IAVOM - Floating My Boat

 

A single snip from me this week in the shape of a hellebore flower. This one was a present from himself to celebrate a rather big birthday last year and is a hellebore x hybridus (Ashwood Evolution Group) Yellow Double. The receptacle it's floating in came home with me last week after a trip to Chester for a haircut. The hairdresser just happens to be very close to a florist's shop which has a little room inside packed with vases and containers. This shop always pulls me in  by magic either before or after my hair appointments. As soon as I saw this one I had visions of a floating hellebore. 

Thanks to Cathy as always over at 'Rambling In The Garden', who encourages us to share our flowers and foliage every week and is also sharing some glorious spring mellow yellow this week. Do visit and see what she and other bloggers have in their vases this week.

Here after a 'False Spring' a couple of weekends ago we have had some quite chilly weather but it looks as if spring is going to well and truly arrive with the equinox on Thursday, with suitable weather to live up to the occasion. I sowed my first seeds on Saturday - the wouldn't be without sweet peas and 1 have three seed trays filled up with compost, lined up in the greenhouse, for me to sow more annuals this afternoon. 

Wishing you all a good week in the garden and a happy Saint Patrick's Day to anybody who celebrates. It's a special day for me as it's the anniversary of my first ever 'date' with himself 🍀

Wordless Wednesday ~ Blossom Time At Arley Hall

 

IAVOM ~ 'This Will Be The Last Time'

 
Well the last time until next year - that's a promise - no more snowdrops in my Monday vases! I wanted a chance to though to share my new snowdrop vase before the season ends. It only arrived in the last week. I'm not sure about the butterfly decoration - perhaps a bee might have been more seasonal. Today's gathering is a bit of a rushed smash and grab job which features :

• Galanthus - a trio consisting of galanthus nivalis, galanthus 'Trym' and one which I think could be 'Melanie Broughton' but in the absence of a label I can't be sure.
• The two twiggy bits are a winter flowering honeysuckle, which for the purposes of this photo is proving rather shy and a snippet of Abeliophyllum distichum or white forsythia. The latter is actually tinged with pink. Both are scented. The honeysuckle came to me via a plant stall at one of Cathy's open days so is particularly precious.

Thanks to Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden' as always for hosting. 

There are definite signs that spring is almost in the air and there is the promise of warmer temperatures both by day and night in the week to come. Time soon to swap my fleece for a T-shirt. Now that's living dangerously!

Musing In March ~ 'Green Rain'

"Into the scented woods we'll go 

And see the blackthorn swim in snow.

High above in the budding leaves, 

A brooding dove awakes and grieves;

The glades with mingled music stir,

And wildly laughs the woodpecker.

When blackthorn petals pearl the breeze

There are the twisted hawthorn trees

Thick-set with buds, as clear and pale

As golden water or green hail-

As if a storm of rain had stood

Enchanted in the thorny wood, 

And, hearing fairy voices call,

Hung poised, forgetting how to fall."

Poem by Mary Webb, 1881 - 1927.

Illustration - 'The Blackthorn Fairy' by Cicely Mary Barker, 1885- 1973.

I came across this poem only this last week and wondered why I had never discovered it before.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Pixie Hats

IAVOM ~ When Is A Vase Not A Vase?

 

I've bended the interpretation of the word 'vase' slightly this week and hope that Cathy forgives me. Mondays are a bit full for me at the moment and I should have put something together over the weekend. I should have done it on Saturday which was a glorious early glimpse of spring but only thought of doing it yesterday, which was a thoroughly grim windy and very wet day. Consequently nothing was achieved that involved venturing out, other than checking the greenhouse, emptying a few bits and pieces into the recycling bin and also treating my hotbin to some left over vegetable peelings.

It was a rush this morning to get ready to go out so I grabbed my pot of iris reticulata out of the greenhouse my contribution for today's 'In A Vase On Monday'. I'm not sure which variety it is but think that it's either 'Pauline or George'. I've come to the conclusion that I prefer paler iris flowers than the dark sultry ones but whatever colour they are they never flower long enough for me. Still they are beautiful whilst they last and well worth splashing out on.

