In a Vase on Monday 

/ karen

For the past two years, I’ve run round my garden on a Sunday and created a posy of “everything in flower” for my mother-in-law, Joan. Sadly, she can’t visit us as often as she would like. My father-in-law no longer drives, and they are both in their late eighties. So I try to create a series of mini- posies, one with scent, another with foliage. It’s a flavour of the garden that I’m after. They are simply tied with string and not arranged. Joan takes great delight in studying each stem and making her own creations.  It’s my way of sharing my garden with my in laws. Keeping the dialogue going and asking advice.  It’s become a kind of tradition. One I am happy to have started.


Blue Aster Monch, Clematis Polish Spirit, Persicaria, white Cosmos Purity and white Aster Monte Casino.


I  prepare the posies in my potting shed, stripping off the lower leaves and plunging the flowers in a bucket of fresh cold water for a few hours before tying them with string. Conditioning them like this means they will last for at least a week in the vase. More information on growing cut flowers and preparing them from  Georgie at Common Farm Flowers



Sweet pea High Scent, well named- and reliable. Blue Aster Monch, Diascia rigescens, and  Antirrhinum Black Prince. I’m sowing more sweet peas this week. Heritage varieties from  Easton Walled Garden, historic renovation project near Grantham, Lincs.


Verbena Bonariensis seeds itself around the cut flower patch and provides pickings from May to November. Alstroemeria flowers all year round in a cold poly tunnel.  

Gardening and growing flowers-  such simple pleasures-  much better when they are shared with someone. 

Thank you to   Cathy at Rambling in the Garden  for hosting In a Vase on Monday. 

49 thoughts on “In a Vase on Monday ”

  7. I love your way of sharing your garden with your family, such a great idea. I too clocked the rather handsome potting shed, how marvellous. I am interested you’d clematis copes with the north facing position, I may need to try it when I get round to planting my new raised beds.

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    • Thank you Dorris. Can highly recommend the clematis. Never lets me down. Still in full flower today on a dull rainy day. My husband built the potting shed and the materials cost £1,600. The concrete base was already there ( we had a shed made from pallets that lasted 20 years). The windows came from a house renovation project in the village. They were going to be put in a skip, so we “rescued” them. Thanks for your comments. All the best. Karen

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    • Thank you, I am so lucky to have them in my life. They have been like a second set of parents to me. Always so supportive. Have a lovely day. Thanks for your comments.

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  10. What a lovely post, I really enjoyed reading it, you sound like my kind of person, shame were not neighbours! I’m going to learn so much from your posts in many ways. I’m also a fan of Georgie, sometime soon I hope to have my own little cutting patch inside the walled garden. Happy flower picking! Thankyou 🌸

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    • I love reading about your plot too. A walled garden is the perfect place for a cut flower patch. I attended one of Georgie’s courses when she travelled to Northampton. I bought a voucher for another course in Somerset, which I hope to attend next summer. Growing food and flowers is such a joy. So nice to share it with friends on here. I do indeed wish we were neighbours. We would be in and out of each other’s gardens all day 🙂 x

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      • Wow! Lucky you.. I’d love to do one of her courses one day when time allows. I hope over the coming years to grow more, seeing what you achieve in a few weeks is inspiring. Blogging is a whole new world for me, it’s as close as I’ll get to having you as a neighbour! ☺️

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  12. These are all really pretty creations and it is lovely that you can share your garden with your MIL in this way; mine reads my blog to keep in touch with what I’m doing plus I was inspired by her to start flower arranging, I’d never really done it before I saw what she could do. Are you sure your Aster is Monte Cassino, the flowers look very large?

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    • thank you Christina. My MIL has been a great inspiration to me. I’ve learned such a lot from her. She taught me how to make curtains- and brought me a sewing machine as a wedding present. She does the flowers for chapel as well. I’ve always noticed how she manages to make something out of nothing really. Thanks for your kind comments.

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  13. The glimpse of your potting shed with its beautiful arrangements suggests a creative florist’s workbench to me. Mine is much neglected of late, full of spiders lurking in dusty pots. You’ve inspired me to do a bit of housekeeping!

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    • Ah, don’t worry-there are spiders aplenty in there. I dare not show the state of the shelves either. I’m hoping to have a good clear out over the winter months. I’ve got my kettle and my radio ready. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Have a lovely day, Kate. x

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    • Thank you! That’s so kind of you to say so. Give Archie a hug from me. Arnie’s trying to persuade me to light a fire and give him a biscuit. ….I’ve been persuaded 🙂 x

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  19. That’s a smart looking potting shed you have, Karen – well, it’s a nice window so I am guessing the rest of it is pretty OK too! Yes, a lovely tradition, and I like what you said about Joan studying them and making her own creations – such a worthwhile experience for all of you. One of the triggers for the meme was the fact that my Mum (now 90) always puts a little posy of flowers in her guest bedroom when there are visitors due – she loves flowers, but these little vases are the only ‘gardening’ she does now. Which persicaria have you used? And has Polish Spirit flowered right the way through the summer? I will be looking for two clematis for those new obelisks of mine. Alstoemeria all year round – lucky you 🙂 Lots to take in from your first IAVOM and hopefully you will be back next week – thanks for joining us today!

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    • thanks for your lovely comments, Cathy. My husband built the shed and the best thing in there is a massive table where I can spread out all my seeds and cuttings and have space to work. Most importantly- there’s a radio and a kettle. Must have comfort while we work 🙂 I still put a little posy of flowers in all the bedrooms- and the bathrooms come to think of it. Only in a small jam jar. I love to bring the outdoors in. I’m definitely happiest outside- and would move into that potting shed if I could! Thanks again for the welcome. I’m enjoying joining in.

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      • I am so glad you have decided to join us 🙂 A shed big enough for a table sounds brilliant – I must admit that my Februray/March sowings are all done at the kitchen table where there is lots of space 😉

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    • Forgot to say, clematis Polish Spirit flowers late from August to November here. Sometimes even a few flowers at Christmas. It’s on a very shady north wall, so might be earlier flowering in a more sunny spot. Totally reliable and I can recommend. Will have to look for the labels for the persicaria. The alstroemeria is grown in huge pots as its such a thug in the garden. But this way, it does flower right the way through the year.

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  21. I am no flower arranger, which has been confirmed by my brief appearances in the Monday Vase meme, but I do enjoy looking at the lovely creations from fellow gardeners. I particularly enjoy looking at the range of flowers which are gleaned from gardens throughout the year which inspires me to try new plants.

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    • Yes, agreed. I’ve got lots of new ideas from the blogs. It’s great to see how other people use plants and materials. And what they can grow-all around the world. Amazed how many of us are growing the same thing, although we live thousands of miles apart.

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