Life has been busy, but in a good way; I missed the Easter Monday IAVOM, although I had made two vases one as a gift for our hostess for Easter Sunday lunch and a basket of spring flowers for a Pizza lunch I hosted for ‘Pasquetta’ – Easter Monday. Continue reading
In a vase on Monday – Dutch Irises
Another Monday, another vase to share with all the followers of Cathy at Rambling in the Garden, who asks us to find flowers to cut from our gardens and bring into our homes to enjoy. Continue reading
In a Vase on Monday – truly it is spring
I missed joining in Cathy at Rambling in the Garden‘s Monday Vase meme last week. Firstly because I was busy working in the garden but mainly because I have a new computer, and it is taking me some time to get used to how everything works! It is a new operating system to me and although I am assured by everyone that it is completely intuitive, it isn’t to me!!! Continue reading
In a vase on Monday – Treasures of spring
I’m sure everyone will find some lovely spring flowers this week to share with all the participants of Cathy at Rambling in the garden‘s weekly meme.
My little vases of joy have had triple use; I prepared them on Saturday for a very special friend’s Hen Night. Fifteen little Campari bottles stuffed with spring flowers; what could be more fitting for a spring bride. They were placed on the tables and if I say so myself added a very special something to the delicious array of food. My friend chose a couple of the bottles to take home as did one of the other guests. (Sorry no images at the event, I didn’t take my camera).
How the flowers ended up in the Orangery
Yesterday, Sunday I’d invited some friends to come to see the spring bulbs in the garden and enjoy an English tea party; it was also one of the friend’s birthday so a good excuse to celebrate.
The little bottles were on the table when everyone arrived but it soon became clear that with all the extra food brought by everyone there was no space for all the flowers so they ended up on the cubes that cover the wall over the ‘outside’ kitchen; luckily fully visible from the table.
Narcissus Thalia, Rosemary and Iris
This morning I decided to bring all the flowers into the house so that they now adorn the kitchen, the sideboard and the sitting room.
In the Kitchen
Today the vases were moved into the house, some added to a tray of candles on the coffee table
On the sideboard
Viburnum burkwoodii adds some gorgeous perfume.
I think I almost like a selection of small vases more than one large arrangement.
Have a great week!
10 good things for March
Chloris at The Blooming Garden writes a monthly roundup of the best things in her garden in any given month and has decided to make the day the 23rd of each month so that others may join her.
There is no shortage of choice this month as spring has come to My Hesperides Garden and it is such a pleasure to walk around each day to see what is newly flowering and watch progress on buds that are slowly opening.
One thing I can see from the kitchen table is the progress of the Wisteria, extra special this year after loosing all the blooms last year to the Beast from the East!
Wisteria ‘Prolific’ 18th March
Wisteria Prolific today 23rd March
Wisteria ‘Prolific’
It is as if the colour was waiting for today to show. in another couple of days I think it will be open completely. There are so many buds, I’m so excited to see it flowering.
Viburnum burkwoodii
Usually Viburnum burkwoodii is the first to flower but this year carlessii beat it by a couple of days.
Viburnum carlessii
Narcissus Thalia
Thalia are gorgeous, I need to pick more to bring into the house as they have a delicious perfume.
Clematis armandii
Another white spring flower and another that is delicately perfumed.
Magnolia stellata
There is Euphorbia rigida and E. myrsinites all around the garden
Both these Euphorbias seed prolifically in the gravel so I’m able to lift them and place them where I want them. They have been the most obvious statement of spring’s arrival; luckily they work well as a back drop to all the spring bulbs and then continue to look attractive even in the heat of summer.
Hyacinth Miss Saigon, Anemone coronaria ‘Sylphide and Euphobia
More Hyacinths from a mixed pack
A little mix of spring colour from bulbs
Muscari and Hyacinth Delph Blue
Suddenly the foliage of the bearded Iris is growing too, another month and they will be flowering too.
