We woke up to a light covering of snow this morning and it's slightly warmer but not warm enough to be out in the garden. What better then but to be browsing through images of summer days to select one for Cathy's 'A Week Of Flowers' 2023, over at Words and Herbs. Here is the hardy perennial geranium 'Rozanne', a really long and prolific flowering plant. Later in the year she enjoyed the company of dahlias and her flowers have only just come to an end with the first hard frosts. I like her so much I now have a trio of plants.
Sunday 3 December 2023
Saturday 2 December 2023
A Week Of Flowers 2023 - Day 2
Friday 1 December 2023
A Week Of Flowers 2023 - Day 1
The plant has an interesting history. It was initially discovered as a chance seedling on the compost heap of Patricia Marrow's nursery in Somerset and then saved for posterity. Imagine if nobody had attended that compost heap for a while!
Thanks Cathy for brightening up these cold days with floral delights.
Monday 27 November 2023
IAVOM ~ Return Of The Spider
This is a tender perennial. I treated myself to one plant last year but it didn't come through the winter. I imagine that the long bitterly cold spell we had last December may have been responsible. As I liked it that much I treated myself in the spring to a trio of plug plants, which are now flowering away happily. I will be interested to see how long they last once picked as they are supposed to have a long vase life.
The vase was a purchase earlier this year from the florist's shop near my hairdresser's salon. The shop contains a myriad of glass vases and bottles in all sorts of shapes and sizes.
No gardening from me today apart from perusing the potted snowdrops in the greenhouse one or two showing some white and much promise of things to come. It is just too cold and damp out there for me and I've sustained an injury. I managed to cut through the nail of my index finger whilst slicing carrots so I am slightly sore and well plastered. Thanks to Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden' for her most gently encouraging hosting. I'm really looking forward to vase hopping later today with notebook and pen by my side.
Monday 13 November 2023
In A Vase On Monday ~ 'Ten Years Gone'
Today we're celebrating the tenth anniversary in 'In A Vase On Monday' which has given me and many other bloggers much pleasure over the years! As well as picking for a vase most weeks it has has been so interesting to see what everyone else is growing. My wish list has certainly grown as a result and over the years new plants have been introduced into the garden. Not only that but Cathy and fellow participants are such an encouraging, supportive and welcoming bunch so there is always a warm glow to Mondays whatever else is going on in the world.
It's a most modest vase from me this week in the shape of a teeny tiny expresso cup, which is one of a motley crew of cups and mugs displayed on the Welsh dresser in our kitchen. If my memory serves me correctly it was a charity shop find many moons ago. It's French in origin, manufactured by a china producer by the name of Sarreguemines. Hopefully with some research I might be able to put an age to it.
Just a duo in my 'vase' :
- A spray of chrysanthemum 'Bigoudi Red' - this was bought as a cutting last year and came inside the greenhouse last winter. It has since been back out but it is now back in. The plan is to take cuttings next year and to experiment with leaving the odd one outside to see if they will overwinter. It is a darker shade of red than it appears in my photo.
- Some snippets of an unknown physocarpus although probably 'Diablo'
Monday 6 November 2023
IAVOM ~ Edited
- Some leafiness provided by pittisporum 'Silver Ball'.
- The antirhinnum 'Madam Butterfly Watermelon' - the flowers now more open than they were a week ago when they were just really showing hints of pink.
- A spring of rosa' The Fairy'- this is a low growing polyantha rose which bears clusters of small light pink flowers from late June right through to the first frosts. The foliage always seems to be glossy and untouched by any signs of black spot. It has very delicate small hips. Perhaps it's only fault is that it does not appear to have any scent.
Wednesday 1 November 2023
Monday 30 October 2023
In A Vase On Monday ~ Drip
It's soggy and grey out there this morning and either rain and/or leaves have been showering down with some gusto. The willow in the background is slowly shedding it's leaves but there is a silver lining in that some of them fall on the other side of the wall so we do not have to clear them up. The next few days promise to continue in the same vein weather wise with another named storm forecast for the middle of the week. Still a few tenacious flowers are clinging on and one or two are positively thriving including dahlias and the stalwart hardy geranium that is 'Rozanne', who so well deserves her award of winner of the RHS Plant of the Centenary at the 2013 Chelsea Flower Show.