I probably have a dozen or so pots of spring bulbs growing in the greenhouse and some are faring better than their outdoor counterparts, especially crocus 'Firefly' which has been positively flattened by the elements this weekend. The pot was a purchase some time ago from one of the 'PromArt' craft shows held monthly from April to September at Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria. I think that I might plant muscari in it this autumn. 

Thanks as always to Cathy who blogs over at 'Rambling In The Garden' for her steadfast weekly hosting - do pay her a visit if you've not already done so to see what delights she and other bloggers are sharing in their vases today. Make sure you have a pen and paper to hand!

IAVOM ~ Just A Few More 'Drops

 

It's a few of my special snowdrops in today's vase - some have lost their labels but they include 'Fieldgate Superb', the largest flower you can see in the above photo, 'Trumps', Wendy's Gold (yellow ovary and slow to increase for me) 'Green of Hearts', 'Aunt Agnes', 'Philippe Andre Meyer' and 'Lapwing' showing it's lovely markings and almost brushing the vase. The vase is a small stoneware pot purchased for a couple of pounds or so at The Malvern Spring Show a few years ago.

Thanks to our lovely hostess Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden' for hosting 💐 Do pay her a visit to share her offering today as well as contributions from fellow garden bloggers.

Well after a couple of seemingly never ending grey days with below average temperatures, the pendulum is set to swing towards a warmer, windier and generally wetter spell but with sunny spells too! All in all a most satisfactory state of affairs. I wheeled the green bin up the lane earlier this afternoon ready for the first collection of the year tomorrow. 'Charlotte' potatoes were chitted in egg boxes yesterday and are now occupying window space in the hall which is the coolest spot I can find in the house. Not a pretty sight but needs must. An exciting discovery yesterday afternoon when I spotted the first slightest purple whisps of crocus tommasinianus peeping out from the lawn. I had checked the day before and nothing was visible so it was magical to see evidence of their return yesterday. The days are now visibly lengthening and things are definitely on the move.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Bird On The Wing

IAVOM ~ "Just Another Manic Monday"

 

Well it certainly another Monday but no longer as in working years could it be described as manic. The song lyrics no longer ring true :

" It's just another manic Monday

I wish it was Sunday

'Cause that's my fun day

My "I don't have to run day"

It's just another manic Monday"

- sung by 'The Bangles'.

Now Monday is very much a fun day as we're invited to share our floral and foliage gatherings with fellow flower lovers. The year is still very much in it's infancy but there are definite signs of the lengthening days and of growth in the garden. In my vase this week are :

• Sarcoccoca - I like the delicate white flowers of this shrub as well as its scent. Here I grow a couple of varieties but neither live up to its common name of Christmas box, as they don't do much in the way of flower until the end of January. The flowers on this unknown variety seem to be sparser than usual this year and some of the foliage is yellowing. It lives in a big pot by the front door with a hardy cyclamen and a fern that has probably got too big over the years. Time I think for feeding and perhaps drastic action as far as the fern is concerned.
• A couple of fronds from a hardy fern, not the one already mentioned but another pot grown one. It's an evergreen fern by the name of polystichum polyblepharum or perhaps more easily remembered by it's common name of Japanese lace fern.
• Finally a few flowers from 'Trumps' one of my favourite special snowdrops. This one is easily recognisable and bulks up at an incredible speed. If only it could be remamed! Here is it in the garden just a few days ago :

Thanks as always to Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden' for hosting. Do pay her a visit or even better join in with a vase of your own! 

It looks as if it's going to be a relatively warm and sunny day here, with the temperature nudging into double figures. I hope to have a potter about in the garden later on and see what's happening out there. 

