The word hot would describe today in a nutshell. Much as I would like to be a vision of loveliness in the garden, floating hither and thither all day in a flimsy dress, floppy straw hat perched on head with a pair of secateurs to hand I am a sticky glowing creature who is only venturing out at the moment in the early hours or after our evening meal. My Mediterranean genes have failed me. However I made an exception today and ventured out later this morning for a lightening snatch and grab raid of flowers to put in 'In A Vase On Monday' this week are :
- Buddleia flowers - this is an unknown variety which came to me as a cutting along with a darker flowered one from my late parent's garden. 'The Big Butterfly Count' is ongoing at the moment and these buddleias also known as a butterfly plants are usually covered with butterflies especially on very warm days. Most sadly that doesn't seem to be the case at the moment with the only butterfly visitors being Cabbage Whites. Where are all the others? Buddleias do self-seed but seedlings are easily pulled out, the foliage is nothing special but on the other hand they smell delicious and as well as usually acting like a butterfly magnet they do pull in other pollinating insects too.
- Occupant two is a new to me dahlia called 'Senior's Hope' which I have fallen for and will definitely include on next year's list.
Thanks as always to Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden' for encouraging us to share our pickings on a weekly basis. I'm living dangerously now and heading back out again to try to harvest some salad potatoes to eat this evening. Hope that everyone else is having fun either in or out of the sun and that you have a myriad of butterflies in your garden.
That is a spectacular dahlia. Very interesting form and nice color. The butterflies are coming into the garden more frequently now, drawn by the butterfly bush and common lantana. Have a good week.
ReplyDeleteThanks Susie. Here I'm glad to say that the butterflies have finally arrived! I sat with a cup of coffee this morning gazing at them and the bees 😄
DeleteA very exotic dahlia Anna! I am not surprised you will go for again next year! It's a lovely vase with very pretty colours sitting so happily together. Nothing from me again this week, but I hope to get myself organised again soon. Technical hitches and lack of my own garden flowers have not helped! Have a good week, and enjoy the weather (if not the heat!). Amanda
ReplyDeleteThanks Amanda 😄 Hope that you are back to blogging again before long but I am enjoying your posts on Instagram.
DeleteWell, if the Golfer is too hot (which he has been)it really MUST be hot! Thank you for braving the heat to create a vase today, even if it didn't involve a flimsy dress and floppy hat. I had forgotten huddleias have a fragrance, and your blooms along with the dahlia work well together in the pretty green vase. I have new dahlia of a simlar type to this, called Blue Bayou, which I think will prove a worthy addition. Few butterflies in our garden too Anna, but loads of bees
ReplyDeleteHope that the Golfer soon regained his cool Cathy. I've seen a couple of mentions recently of dahlia 'Blue Bayou' so hope that you tell us more about yours. Here the butterflies have finally turned up but perhaps in numbers smaller than in previous years.
DeleteThis looks like an angel about to take off, Anna, don't know why but the image just popped up in my head. Didn't know about your Mediterranean genes, you must tell me more about it :D . Yes, I'm grateful for the loveliness and peace in my garden, the only thing that saves me. Have a good week xx
ReplyDeleteYes it does look as if the vase could take flight Annette 😂 My mother was Italian - hence the Mediterranean genes - well almost !
DeleteWe tend to have buddleias coming up from seed but also any prunings used as sticks often root as well. The buddleias seem late this year.
ReplyDeleteI find seedlings here and there Sue although I usually try to keep on top of deadheading the the flowers. Interesting to hear that the prunings root but the I suppose that a number of shrubs do that.
DeleteI LOVE that dahlia! Most of the butterflies I've seen here are also cabbage whites, although I've seen a couple of others flutter by when I didn't have a camera ready. However, I visited a botanic garden and a garden center this weekend, both of which were full of monarch butterflies. (Cynic that I can be at times, I suspect both sites of importing them as a marketing tool, though.)
ReplyDeleteOh thank you Kris. Yes a camera is never ready to hand at the right time when it comes to butterflies is it? I'm pleased to say that I've seen more over the last couple of days. I don't know about cynical, maybe perceptive?
DeleteI enjoyed reading your post, but will still imagine you in your pretty frock and floppy hat! Yes the butterflies are out in numbers, and only this morning, Mr S rescued two with his butterfly net from the conservatory. I do hope you will post this Dahlia again in future weeks, it is really pretty.
ReplyDeleteI must confess that it has been years since I wore a frock anywhere Noelle - probably at my nephew's wedding which was almost four years ago 😂 Glad that you enjoyed the dahlia.
DeleteI would never have thought to put Buddleia in a vase - what a brilliant idea! Yours looks so beautiful, I must have a go. Thanks for your lovely posts, always enjoyed 😊🌷
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your visit and your lovely words 😄 The buddleia flower stems don't last long in a vase but I enjoyed them nevertheless.
DeleteSo pretty! Looks like the buddleia is embracing the Dahlia. ;-)
ReplyDeleteMmmmm - wonder what would happen if such goings on continued Cathy 😂 A budda or a dahbu in the making maybe.
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