In my vase this week are :
- A single stem of dahlia 'Molly Raven' whose praises I've sung loudly before now.
- A stem of antirrhinum 'Madame Butterfly Watermelon'. This was grown from seed back in March and has not really thrived. It seems to be producing more flowering stems now that we're reaching the end of the season than it did in the summer. However it might be more floriferous next year if it comes through the winter.
- A couple of sprigs of pittosporum 'Silver Ball'. This was new to me earlier this year and the plan is to keep it in a pot and to try to keep it in trim. Apparently it's a plant that lives up to it's name forming a ball like shape.
Wednesday 25 October 2023
Wednesday 18 October 2023
Monday 16 October 2023
IAVOM ~ Clinging On
The mercury has really dropped over the last week or so. Gone are the balmy days we were enjoying and although so far we have escaped that first frost the temperature has dropped to just above 4 degrees centigrade for the last two nights in the greenhouse - the doors have been closed overnight. We've also had some significant rain. There are still though pockets of summery resistance. In my vase this week are :
- More of the cosmos that has not lived up to the label of 'Fizzy Purple' but is still going strong. Funnily enough though there has been the odd flowers that looks as if they are almost living up to their name and one of them has made it's way into this vase.
- The very last solitary flower from 'Misty Lavender' larkspur. No signs of life yet from my autumn sowings of this beautiful hardy annual despite the seed packet's sojourn in the freezer prior to sowing so it's looking like a second sowing in March.
- Some stems of self seeded briza maxima also known as Greater quaking grass presumably because of the way it shivers and shakes in any wind. I've decided that I should never need to sow this again as seedlings pop up in all sorts of places!
- The final occupant in this Monday's vase is perilla frutescens var. purpurescens also known as shiso and Chinese basil. It's an hardy annual herb which is a member of the mint family. The leaves are edible and can be used in stir fry dishes and salads. I first came across it in a Vietnamese restaurant in Frankfurt a few years ago where I asked what it was. It has a most unusual taste which I can't quite make my mind up about. Apparently the flowers are edible too although I've never tried them. It makes for a good foliage container plant. I've grown it from seed before but this year bought as a young plant in the spring from the excellent Hampshire based 'Pepperpot Herbs'.
Monday 9 October 2023
In A Vase On Monday ~ Blush
- Some stems of the late flowering hardy tuberous begonia grandis subsp. evansiana. Despite its delicate appearance this is a toughie flowering from late summer until the early frosts. The stems are attractively suffused with red. Not only do the plants produce small bulbils they also self-seed but never enough to be a nuisance. The seedlings are easily recognised and in my experience fall close to the parent. There is also a white flowering version which is my favourite of the two. These plants appears extremely late in the day and I have often fretted in the spring that I've lost them so patience is absolutely essential.
- Some leaves from my bushy salvia officinalis or sage plant which looked most bedraggled and sad in the spring but has grown with vigour despite the wet summer. I like the texture of the silvery gray leaves but I don't think that I've ever used it in a vase before now.
Sunday 1 October 2023
In A Vase On Monday ~ Shades Of Autumn
- Rudbeckia 'Sahara' - a half-hardy perennial which is now a must have on my seed growing list each spring. It produces a veritable lucky dip of colours and either single or double flowers. Invariably there are some colours that I like more than others and these flowers are my favourites this year.
- Some spikes of forgotten identity persicaria - it's quite a tall one and flowers for a good long spell.
- Dahlia - 'Copper Boy' - not fully open yet and I wonder if they will still oblige off the plant and in water.
- A single shy picking from our next door neighbour's fuschia. I think that it may be the from the hardy variety 'Mrs Popple'. Whatever it is it has produced a splash of colour in late summer/early autumn for many years, which we are also able to enjoy as it's part of a boundary hedge.