Hyacinths Berry Fruit mix
Just behind the Hyacinths you can just see Iris reticulata ‘Harmony’, which has been a great success this year.
Muscari with Euphorbia
There has been blossom in profusion from the fruit trees but I only have an image of the miniature flowering peach (I think that is what it is but each year I forget!!!
Dwarf flowering peach
Then of course there are tulips
Tulip Miami Sunset
Tulip White Triumphator
I love how the sun shines through their leaves
Tulip ‘Negrita Parrot’ and Hyacinths
Tulip ‘Exotic Emperor’
Tulip ‘Exotic Emperor’
I’ve rather lost count, but I think that is ten! Spring is here now in Italy, the cold wind we’ve been experiencing all month has finally dropped and it is wonderfully warm. Do visit Chloris and perhaps find ten things you’d like to share from your garden too.
In a vase on Monday – suddenly there’s more choice!
The garden and the countryside are looking very spring-like – that moment that suddenly arrives when there are clouds of blossom everywhere, vying for our interest. Again I was able to give a bouquet to our hostess for Sunday lunch as well as have several vases at home.
I used a jam jar with a smaller bottle inside to hold the flowers for my hostess yesterday
Anemone coronaria ‘Mr Fokker’
Hyacinth from a mixed pack which added some amazing perfume
The cold autumn combined with the warmth of the last week or so has encouraged my Narcissus to flower earlier than usual. I love the multi-headed Thalia and picked some for the classic blue jug/Narcissus combination
Blue jug with Narcissus Thalia and a single stem of Tulip Exotic Emperor
I ordered Alstroemerias when I was at the Hampton Court Flower show last July; they were delivered in September. The plants were very small and not looking in great shape as the carrier had been rather slow, however after putting them into larger pots and then placing them in the cold greenhouse for the winter they have grown on exceedingly well and there are buds on most of the plants, this is A. ‘Avanti’
Blue jug with Narcissus Thalia, Alstroemeria and Tulip Exotic Emperor
I had intended creating a vase full of the white froth of blossom; but the wild plums were already shedding their snow-like petals; but I wanted ‘white’ so I instead I used Viburnum tinus with just a few stems of ‘true’ plum blossom (the tree is covered with blossom this year building up my hopes that there may be a mass of plums this year); these were joined by Narcissus Cheerfulness, N. Thalia, Anemone coronaria ‘The Bride’ and tucked in but not very visible in this image Tulip Exotic Emperor.
In a vase on Monday
Anemone coronaria ‘The Bride’, Narcissus Cheerfulness, Tulip Exotic Emperor and Viburnum tinus blooms
Anemone coronaria ‘The Bride’, Narcissus Cheerfulness and Plum blossom
Do visit our hostess for the best Monday meme, Cathy at Rambling in the garden for more vases from around the world.
Happy gardening!
In a Vase on Monday – Sunshine Yellow and Blue
Cathy at Rambling in the Garden asks us each Monday to find flowers in our gardens to pick and bring into our homes; this new habit has certainly improved my experience of Monday mornings, as I’m sure it has for many others; if you haven’t yet joined in, do be brave – it’s spring and there are so many lovely flowers to enjoy and share.
Last Friday was International Womens’ Day and I had enough flowers to prepare a large vase of blossom for a friend who hosted a lunch to celebrate the day and for a small vase for another friend whose birthday it was.
Vase for a friend’s birthday
Sorry, this was photographed in a rush. The vase for my friend included: Anemone coronaria ‘The Bride’, A green Hellebore, Wild plum blossom, Viburnum tinus, and Prostrate rosemary.
Prostrate Rosemary, it seems a much stronger blue at the moment
Anemone coronaria ‘The Bride’
Green Hellebore
Wild Plum blossom
My own vase is simple today with just Prostrate Rosemary and Tulip Crystal Star.
In a vase on Monday
Tulip Crystal Star
Tulip Crystal Star and Prostrate Rosemary
Hope spring is springing where you are, have a lovely week.
