Champagne Moments

 In my Monday vase this week are :

• One stem of ranunculus 'Champagne'. The tubers were described as a mix of corals, apricots and peaches. So far there has only been one flower in the colour that's in the vase and it's the one I like the most. I have still to crack ranunculus growing. My initial planting of twelve tubers in the autumn dwindled when half of them began to ail in the late winter greenhouse, before completely giving up the ghost. However six plants survived and I have more flowers than last year and the year before which I suppose is an achievement.
• Some white from lunaria annua variegata 'Alba' also known as variegated white honesty. This has self-seeded in the garden now for a good few years and next year's plants are already making good growth. Not only are both foliage and flowers attractive but the shimmering seedheads can be used in seasonal decorations later in the year.
• Polemonium carneum 'Apricot Delight' - this hardy perennial is new to me. You can just about glimpse some flowers peeking out from the under the ranunculus. Ordered online the plant arrived last autumn. I'm slightly puzzled by the name as at the moment the flowers look more pink to me than apricot but maybe they change colour as they fade. I hope so. Time will tell.
• Long term readers of this blog may remember that I don't grow many tulips and fewer and fewer as the years go by. Although I love the flowers I don't like their leaves. However I'm beginning to fall for the smaller species tulips. In my vase are a couple of flowers of tulip battalini 'Bronze Charm'. It has slim green-grey leaves that I have no problems with at all as well as a most subtle flower colour. 

Thanks as always to Cathy who blogs over at 'Rambling In The Garden' who invites us to share our vases of flowers whatever season it is.

Here it's an absolutely beautiful spring day. Following on from a warm sunny dry week last week another week of similar weather is predicted. Last week saw a couple of very light frosts but the minimum night time temperatures should be higher this week. There should be no panic about whether the emerging potato leaves are in danger of getting nipped by frost. It has been too warm to do much in the greenhouse apart from early in the morning or later in the afternoon. When I've posted this I shall be heading outside for a seat in the sun with a cup of coffee and then will check out whether I can work comfortably in the greenhouse and prick out some more seedlings. The annual greenhouse shuffle is now well and truly a work in progress!