Wednesday 27 September 2023
Monday 25 September 2023
IAVOM ~ Slip Sliding Into Autumn
It's Monday and time for a vase of flowers to kick-start not only a new week but a new season too whichever hemisphere you live in. In my vase this week are :
- A stem from dahlia 'Molly Raven' - a dahlia bred by the plantswoman Sarah Raven and named after her daughter. I planted this last year and although she came through the winter in the ground she hasn't done as well this year. I intended to add to her numbers but the tubers were all sold out by the time I thought to look. I will have to make sure that I'm off the mark for next year. I think that Sarah Raven is the only stockist of this so supplies must be limited.
- A couple of danglies in the shape of leycesteria formosa aka the Himalayan honeysuckle. This is an easy going deciduous shrub which is partial to shady woodland areas. It is now in the process of forming berries which contain extremely sticky seed. It's a fairly insignificant plant for most of the time but comes into colour at the back end of the year and has continued to show colour into November some years.
- Some of the impostor 'Purple Fizz' cosmos that I grew from seed in spring. Not what they claimed to be on the seed packet but still pleasing enough once I got over my initial disappointment.
- Hiding behind the cosmos is some pickings from aster (now called something else which doesn't trip of my tongue easily) 'Little Carlow'. This was the main flower in Cathy's vase last Monday. This hardy perennial has clouds of most pretty small lavender-blue flowers from late summer well into October.
- Some spikes of linaria purpurea - these flower on and off for some considerable time and the bees like them. The only drawback is that I've never managed to cull them before some seed has escaped and then it seems that I'm forever extracting many emerging seedlings. The pink version linaria 'Canon Went' is restrained in comparison.
Monday 18 September 2023
In A Vase On Monday ~ 'Summer Days Drifting Away'
There is some heat in my vase this week in contrast to the cooler and wet day that it is out there. Spreading some sunshine are :
- Dahlia 'Copper Boy' planted in 2022 - these remained in the ground and came through the prolonged bitterly cold spell that we had last December to make for much larger plants this year. They were very well mulched before the temperature plummeted. Their only fault is that the stems are on the droopy side possibly because of the size of the flower. It's a big 'un.
- Helianthus annus' Claret' - or another case of a flower not reading the seed packet. My friend who I passed some seedlings on to inherited the real deep wine-red deal rather than the striped marmalade version that I ended up with. Still until recent years my sunflowers were invariably nobbled by molluscs well before they could grow to adulthood so I'm happy with any flowers whatever the colour.
- Rudbeckia 'Sahara' - a now favourite half-hardy perennial. This year's batch of seed has produced a mix of colours with both single and double forms. I have a soft spot for the singles. I sowed the seed in early March on the heated sand bench in the greenhouse making sure they were under cover on cold nights. Previously I've sown them in a heated propagator in early February but I don't think on balance that they gain that much from an earlier start.
Monday 4 September 2023
'In The Pink' ~ Part 2
- Cosmos - I purchased the seed in good faith as 'Fizzy Purple', the seed packet's blurb promising large purple coloured flowers. Something went amiss along the way as the flowers have varied in colour and not a single one was purple. These flowers are from the most attractive to me plant.
- Astrantia major 'Burgundy Manor' - a hardy perennial with both dark flowers and dark stems. This is it's second flush of flowers. I cut off the first batch before they went to seed.
- More of the achillea 'Summer Berries' - a long flowering perennial sown in the spring of 2020.
- Aster divaricatus also known as the white wood aster - a late flowering perennial. I bought my original plant from the sales area in the garden at Powis Castle in north Wales many moons ago. It's a most unassuming plant that just gently gets on with it's own business.
Wednesday 30 August 2023
Monday 28 August 2023
IAVOM ~ Pleasings
Its' a typical soggy Bank Holiday Monday here so I've quickly whizzed around (well as much as I'm able to whizz around these days) and picked a few flowers that are pleasing me at the moment. They are :
- Orlaya visnaga - I think that this is 'Green Mist' but can't be sure without locating the seed packet. They were sown last Sepember and spent the winter in the greenhouse before being planted out in the spring. The plants have not done so well this year with the foliage becoming most anaemic in appearance. They were planted in the same border as last year but maybe the cold spring didn't do them any favours. I've pulled a couple of plants out but luckily some were able to hide behind other plants so the foliage wasn't as noticeable. I shall be sowing another batch next month.