IAVOM ~ 'Singing the Blues'

 It's back to kitchen windowsill joy again for this week's 'In A Vase On Monday' and another purchase from a certain German supermarket chain. Along with the hippeastrums (about to open a second spike of flowers) is a hyacinth bulb grown in a vase designed for the purpose. This has provided me with entertainment every morning after I have pulled up the kitchen blind. At first I was convinced that the bulb was in suspended animation and wasn't going to flower in my lifetime. However and very slowly there was growth, both of white roots and of green shoots emerging from the bulb, before the flower finally appeared. I was most excited on Friday to see a blush of colour on the flower buds and have been surprised just how quickly the buds have been opening. The photo was taken this morning. The window was cleaned just before Christmas, since when all our windows have been covered by sprinkles of dust maybe Saharan or maybe originating from somewhere closer to home. Himself is not amused and is gearing himself up for an action replay.

Thanks as always to Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden' for providing us with a weekly get- together to share our vases.

Last week saw the snow and stubborn patches of black ice that had been adorning our garden finally melted giving way to a mix of sunshine and fog. The weekend was grey and bone chilling cold with the week ahead looking far from promising as far as the weather is concerned. More time inside than outside methinks. I have one or two more seed orders to make and if it does warm up just a smidgen I may repot some of the greenhouse hardy September sown annuals. The daily greenhouse snowdrops in pots collection continues to get a daily inspection along with a few pot grown iris reticulata, crocuses, fritillaria, muscari and little daffs. One or two pots might make their way into the kitchen windowsill so I can inspect them at close quarters. In other news this week it's been delightful to observe a couple of blue tits flying in and out of the nesting box that we can see from our dining room. Hopefully they will build their nest there. Spring can't be so far away!

IAVOM ~ Shining Out On These Dark Nights

 
The Chritsmas tree and all it's sparkle has been dismantled and sadly the decorations are now boxed off for another year. However I've still left some fairy lights twinkling albeit faintly (new batteries needed methinks) and there will be candlepower both flame and LED for a few weeks to come. Joining them on the hearth is a vase off supermarket daffodils which are just beginning to open. They moved from the cooler utility room to warmer climes late this afternoon. I rarely buy supermarket flowers these days but always treat myself to the odd shot of colour during these still short days and long nights.

Thanks as always to Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden' for bringing some magical glow all year round in the form of 'In A Vase On Monday'. I'm looking forward to seeing what is in everyone's vases today. I'm not sure what there is out there in flower as the garden has been covered with white precipitation. The snow started late on Saturday evening and we woke up to a good covering of it on Sunday morning (The above photo was taken at 6.15am  yesterday morning) It did slowly but not completely evaporate during the day but then we had another covering of snow during the night. Today's sunshine bought about some drip and melt but there has been some further late afternoon wintry precipitation. There is still a weather warning for snow and ice for tonight, with the next few days predicted to be most chilly indeed. My gardening activities will therefore be of the indoors kind - planning, writing new labels for my greenhouse snowdrops (I'm replacing white labels with black labels), some garden magazine reading, ordering a few new dahlias as well as dreaming. What will you be up to?

IAVOM ~ Is This The Way To Amaryllis?

Well 'In A Vase On Monday' is coming from indoors again this week and it's the turn of the hippeastrums still fondly known as amaryllis by many of us. The bulbs both came from a certain German supermarket and made their way into my trolley sometime in November. They both came into flower a tad too early for my liking and probably will be on their way out in the next few days. I may move one into a slightly cooler room. Both are on the kitchen windowsill at the moment and provide a welcome splash of colour whilst I'm pretending to be a domestic goddess. 

The stem in water bears a good sized flower. It came already planted in a pot and showing green. This is the second flowering stem - the first has gone over already. The second one in a festive vase rests on a nest of moss and what look like wood shavings. There is no compost or grit in the vase which I considered to be a good buy as it it is reusable as are all the festive trimmings. I have another vase like this from last year but the amaryllis in that is a a rather lopsided one flowering stem effort which is looking rather sad for itself. Meanwhile I have another two bulbs waiting to be planted later this week, which hopefully will provide some colour later in the winter.

