This Monday's vase has unfortunately become more than a little bit submerged by the willowy background and was perhaps taken at not quite the best distance. If you screw up your eyes you might hopefully be able to make out the individual contents which are :
- Briza maxima also known as greater quaking grass. It could just as well be called once sown, never without. This year's dotted about progeny seem to be taller and more vigorous than usual. I'm putting it down to all that rain.
- The orange flowers of the perennial geum 'Totally Tangerine' now in it's fourth year since planting and well established. Not only does it start flowering quite early but with deadheading goes on well into the year. It is a sterile variety so no little seedlings.
- A vague shimmer of pink from chaerophyllum hirsutum 'Roseum' also known as the hairy chervil. A relative of cow parsley it naturally prefers damp meadows or light woodland, so a dampish spot in full sun, or part shade suits it well. The foliage has an apple scent.
- Some blue from polemonium caeruleum - grown many moons ago from seed obtained via the Cottage Garden Society which has self-seeded in a considerate manner over many years.
- Lastly a stem of the hardy annual white orlaya grandiflora which I sowed either in late August or early September last year.
A big shout out as always to Cathy who blogs over at 'Rambling In The Garden' and who kindly invites us to share our vases on a Monday. Here we have had a week of most pleasant weather with yesterday being particularly beautiful and warm for the time of year. A week of many first flowers. The sweet peas have been planted and French beans and zinnias were sown as planned last week. This week's tasks remain in my head at the moment but they will make an appearance on paper before the end of the day. There will be some 'Chelsea Chopping' in the mix but for now I'm going to head out and enjoy a cuppa sitting in the garden.
The flowers do show up against the nackground no problem.We picked the first of our autmn sown sweet peas last week. They've tahen a whike to get going.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reassurance Sue 😀 I envy you those sweet peas. My mid March sown plants will not be flowering for a good while!
DeleteI absolutely adore the meadow look of your vase, and the vase itself. Perfection in its message.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your visit and kind words Donna 😀
DeleteI love the color combination, Anna. There was a time that I contemplated creating an entire area using blue-purple and orange-peach flowers but it never came to fruition, and you've reminded me that's a pity. Unfortunately, I haven't had any luck growing either Geums or Briza. I have had perhaps too much success with bunny tail grass (Lagurus ovatus), though. It's also a "once sown, never without" plant ;)
ReplyDeleteOh that would have been a most eye-catching area Kris! I know exactly what you mean about too much success with the bunny's tail grass 😂
DeleteLovely, Anna. I like the quaking grass, it reminds me of a Chasmanthum I had that did the same thing.That seems like a tall Geum? I like the orangeade color and the mix with the others. I am glad to see an Orlaya, I planted some seed (whole packet) without realizing they need cold stratification, oops. I like them. Amelia
ReplyDeleteThanks for your visit and kind words Amelia. Your comment about the orlaya needing stratification is interesting as we can sow them as late as May here and they will still flower ( we're highly unlikely to get a frost now) My plants were late summer/early autumn sown but germinated well before we had our first frost. Maybe it's just down to our very different climates and the seed's needs 🤔 😂
DeleteI must have done a good job of pulling out briza seedlins, as I don't think I have seen any this year yet - it is so pretty, but my goodness it does seed about!! I have a Totally Tangerine arriving tomorrow, as I am determined to get it established - yours looks lovely, especially with the polemonium contrast. I have a white polemonium but it hasn't flowered for years and I am intrgued to hear that your blue one is so promiscuous. Love that chaerophyllum too, which I am grateful to you for. It seems to have a long flowering season and I must check out that apple fragrance, which I wasn't aware of. Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that you're more diligent with your weeding than I am Cathy 😂 Oh good luck with the geum - it's a real good do'er and it doesn't set seed! You may need to stroke the chaerophyllum to detect the scent.
DeleteI immediately picked out Totally Tamgerine and the Briza. I am unfamiliar with the Polemonium but it really is a beautiful flower with those orange stamens matching the Geum perfectly! Is that what is known as Jacob's Ladder? I have never grown it myself. Lovely vase Anna, and drinking tea in your garden must be a delight right now!
ReplyDeleteYes the polemonium is also known as 'Jacob's Ladder' Cathy - my apologies for not including the common name. It 's a most attractive cottage garden plant. I'm not a tea drinker but my cup of coffee in the garden last Monday certainly went down well 😂
DeleteDelicate and lovely, Anna. My TT geum has just started to bloom, that one is a winner! Eliza
ReplyDeleteOh thank you Eliza. That geum is certainly a star 😀
DeleteYou have so many lovelies in your garden to pick from, Anna. Geum ‘Totally Tangerine’ adds an energy to the arrangement - it’s a fabulous Geum. I haven’t heard of chaerophyllum hirsutum 'Roseum' but I like it - it looks so delicate and it’s perfect with the polemonium. But my favourite is the lovely Orlaya which I often sow from seed, but haven’t this year. Yes, I should have!
ReplyDeleteOh thank you for your kind words Catherine 😂 There's always one that gets away every year. Last year it was nigella for me so I've certainly remedied that faux pas this year!
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