Wordless Wednesday ~ Arley Hall's Double Herbaceous Borders, Cheshire

 

Slightly Wordy Wednesday ~ The Changeling

Back in the early summer of 2109 ( which seems a long time ago now) I sowed some wallflower seeds - 'Sunset Apricot ' and 'Sunset Purple'. Germination was a disaster - with only a scanty number of the apricot shade emerging and not one of the purple. It was the first time that I've ever grown wallflowers from seed and as usual in these situations wondered whether the fault lay with me. I contacted the seed company nevertheless who sent me a replacement packet of the purple without any questions. 

The few apricot seedlings struggled on and I was eventually able to plant them out. I don't have any photos but they produced a lovely show for a good period last spring and into early summer. I left a couple of the strongest plants in where they came through the winter although the foliage did suffer badly in February but nothing that a haircut wouldn't sort out when it warmed up slightly. I noticed the plants plumping up and flower buds forming but something didn't look quite right. The penny slowly that the buds looked a different colour and sure enough the flowers are!  You definitely couldn't call them 'Apricot Sunset' this spring. Funnily enough though the eyes of the flowers are the same colour as last year's flowers. Has anybody else had this experience of wallflowers?

They will be allowed to linger another month or so as I love the scent of wallflowers but then it's into the compost bin and I will start from afresh in another couple of months or so. 

IAVOM ~ Snow White

In my vase this fine Monday are just a few of the beautiful and scented 'Thalia' narcissus which I think must be my favourite narcissus. It spreads well, is easy going and never seems to be troubled by any pests. The settled weather we have had for a while now is suiting her. My vase is an old Horrell's Devon cider stoneware jug purchased from a charity shop many years ago.

The weather here has changed since I last posted a couple of weeks ago and it seems now that spring is very much here. We are still experiencing some cold nights but I am sure that we've seen the last of the snow. We could do with some rain but hopefully it will come soon and considerately fall overnight. The hardy annuals grown from seed last September are hardening off, other more recently sown seeds are still sheltering in the greenhouse and a few more seeds are still to be sown before the end of April. We went to a plant fair on Saturday - more of that soon. Looking forward to settling down later tonight or tomorrow to peruse other spring time vases from near and far. As always a big thanks to Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden' for so graciously and diligently hosting whatever the season.

In A Vase On Monday ~ Love

 

Last week our 'In A Vase On Monday' hostess Cathy invited us to share our favourite love poems but I missed posting a vase. So a week later after finding it impossible to narrow it down to one poem, here are just a short extract from one of my favourite books of all time to celebrate my dear sister's thirty fifth wedding anniversary which is today. The book is Kahil Gibran's 'The Prophet' which has accompanied me since 1973. His words on love include the following lines :

"Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but itself

Love possesses not nor would it be possessed

For love is sufficient unto love"

My sister was married on a day most similar day to today - bitterly cold and windy but blue skies and sunshine too. There were other weather surprises thrown in to the mix too - hail, thunder and a beautiful rainbow. We shared laughter reminiscing about her wedding day yesterday when we enjoyed an Easter family phone call with my youngest brother and his two daughters. She and her husband are now enjoying the joys of grandchildren but have known some darker times too with both of them both going through serious illnesses during those years together. I will be raising a glass to them tonight.

The little violas in my sunshine vase, hand painted by our mum are 'Morpho', a recent purchase from my first trip to a shop since last March. 

Cathy today is celebrating the appearance of some lovely and elegant ladies in her garden, in the shape of her first tulips of the year. Do have a peek over at 'Rambling In The Garden'. I wonder what other firsts of the year might be appearing in other vases today.