Can it really be two years since Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden' made her first 'In A Vase on Monday' post? Well it well and truly is so time to join in the celebrations today! I must admit that I was slow to get off the ground with participating in this meme. My first vase did not materialise until April 2014 - during that year my sum total of vases was a miserly eight. However this post will be number nineteen to date this year so I'm obviously getting the bug along with many other bloggers.
I had never really been in the habit of picking flowers to bring into the house to enjoy at close quarters. I may have bought in the odd small posy of snowdrops in the depths of winter and have regularly picked bunches of sweet peas from the allotment, but that was the extent of my vases, unless I treated myself to a shop bought bouquet or was treated to one. Now I'm really beginning to anticipate what I might be able to pick for a vase and to enjoy putting them together.
I've also recently realised that I do have a cutting garden although the penny has been very slow to drop. I've always had a couple of beds at the allotment which I use for growing flowers and herbs but have never thought of them as a cutting garden as such. I'm considering expanding these beds next year. Not only will it give me the chance to grow some old favourites but also plants that I've not grown before. I already have a long list of flowers/foliage that have caught my eye as I've admired other vases. Most of these will be annuals.
Considering that it's a party today the weather gods are not behaving today chucking down rain and blowing wind which is most inconsiderate of them. So my vase plans have had to change accordingly. I've gathered together a number of gourds which came back with us from our recent holiday. Yes we tend to bring odd souvenirs back with us from our travels. I used to be able to buy gourds to ring in the seasonal changes from our local Country Market but sadly this closed during the summer. I shall definitely be buying gourd seeds to sow next spring. The pumpkins are 'Wee Be Little' which I grew at the allotment this year and which will be eaten in due course. Although on the small side they are most tasty and keep well. The gourds are sitting on a special plate made and given to us as a wedding gift by one of my aunts. The candle needs no explanation. It's contained in a glass jar hand decorated by either my mother or sister. I can't remember which so further investigations are called for. There is a dragonfly on the other side. I shall be removing this arrangement to the living room later, where I will be lighting the candle for a warming glow in the long November evenings to come.
A special vote of thanks to Cathy who not only came up with the idea of 'A Vase On Monday' but has also been the most consistent and encouraging hostess that you could wish for. Cathy, you deserve a gold star ⭐️
What a lovely arrangement. Gourds come in all manner of shapes, textures and colours, I find them fascinating and they're very decorative. We've got the same weather here today, rain and wind.
ReplyDeleteIt seems as if the weather has been nothing but rain and wind since Jo !
DeleteGourdgeous. I am a fan of the gourd. See my blog on BIRDHOUSEGOURDBIRDHOUSE.floweralley.org.
ReplyDeleteWelcome and thanks for your comment Becca. I will be over to visit you soon :)
DeleteWe are lucky to have lots of local markets selling unusual gourds and pumpkins. They are so terrific for fall arrangements as you've demonstrated!
ReplyDeleteOh welcome and thanks for your comment Ms. Wis. You are lucky to have those markets close to home. I will be over to your place soon :)
DeleteLove the arrangement...almost an altar piece..I love gourds and pumpkins too.
ReplyDeleteI didn't have a spiritual effect in mind Noelle but it's quite tranquil to gaze at as darkness falls :)
DeleteTime is indeed flying, Anna, bit worrying actually! I see you're in Halloween mood and think your arrangement is most charming. We were invited to our first Guy Fawkes night last week and had a great evening which ended with fireworks (so everbody knew where the Brits live ;) ) and the burning of poor Guy on a bonfire. Do you also celebrate this day?
ReplyDeleteThanks for your visit and comment Annette which are much appreciate. We used to have a small family celebration on Guy Fawkes night when I was a child but I never liked the loud noises. As fireworks have got bigger and noisier over the years I stay inside now on the night especially after witnessing the effects of a lit firework injuring a friend :(
DeleteOh thank you for my gold star Anna - I shall wear it with pride :) Both Christina and I appreciated the added and unexpected bonus of our 'cutting beds' - just being able to enjoy a mix of different plants for their own sake whether they were cut or not. What a seasonal plateful you have shown us today - most attractive, and if you want us to chip in and contribute to your electricity bill so you don't need to rely on candlelight just let us know...:) ps did you get my email...?
