In A Vase On Monday - "Here's One I Made Earlier"

Echoing that classic Blue Peter phrase  "Here's One I Made Earlier" -  I put this vase together ready to post last week and then for various reasons it just didn't happen. It's a shame for it to go to waste so here it is as it was then for this week's "In A Vase On Monday".

It contains the following :

• Dahlia 'Henriette' - this another new to me dahlia this year. It is a most appealing colour although unfortunately the stems are on the short side for cutting. It's difficult not to snip the yet to emerge buds off as well. Oh and the plant is also somewhat floppy in its deportment but then can be forgiven that. I must remember to provide it with some support next year if the tuber comes through the winter at the allotment.
• More of the 'Sahara' rudbeckias grown from seed earlier this year. After spending ages looking for the label where the name and sowing date was recorded I surprised myself with my own record keeping. I had made of the sowing date on the back of the seed packet! I sowed them on the 5th March and as far as I remember they were gently kick-started in a heated propagator.
• Yet another zinnia. I've made a note to myself to provide the rudbeckias and zinnias with more room next year when I plant them out or at least to make sure that they are not near a sweet pea wigwam. The sweet peas seem to have gone walkabout and have been smothering their companions.
• Mint - not sure which variety as I inherited it at the allotment. I could have perhaps done with a bit more for the purposes of filling the vase.
• A couple of scabiosa 'Fata Morgana' flowers. I'm not sure about them as the stems seemed really floppy but will give them another go next year.
• Finally some heads from the stipa gigantea which grows at the allotment. It has been absolutely glorious this year, shimmering in the sunshine and really relishing the warm hot summer. I must purchase another to grow in the garden so that I can appreciate it more regularly.

Thanks as always to our our wonderful hostess Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden'. I'm off in a jiffy to do something creative with the remains of our Sunday roast dinner. This was the first roast we have had for months and its return on the menu marked the definite seasonal shift in the air. Once fortified I'm looking forward to a bit of browsing later this evening to discover what other folk have tucked into their vases this week.