- Larkspur 'Misty Lavender' - another hardy annual also sown last September but alas to no avail. A further spring sowing was made after the seed packet had a spell in the freezer and this time the germination rate was most satisfactory, with surplus seedlings to give to friends. I love the colour of this larkspur and it is a must again for next year.
- Some phlox drummondii' 'Cherry Caramel' - I sowed this half hardy annual in March. The flowers vary slightly in colour and it has rather a floppy habit but that can be forgiven.
- Achillea millefolium 'Summer Berries' - a hardy perennial grown from seed which produces a range of colours. This paler shade hit the right note so has been retained.
- Finally a sprig of clematis jouiniana x 'Praecox' - which can be grown as a climber of a scrambler, a bee and butterfly magnet but a clematis that dies absolutely disgracefully.
Wednesday 23 August 2023
Monday 21 August 2023
IAVOM ~ 'In The Pink'
It's mainly pink in my vase this week which these days is a colour that I'm not as fond of as I once was. I'm not sure why - maybe it's like food tastes changing inexplicably over the years. There are still some pinks about though and in my vase week are :
- Antirrhinum' Madame Butterfly Watermelon' - grown from seed sown in March and not quite the deep dusky pink I thought that she might be. Still the colour might deepen with age.
- A sprig of hydrangea paniculata' Little Blossom' with initially white flowers which develop pink tinges. This is a relatively new plant to me.
- A couple of sprays of seed grown achillea 'Summer Berries'. I sowed this perennial in September 2020 and is now well established. It is most easy going and flowers over a long spell. I sowed some more this spring.
- A bit of a dark leaved physocarpus probably 'Diablo'.
- A sprig or two of pittisporum 'Bannow Bay' - this has a different coat according to the season - variegated light green with a cream edge, before changing through late summer to autumn into a mottled green and burgundy effect. I think that it has reached this point now. It then moves to a deeper burgundy after frost. It's winter coat is my favourite.
Wednesday 16 August 2023
Monday 14 August 2023
IAVOM ~ 'Here Comes The Rain Again'
We travelled home today after a quick trip to Shropshire where we woke up this morning to some heavy rain. As we headed west the rain eased for a while but then came down in buckets and more buckets. It has only just stopped now. This was the only dry flower I could come up with and that's because it's been under cover in the kitchen for a week. Even then a teardrop of rain landed on it when I whizzed it out for a quick photo. I don't know how I did it but I accidentally decapitated two buds of dahlia 'Molly Raven' last Monday. I bought them into the house where one of them has gone on to open. I planted this dahlia in the garden last year and she surprised me by coming through the cold winter. I think that a very thick application of mulch before the first penetrating heavy frosts did the trick.
The reason for our trip was to meet up with the lovely Cathy from 'Rambling In The Garden' and her equally lovely partner 'The Golfer'. We visited the garden at Wollerton Old Hall, lunched before making our way round the garden chatting about plants whilst the menfolk chatted about non plant related matters, made purchases from the plant sales area and rounded up the day with coffee and cake and a quick plant exchange in the field which serves as a car park. An most excellent way to while a way a Sunday afternoon and one where the rain held off. Thanks to Cathy as always for her impeccable hosting skills each and every week. I'm looking forward to seeing what's in other vases this Monday.
Wednesday 9 August 2023
Monday 31 July 2023
IAVOM ~ Something Borrowed
Monday 24 July 2023
IAVOM ~ 'Crying Over You'
Thanks as always to the lovely Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden' for hosting. Do visit and see what flowers and foliage she and other bloggers have in their vases this week.
