There was no post yesterday because the wind was blowing very hard all day, at least 23 km per hour with gusts that were much more. It wasn’t pleasant to be outside and impossible to take any photographs that weren’t just a blur. Today is overcast but completely still, ideal for photography. But today is Monday, the day for a vase of flowers but from the garden.
The Antirrhinums from last weeks vase are still OK but the Dutch irises were over very quickly; I do love them in a vase but they aren’t really very good value, I think I will only buy a few for cutting next year and just use those from the garden beds if I want to cut some, I won’t force them in the greenhouse as the outside (pre-chilled) ones flowered at roughly the same time with the established ones flowering now.
As you might imagine if you saw my post on the cut flower beds last week one of my vases this week contains Dianthus barbatus (Sweet William).
Dianthus barbatus (Sweet William) just picked into the flower bucket
Dianthus barbatus (Sweet William)
I rather liked the way the Dianthus looked bunched as single colours and wanted to repeat that in the vase.
In a vase on Monday – Dianthus barbatus (Sweet William)
There were a huge number of flowers that needed to be picked if they are to produce for flowers over the next weeks.
I’m sure this isn’t really my style of arrangement but it uses a lot of flowers, I even needed to pick some more! I didn’t use foam, but used a taller vase inside the one you can see to add height.
Dianthus barbatus (Sweet William)
For the kitchen a more spring-like colour scheme with Freesia, Ranunculus, Anemone coronaria and a couple of native Lupins.
A more spring-like vase of mixed flowers
Deliciously perfumed Freesia
With thanks to Cathy at Rambling in the garden who hosts this ever more popular meme. Have a good week.
Creating my own garden of the Hesperides 
I would have been so pleased to have the problem of needing to pick Sweet William. Such bounteous displays. I like the way to decided to bunch the separate colors in your arrangement–that’s a suggestion I heard last week from several presenters at Art In Bloom. Your arrangements are lovely. I am also drawn back to the top image of the Sweet William. The flowers sit perfectly in the bucket and your background setting enhances them. Enjoy the calmer weather.
I think the silvery colour of the bucket was actually better than the glass vases! Bunching the colours in this way may work later with the Zinnias too. Nice to think it up to the minute.
The Sweet Williams are lovely for arrangement, I bet they smell wonderful too. I always envy you your gorgeous Freesias, I can smell them from here. Such a pretty spring- like posy.
Sorry to disappoint you Liz but these Sweet William don’t smell anything like the ones I remember as a child; I’m hoping the new variety I’ve purchased to sow for next year will be better.
That is a disappointment. Like having a scentless sweet pea. Still, they look very pretty.
There is a faint scent but not the glorious perfume I remember; if the new seed aren’t better I may not bother with them again.
What a contrast between the two vases – I quite like the mound of flowers in the first one and like Susie agree that grouping the colours works well. My Sweet Williams, grown from seed last year and this, tend to get quite leggy so perhaps I need to pinch them out more – what do you do with yours? Nothing as zingy as your second vase in my garden! Thanks for sharing
I don’t do anything to the Dianthus, they are probably sturdy like this because they are grown hard and during the winter only had rain water (not much). they may be stronger too because they are last years plants (i.e. sown in 2014)
Both vases are wonderful! I thought, when I saw those Sweet William in an earlier post, you might be using them in a vase. Love the look of them in groups, and thanks for the tidbit about using the taller vase within. I have Sweet William growing in the meadow and garden in May, and never really used them before. I just might, especially if cutting them will grow more.
Too bad Freesia doesn’t grow well here as I would love to cut them for vases too!
I look forward to seeing your Sweet Williams Donna, and I hope yours have more perfume than mine
Sweet Williams were my father-in-law’s favourite flowers so I always grow a few in the garden in his memory. Lovely vases.
My father used to grow them too, which is why I have such wonderful memories of their perfume, sadly lacking in these.
I like your galvanised flower bucket very much, it looks very modish yet informal while the glass vase would look elegant on the smartest hotel check-in desk.
I know I’ve mentioned several times how much I like flowers of all colours in a silver vase; the galvanised flower bucket has the same effect; I will be looking for some other shapes and sizes to add to the collection.
Sweet Williams are among my favourite flowers. They’re such cheery, undemanding, pretty blooms. I don’t grow them (yet) but always buy a big bunch at the market when they’re in season. Lovely. I bet your freesias smell gorgeous.
Yes, the Freesias smell delicious, I love having them in the house. Even a couple in a vase is lovely as you walk by them.
You did a great job arranging the sweet williams, Christina. They’re such pretty flowers and not used often enough. I’m jealous to see that you still have freesias – mine are mostly gone.
These are pretty much the last of the Freesias if I find more I will pick them.
Christina me encantan los jarrones repletos con dianthus barbatus: huelen de maravilla y son preciosos. El jarrón de la cocina es especial: transmite juventud, alegría, la Primavera con su dulce aroma de las fresias. Divino. Saludos de Margarita. margarita141site.
The Dianthus don’t smell as much as they should Margarita; I’m going to try others next year.
Christina de todos modos son preciosos y me encantan sus colores. Saludos de Margarita. margarita141site. Por cierto mi email lo he cambiado al de siempre es margaritaecologica@live.com. Gracias.
Gosh you have lots of flowers. All lovely!
Sweet Sweet William looks so well in your vases, Christina!
thanks Anca
The yellows and oranges are so fresh, but I always love to see sweet William. Sorry to hear it has little scent, that spicy scent was such a nice start to the summer.
It is odd, but the orange mixed with that pale yellow was fresh, you don’t usually think if orange being a fresh colour do you?
I, too, remember a strong, wonderful scent associated with Sweet William and was planning on seeking some out for that very reason. Now I will be sure to give them the whiff test before purchasing plants. Sometimes the flowers demand a departure from our usual style (fun, don’t you think?)
Yes, it’s always good to be open to new ideas.