IAVOM – Zinnias the stars

With the rain even the Zinnias are looking fresher and producing quite prolifically again.

There are Zinnias, Asters including ‘Monte Cassino’, Holy Basil flowers and seed heads and some Achillea.

Above a larger arrangement in the sitting room with the same flowers as above with the addition of Perovskia.

With my thanks to Cathy at ‘ Rambling in the Garden’ who hosts this popular meme.

I have been using my phone for my recent posts. Do you notice any difference in the quality of the images?

In a vase on Monday – it feels like autumn even if it doesn’t look like it

Late in the day, but this week I have managed to join Cathy at Rambling in the Garden with the weekly meme to post a vase of flowers collected from our own gardens.

In a vase on Monday – a gift and a house full of flowers

We had been invited to dinner on Thursday evening so early in the morning I picked all the flowers that were blooming to make a bouquet for my friend and fill some vases for the weekend.  There were more flowers than I had realised so that I ended up with four vases.

In a vase on Monday – White plus brights!

Monday is the day we share our vases with Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.  As I mentioned last week; I was hoping there would be plenty of flowers as I needed to have several vases for a couple of parties I was hosting yesterday and last Thursday.

In a vase on Monday – late!

I’m not very often late with my post for ‘In a vase on Monday’ hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the garden.  My excuse is that it was my birthday yesterday which is also Viterbo’s patron saint’s day.  I have written about Santa Rosa before and I’ll post some images of this years celebration later in the week.  On the eve of the day a 100 foot high tower is carried through the streets of the city and the evening ends with a wonderful fireworks display which seems to be directed at the windows of our apartment in the city so I often celebrate my birthday there with friends so we can all enjoy the fireworks and the excitement of the evening together.

In a vase on Monday – Pink extravaganza

I’m pleased to report that there has been rain!  The garden is relieved and I am beginning to be able to think again as the temperatures dropped over the weekend by 10°C.  It is back to hot during the day but now at least early mornings, evenings and at night are positively fresh.  Tomorrow is Ferragosto, the Italian ‘unofficial’ end of summer!  Now onto the flowers.

In a Vase on Monday – Shades of Pink take the stage

Monday is the day to share a vase of flowers picked from our own gardens and to join Cathy at Rambling in the garden to see what many, many others have found in their gardens, why not join us?

In a vase on Monday – Going for it!

Every Monday morning sees me out in the garden selecting flowers to cut for a vase for Cathy’s meme In a vase on Monday.  Yesterday I wrote about the cuttings garden and asked you what you thought I would pick today; no one was brave enough to try to guess.

I thought it would be quite obvious as only one plant was flowering that hasn’t been seen in a vase so far this year for the very reason that the blooms have only just opened, have you guessed  now?

Yes that’s correct, Jerusalem artichokes (Helianthus tuberosus).  Last year I used them in lots of tiny vases and bottles when I hosted the gardening group’s annual lunch here at My Hesperides garden, you can see how they looked here.

In a vase on Monday – Airy Perovskia

For the first time in months I didn’t have to go into the garden at first light to pick flowers for my vases to join with Cathy at Rambling in the garden’s Monday meme; today is cool with a strong wind that manages to desiccate the plants as much as the hot sun but it is better for me!

The Slope on Thursday – ..and it’s getting better….

Well it is for me.  I’m calling this ‘my English summer’ because the weather is just so like it often is in England.  We had more rain this week, actually a thunder storm which just five miles away included hail (gardeners’ enemy number one).  The local news reported a small whirl wind right here where I live but it must have passed me by a whisker.  I am a lucky girl.