’t seem to have any perfume at all during the day and then as it becomes dusk the perfume suddenly begins and is wonderfully sweet but not sickly as the Regal lilies were.
What an exciting arrangement Christina–I think you really nailed it! Beautiful selection of flowers to complement the lilies and your design creates a very different effect from last week’s (which was also lovely).
Thanks Susie, I am really enjoying this challenge each week. Plus I’m learning a lot about arranging flowers from other bloggers especially those who are very talented and knowledgeable like you.
I like everything about this arrangement. Outstanding!
Thanks Debbie
That is gorgeous, Christina. I think it even tops last weeks 🙂
Glad you are still enjoying all of the riches in your garden!
This is a great way to enjoy the garden even when I can’t be outside.
That is pretty amazing, it makes me feel that it fills the house with fragrance as well.
Best of all its fragrance in the evening!
Simply stunning!!!
Thanks Kristin.
Absolutely beautiful. I love white flowers.
Your arrangements are becoming even more beautiful with each one…this one is a stunner.
Thanks, Donna, I was pleased with this one.