A big thanks as always to the lovely Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden' for hosting this most enjoyable and informative meme.

There seems to be little time to venture out into the garden recently - a combination of seasonal preparations and the weather have got in the way. We have just had 48 hours of gale force winds and more rain. However after today it looks as if it will be mainly dry and comparatively mild for the next few days so I will be getting out there to see what's happening. I already have some snowdrops flowering both outdoors and under cover and no doubt there are more stirrings afoot. I am also looking forward to sitting down on Boxing Day to sort through my seed box with the new Chiltern Seeds catalogue to hand, just in case any top ups are required. Wishing all my blogging friends a most Happy Christmas! 🎄

IAVOM ~ 'It Might As Well Be Spring'

 

It was a beautiful start to the day here - warm and sunny with more than a hint of spring in the air.  After all we're now only two days away from that magical equinox. I headed in the direction of the garden more or less straightaway after breakfast to top up that green waste bin. It's now nestled securely in place waiting collection tomorrow. A spot of shopping after lunch and then time to pick a few snippets for this week's 'In A Vase On Monday'. Another trio this week comprising :

• Muscari 'Valerie Finnis' which is a most delightful baby blue colour.
• Ribes sanguineum 'Elvington's White' - this is a deciduous shrubs with leaves of a slightly dubious scent.
• A spriglet of the delicate looking flowers of Prunus incisa 'Kojo -no- mai' also known as the Fuji cherry - I have two of these plants. One is is in a pot whilst the other in the ground is bigger. It can grow into a small tree up to 2.5 metres (8ft) but mine isn't anywhere near that high.  I think that this could be that it just doesn't get enough sun. It came into flower at least a couple of weeks ago.

Thanks to our ever stalwart host Cathy who blogs over at 'Rambling In The Garden'. I wonder what is in everyone else's vases this week. No doubt the wish list will grow and we're off to the first plant sale of the year at the weekend too. I can't wait!

IAVOM ~ Snippets

Last week's most welcome run of consecutive dry days came to an abrupt end yesterday when it poured down for most of the day. Fortunately I took the weather forecast into account and picked a few flowers for this week's vase on Saturday, otherwise they would have been most bedraggled indeed. In my smallest of small vases are :

• Corydalis 'Purple Bird' - planted as corms last autumn. This variety is new to me and I'm looking forward to seeing it make more growth and hopefully a bigger impact next year. I believe that it quickly goes dormant so I must make sure that I mark the plants with labels.
• Iris reticulata 'Pixie' - this is also a variety that I've not planted before and I have been really pleased with it. Why though do my irises planted on the same day at the same depth refuse to open simaltaneously but emerge in fits and starts? This year I also grew 'Clairette' and 'Kathryn Hodgkins' - all equally lovely. Sadly they rarely survive into a second year in pots for me.
• Pulmonaria 'Blue Ensign' - the bluest of blues although I believe that there is an even bluer relative newcomer  on the scene by the name of 'Miss Elly - definite shades of 'Dallas' there. I'm on the look out for her and hope that I might come across her at a plant sale that I'm hoping to get to later on this month. 
• Last but not least peeping coyly from behind the iris is a sprig of cardamine quinquefolia. This hardy perennial is going over now and will disappear completely in late spring to emerge again at the back end of January/ early February. After eleven years what was once a small pot has morphed into a veritable pool of colour. It's an excellent companion for snowdrops and hellebores.

Thanks as always to Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden' for her steadfast hosting. The forecast for this week is changeable. On the plus side it looks as if the temperatures are going to rise so I'm hoping to fit in some gardening jobs between the showers. There is much to be done. I hope that you enjoy your week.

IAVOM ~ Hellebore Days

 

A trio of hellebores in today's 'In A Vase On Monday' - the names are lost in the mists of time apart from the one with the pink edging on the flower which is Helleborus Gold Collection 'Ice n' Roses' - Picotee'. The arum leaf which you can just about glimpse at the back is from a seedling of arum italicum, which is now self seeding to nuisance proportions. My fault for once commenting to a friend that it had never seeded whilst hers had. Most of the seedlings are being extricated when I spot them but this one escaped. It is different from the parent and I like the markings. 