ReplyDeleteYou are more than welcome Cathy - your meme has given me and many other bloggers much pleasure. I'll consider passing a plate round for contributions to the electricity bill - what a fine idea of yours :) Yes I got your email thanks - a reply is imminent!
DeleteI love the tiny pumpkins and you found a colorful collection of gourds to accompany them, Anna. I hope your weather improves soon!
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping for an improvement in the weather too Kris but so far there's been no let up.
DeleteBut you don' t need to buy gourd seeds Anna, you have your gourds there and next spring you can sow the seeds from them. What a lovely idea to display them with a candle. Such a warm glowing arrangement.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind words and advice Chloris. I will certainly be sowing the seeds from the gourds I already have but had already earmarked a couple of different varieties to grow including the 'snake gourd' :)
DeleteI love the gourds! I often pick mixed posies from the garden, especially in the winter as when I'm at work I often don't get to see the garden in daylight so that way I can still enjoy the flowers :-)
ReplyDeleteThat's a good idea Su :)
DeleteThat's a nice idea Anna. Sometimes there are pumpkins and gourds on sale at the side of the roads here, so I must keep my eyes open when I go to town tomorrow. Yes, the evening candle season has begun!
ReplyDeleteI wonder if you found any on your journey to town Cathy. If so maybe we will see them on your blog soon.
DeleteI love your pumpkins and gourds Anna - how nice to be able to enjoy them as a table decoration and know you can look forward to eating them. I only have large pumpkins this year, but the small ones are my favourite both as decorations and to eat. I will make sure to be growing a variety again next year!
ReplyDeleteI like the small pumpkins too Julie which in fact go a lot further than you would think. I will probably stick with the same variety next year but hope for a summer more suited to them.
DeleteWe are all going to need to be inventive as the fall and winter go on, the gourds and pumpkins really say "Autumn!" I love to cook pumpkins in lots of different ways in fall. I like the warty ones, and longer stripey one.
ReplyDeleteYou're right Hannah - flowers and foliage will be thinner on the ground for our vases over the next two or three months. I wonder what your favourite pumpkin recipe is.
DeleteEvery year I promise myself I will grow a collection of colourful, interestingly shaped gourds and each spring I decide I don't have the space to devote to them. I love the idea of the candle with them too, it must give a lovely warm glow; Chloris is right that you could use the seed from the gourds you have must they are very promiscuous and so don't expect them to come true to their parents.
ReplyDeleteThey do need room Christina but the allotment should be able to accommodate them nicely. I did wonder if they would come true to seed but I'm sure that any variations will be quite intriguing and welcome :)
DeleteA perfect autumn arrangement...I love this. And I too am now expanding my garden beds to add another bigger cutting bed....I love this addiction of cutting flowers for vases.
ReplyDeleteOh thanks Donna. I'm glad to hear that you're in cutting flower bed expansion mode too. It's contagious!
DeleteBefore we had an allotment I would never have cut flowers to bring into the house. I like to enjoy the garden flowers in the garden but it is totally different picking flowers from the allotment.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on that Sue unless it's something that grows in profusion in the garden and where I will not notice any gaps if I snip.
DeleteI always have a vase of flowers on my desk at the nursery, it balances all the paperwork and so on! I love the gourds, I always buy some every year, just because I like the shapes, colours and texture :)
ReplyDeleteKnowing how clumsy I am Rona it's perhaps just as well I never had any flowers on my desk or the paperwork would have suffered frequent irreparable damage :) I stuck with a potted plant. Yes gourds appeal in all sorts of ways and they are all unique.
DeleteWell it wasn't the vase of flowers that caused waterlogged paperwork in my desk this week but a leak in the roof with all the rain we've had :(
DeleteThe perfect arrangement for this time of year! One year I threw my decorative gourds out near the compost pile and had my own little gourd vine the next spring. I'll have to remember that this year as I really don't have room in my small vegetable garden for anything that takes up so much space.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your visit and comment Rose. I smiled at the thought of your self seeded gourd vine. As you say they do take up room but growing in and around the compost heap could get round that issue.
DeleteWell you encourage me to have a go at this as it seems I have been intending to for two years! How dreadful. Must improve!
ReplyDeleteOh I shall be looking out for your vase to appear on a Monday soon then Elizabeth :)
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