Wednesday 12 July 2023
Monday 10 July 2023
IAVOM ~ "A Space Of Flowers"
- Rosa 'the Lady Of Shalott' - this is a new one for me arriving in January as a bare root rose - a birthday present from a friend. She is planted in a big container, although possibly not big enough, which I can see from the kitchen window. I wasn't quite sure when I saw the initial flushes of orange red buds but she opens orange and the petals soften as they age. She is most lovely indeed and has a reputation for enjoying rude good health. The rose specialist David Austin catalogue describes the scent as a "pleasant, warm Tea fragrance, with hints of spiced apple and cloves" but sadly my nose can't pick that up.
- One of the last flowers of the annual orlaya grandiflora. The flowers do not last that long. I sowed in September and March and intended to sow again in May but forgot so sadly that's it for this year.
- A sprig of the half- hardy annual phlox drummondii grandiflora 'Cherry Caramel' sown in March.
- A bit of leafiness from a physocarpus - I think this one is 'Diablo'.
Monday 26 June 2023
IAVOM ~ Brush Strokes
Monday has rolled round again and time to join in with 'In A Vase On Monday'. A trio of occupants in this week's vase. They are :
- Viola cornuta 'Brush Strokes' - grown from seed sown in the greenhouse on March 7th. They are mix of colours with some flowers more stripey than others. I've not made my mind up about them yet but will sow the remainder of the packet in late summer. They are described as a short lived perennial so we shall see.
- The fabulous fluffiness that is lagurus ovatus commonly know as 'Bunny Tails'. Again these were March sown. These along with fennel and lambs ears must be amongst the most tactile of plants you could wish to come across. The perfect plant for for children to stroke whatever their age.
- A sprig of mentha x gracilis or ginger mint - the flower is attractive enough but I grow it more for its striking green and gold foliage.
Monday 12 June 2023
IAVOM ~ Walking On Sunshine
It's Monday again and time for a vase on what is a rather warm and sunny day. Fortunately though we had a good thunderstorm accompanied by a couple of hours or so of rain on Saturday - our first rainfall for about three weeks. There was much rejoicing followed by a mollusc hunt come darkness. As you can imagine there was a bit of a party going on. In my vase this week are :
- A flower from rosa 'Lady Emma Hamilton' who has just begun to open this last week. She is one of the roses that I can smell so is especially appreciated.
- A couple of the annual orlaya flowers which are hiding themselves at the back.
- Spikes of the restrained pink linaria 'Canon Went', which unlike it's purple relative doesn't seed everywhere with abandon.
- Some foliage from a physocarpus. I'm not sure which one.
- Astrantia major 'Gill Richardson' group which I think along with 'Burgundy Manor' are my favourite astrantias. The red ones always seem to take a while to get going but this one is now three years old and has now really taken off.
Monday 5 June 2023
IAVOM ~ Snow In Summer
A trio of different stems in my vase this week picked in a yet another shower of willow catkin snow. It's difficult to go venture out at the moment and risk opening one's mouth for risk of swallowing some of the fluff. The back of the house is becoming reminiscent of Miss Haversham's abode as cobs of snow congregate on the window sills and cover the decking. Oh for some rain to dampen them down. Our prolonged dry sunny spell continues unabated by even a gentle shower. Hopefully the annual shedding should be over soon. In my vase are :
- Aquilegia - this one gate crashed it's way into the garden this year. I'm not sure yet whether it's a case of live and let live or whether it will be going into the green bin.
- Briza media or quaking grass. I wonder why I have sown seed of this earlier in the spring when it has popped out as usual in various spots. During winter there's no sign of it so maybe it's a case of out of mind until it's time to think of seed sowing.
- A stem of rosa glauca - although the little pink flowers are pretty enough it's the buey/grey foliage of this rose which is it's most attractive feature. I like the red veins too. You may see some greenfly on the bud plus a smidge of willow snow. There seems to be an abundance of aphids in the garden this year and there is much squidging going on. I don't know whether this is down to a lack of the insects that might nibble on them or another factor. I wonder if other U.K. gardeners have noticed an increase in numbers?