The vase is also one of a trio which came home with me last summer after a garden visit.

Thanks as always to the lovely Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden' for her hosting this weekly meme which is must appreciated. A rare completely dry day so I have been busy pruning and filling the garden waste bin up in readiness for the first grand collection after the winter respite. Then the filling game will start again with only two weeks to the next collection. Looking forward to seeing what is on other vases this week.

IAVOM ~ Just A Few Drops

Dropping into this week's 'In A Vase On Monday' post are a few of my special snowdrops. I wish I knew how to insert text and arrows for identification purposes but such wizardry is beyond me so I will rely on the good old left to right method :

• Galanthus 'Fieldgate Superb' with a distinctive X marking.  There are a number of 'Fieldgate' snowdrops which all arrived as chance seedlings in the garden of the late Colin Mason who lived in Kenilworth. You can read more about them here. I have five 'Fieldgate' varieties and there is definitely room for more.
• 'Galanthus 'Wendy's Gold,' feeling shy on a dull day and refusing to open for the camera, perhaps because she is in a shadier border than the other snowdrops I picked. Her yellow ovary does shine out though. Like most yellow snowdrops she seems to clump up agonisingly slowly.
• Galanthus 'Trimmer' - lurking at the back and third from left. This one hasn't made into the garden yet but grows in a pot, which is overwintering in the greenhouse.
• Galanthus 'Viridapice' - this is the big boy of the group. Although the label has gone missing I'm reasonably sure of the identity. 
• Galanthus 'Hans Guck In De Luft' (which translates as Johnny-Head-In-Air) with such soulful eyes. This is a fairly new arrival has still to make it from pot culture into the garden. The one original bulb has multiplied quickly. I will be planting one potful out this week and have three more pots waiting in the wings. There will soon be spares to share with friends.
• Galanthus 'Lost Label' - hiding behind young 'Hans' is a green tipped unknown variety. I will have to send a photo to my snowdrop friends to see if they know what it might be. Loosing labels doesn't upset me as much as it used to as the flower gives me exactly the same pleasure with or without a name. Still it's nice to know what's what.
• Galanthus 'Sutton Courtenay' - this one has an unmistakeable yellowish lime green ovary and the markings are the same colour.
• Last but not least is the distinctive 'Trumps' which I included in a vase some three weeks ago and which is still going strong. I must divide what is now a large clump.

Thanks to Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden' for her brilliant hosting each and every Monday. This week her post is featuring the most gorgeous hellebore which I simply must track down! The recent wet weather has not treated the snowdrops or other early flowers such as crocus well. However today the sun has been out on and off with patches of blue sky and spring seems to be that bit nearer. 

IAVOM ~ 'Reeling In The Years'

 It's Monday again and I'm joining in with the 'In A Vase On Monday' meme which invites bloggers to share their flowers in a vase or alternative container. A great way to kick-start the new week! A quick pick and plonk from me late yesterday afternoon. In my vase are :

• Iris reticulata - I'm not sure what variety but possibly 'Clairette'. They have popped up over the last week in a pot set aside as I wasn't sure what was in it. No signs of any other occupants so far though.
• Helleborus x hybridus (Ashwood Evolution Group) Yellow Double' - this is a recent arrival and was a gift from himself as I celebrated one of those big birthdays that ends in a 0 last week. It's a beauty and now I need to find the perfect spot for it.

I have used a favourite vase which was hand painted by my mum. I  can't make my mind up whether the markings are suns or stars. On the subject of the solar system just before darkness fell last night we headed to catch the 'Gaia' exhibition at a local museum, which is based on the site of a former medieval monastery. This art installation is touring the world and gives us an opportunity to see what our planet looks like from the moon. 

