I picked the contents of my vase yesterday evening - the evening of the summer solstice which turned out to be a most sultry one. In my holey vase this week are :
- Astrantia major 'Cerise Button'. This is a new astrantia to me having bought a plant last year after first encountering it in Holehird Gardens. This is a beautiful extremely well tended garden which is looked after by a dedicated team of volunteers who are members of the Lakeland Horticultural Society. The garden overlooks Lake Windermere in Cumbria and if you ever find yourself in the vicinity it's a must visit.
- Pansy Nature Mulberry Shades - I sowed these in the greenhouse in March but they can be sown at other times over the year.
- Some fluff from Lagurus ovatus also known as Bunny Tail's grass. These were also sown in the greenhouse in March but I plan to follow Cathy our host's example and will try sowing some later this year in the hope of producing larger and sturdier plants in 2027.
"Sumer Is Icumen In" was a song written in the thirteenth century and is one of the oldest songs in the English language. You can read the lyrics and hear the song here.
My holey vase was a purchase over ten years or so ago now from a craft fair in Cumbria.
It's going to be unusually hot this week and I have a feeling that there will not be much in the way of gardening activities ahead for a few days yet other than some early morning watering. It's a case of the spirit is willing but the flesh is week. I hope that if the weather is the same with you that you manage to stay cool and if you have cooler weather that you can enjoy time in the garden. Off now to enjoy a cold drink whilst it's still not too hot to sit out in the garden.
Awww, sweet. The puffiness of the Bunny Tail's grass reminds me of soft kitties. And the blooms are perfect companions. Lovely.
ReplyDeleteVery pretty with the combination of soft colors and the splash of brighter tones added by the pansies, Anna. We're expecting to get much warmer than we've been this week ourselves. Much as I appreciate finally getting more sun, I'm not looking forward to the leap in temperatures.
ReplyDeleteTwo of my favorite flowers are Astrantia and pansy. The colors are perfection. A bit too cool here still.
ReplyDeleteYour little stoneware vase is perfect for the pretty offerings you have given us. Are the astrantia smaller than the norm? Somehow 'buttons' suggests that they are! Is Holehird one of the gardens visited by Monty on his British Gardens tour? I am sure I have seen it on one of these programmes - must check how far it is from the M6 for a potential visit on our journeys up north, although I suspect I will have looked and dismissed it due to the distance
ReplyDeleteI love astrantia and those pansies are lovely colours
ReplyDeleteA sweet combo, Anna. The pansies are a lovely colour and the astrantia suit them well. Stay cool this week! Eliza
ReplyDeleteOh, what a wonderful little vase Anna! And it is just perfect for those little bunny tails! I do like that Astrantia. It's a lovely colour, and your pansy emphasizes the rich pink centres. I wonder where you buy your pansy seed?
ReplyDeleteWhat a delightful arrangement, not at all crowded and a lovely way to show and enjoy the characteristics of the blooms. I enjoyed listening to the music as I read your post. It also brought back memories of visiting the gardens when we were in the Lake District many years and it also happened to be when the Astilbes were at their prime.
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