Thanks go as always to Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden' for hosting. I'm looking forward to seeing what delights are in other vases. Here it's too hot for me to venture out in the garden until this evening where as always there are jobs to be done including what seems to be a round of never ending watering. Until then there might be time for a bit of gentle sitting in the shade and listening to an audio book. Hope that you enjoy your gardens this week.
Sunday 28 May 2023
IAVOM ~ Spring Things
- Rosa 'Luisa's Daughter' - a special gift and named after my mother. I think that I like the bud stage best. It is a quite open and loose in shape and most pleasantly scented. It is also the first rose to flower. I am in a bit of a dilemma as it is planted in the wrong spot so need to move it. Will probably be asking for advice later this year.
- Geum 'Totally Tangerine' which I've found to be what you can certainly call a good do-er. I just wish that I could bring myself to like the foliage.
- Thalitctrum' Purple Stockings' which is possibly my favourite thalictrum. It is a tall plant, with beautiful dark stems topped with clouds of purple fluff. I think that I picked it a few days too late as a haze of purple specks landed in and around the vase. I have some chives in flower so may do a swap later on.
- Orlaya grandilflora also known as the white lace flower - the only annual in the mix. These were from September sown seed. A further batch was sown in March so I will have more flowers for later in the year too.
Thanks as always to Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden' for her stalwart hosting as always and especially today for going the extra mile when she is feeling under the weather. It is much appreciated.
Wednesday 17 May 2023
Monday 15 May 2023
IAVOM -'Bits And Pieces'
It's Monday and I'm joining in with Cathy's 'In A Vase On Monday' meme. My flowers were picked yesterday afternoon before the rain. On reflection I think that I crammed too much into one vase. I only realised much later that I now have a conjoined vase which would have been so much better for displaying their individual beauty. Never mind - note made for the future.
In my vase this week are my favourite May flowers which for me have all proved to be stalwart hardy perennials. They are :
- Geranium phaeum which usually open in April and are most easy going creatures. I'm sure that one of these is 'Lily Lovell' but the other may well be a seedling. They do have a tendency to self seed but that's no hardship.
- Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' with it's light blue flowers and beautiful silver specked leaves.
- A peek of polemonium, probably 'Purple Rain' - I must find the label.
- Dicentra spectablis 'Alba' - I refuse to learn the new name. This met with a bit of a setback a few weeks ago with himself's size 12 feet accidentally treading on it. He was attempting to remove a hardy fuchsia which was nearby. An obstinate segment still remains in the ground waiting further surgery. Hopefully the dicentra won't remember anything about this unpleasant experience next spring and bear any grudges.
- Finally a sprig of the rather elegant polygonatum odoratum also known as 'Solomon's Seal'. I must remember to keep an eye open for sawfly this year as they sometimes shred the leaves later on in the year. Last year I got there just in the nick of time.
- Finally some pink from chaerophyllum hirsutum roseum, which was rather shy and hiding itself at the back. It is related to cow parsley and has ferny apple scented foliage.
Wednesday 10 May 2023
'Wild And Weedy Wednesday' ~ Corydalis Lutea
Monday 1 May 2023
IAVOM ~ Mainly Green, Cream and Tangerine
- A flower from a now going over was white hellebore. I like how hellebore flowers fade and form their seed capsules - still attractive at this stage. A note has been made to deadhead more ruthlessly this year as I have noticed little forests of hellebore seedlings appearing this spring. I have culled some and will pot up just a few to see what transpires.
- A couple of stems with a plant that I always need to check the spelling of, well certainly the first part of it - mathiasella bupleuroides 'Green Dreams. It's a perennial originating from Mexico. It flowers on and off from April through to November, the flowers morphing from green to pink as the year goes on. I did wonder whether it would survive the prolonged bitterly cold spell we had in December so was most pleased that it did. It is in need though of a bit of a haircut now - another task on the to do list.
- A peek of orange from the perennial geum 'Totally Tangerine' which is just getting into it's stride now and should flower for some time to come.
- A pop of purple from the short-lived perennial that's erysimum 'Bowles's Mauve', another long flowering perennial.