Measuring seven metres in diameter and created from 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface, 'Gaia' gives us the opportunity to see our planet, floating in three dimensions. In Greek mythology Gaia is the personification of the Earth, hence the name of the installation. We thought that our local museum was perhaps to small to get the best experience of 'Gaia' but imagine that it will look fantastic suspended in Tewkesbury Abbey, where it will be heading off to next week. Do have a look here to find out more and to see whether 'Gaia' might be heading in your direction in the future.

Thanks to Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden' for her stellar hosting each and every week. Although it's raining heavily outside at the moment I'm hoping to spend some time in my greenhouse  this week well wrapped up in the heated gilet that my sister has kindly bought for me in deference to my senior years. I hope that you're able to venture out into the garden this week.

IAVOM ~ 'Blowin' In The Wind'

The residents of today's vase were vigorously swirling about in the wind as I took this photo. Last week's snow and ice turned back to wet and windy yesterday with the arrival of storm 'Isha', which caused some considerable havoc across the country especially in Scotland. Today the sun is out and although the wind is brisk it's certainly abated. In my vase are :

• Stems of cornus sanguinea 'Anny's Winter Orange'.
• Stems of pittisporum' Silver Ball'.
• Flowers from one of my favourite snowdrops with the unfortunate name of 'Trumps'. I think that the snowdrop preceded the politician or certainly his arrival on the world's political stage. It has distinct green markings on the outside, flowers early and has clumped up well in the garden.

Thanks to Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden' for inviting us to share our vases little and large, whatever the weather or the season. Here another named winter storm is waiting in the wings for tomorrow but the weather gods are are promising to be more kind at the weekend. I'm looking forward to it! 

IAVOM ~ 'Just Picked and Plonked'

 In anticipation of a busy weekend and a weather forecast for frost I ventured out on Friday to snip some bits for this week's vase. It was decidedly cool, grey and extremely soggy so it turned out to be a quick and rather lopsided pick and plonk. I just wanted to get back indoors pronto! In my vase are :

• A sprig of viburnum tinus - I think that it's 'Eve Price'. We tried to remove this evergreen shrub a few years ago. Although the winter flowers are welcome the foliage was always attacked by the viburnum beetle which leaves a trail of unattractive lacy holes in its wake. We must have left a portion still in the ground which has taken off again. Further surgery is required. 
• A rather battered flower from anemone coronaria 'Mr Fokker' which I have never seen flower at this time of the year before now. It's a low growing tuberous perennial which usually flowers in the spring through to early summer and has the deepest most vivid of blue flowers .
  
  
• Last but not least the only dry bloom in the house is chrysanthemum 'Tula Green'. This has been in the shelter of the greenhouse. I've grown it before and lost it but was gifted a couple of cuttings from a friend this autumn and one of the plants has recently come into flower.

Thanks as always to Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden' for hosting. Looking outside this morning I saw that the predicted frost had not materialised but it's bitterly cold out there, so more of a day for inside activities including some vase hopping later. Wishing everyone a good week and happy gardening whether of the armchair sort or real life variety.

IAVOM ~ Just In Time

I'm cheating this week with my 'In A Vase on Monday' contribution so I hope that I'm forgiven. Back in November I purchased a couple of seasonal bulbs from a certain German supermarket - that little and often one. Both were hippeastrum bulbs to give them their proper name although I still think of them as amaryllis. One was in a box with bowl and planting medium included, whilst the other was a ready made job in a glass container complete with seasonal decorations. It was obviously more expensive than the boxed version but then I can use the container again as well as some of the decorations so I decided to treat myself. It has been exciting to inspect the bulb daily for signs of growth and after a tantalising wait to see the first flower open a couple of days before Christmas. There was no indication of what the colour of the flower was when I bought the bulb so that was part of the excitement,

Thanks as always to Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden' for her wonderful hosting skills. Wishing all my blogging friends a most peaceful and joyous New Year and happy gardening in the twelve months of the year to come! 🌱