In a Vase on Monday. White and Green.

/ karen

A slide show of flowers from my garden. Paperwhite narcissi, Hellebore Jacob Royal, white heather, Ice Princess. Variegated pittosporum, hebe, juniper, ivy, conifers, Mossy green apple twigs, woven in.

It’s 12C today. No wonder the Paperwhites won’t wait until Christmas. I’ve planted more, a fortnight apart in 10″ pots in the poly tunnel.

There’s still some bees and hoverflies about. But the wasps have stopped coming. They left an empty paper nest in the long grass in the wild garden. We knew they were there and kept a respectful distance. We’ve had no trouble with aphids all summer; wasps have zoomed in and feasted on them with relish.

Dusk seems to descend all of a sudden. One moment I am mooching in the greenhouse, the next I’m plunged into darkness. I’ve strung some mouldable wire fairy lights through the lemon trees. They make little heat and will only be left on for an hour or so. Enough to cheer me through the gloom of December days to come.

Winter sunsets are glorious though. I stay out until the very last minute. Hopefully, I’ll spot a tawny owl before it’s time to go indoors.

Thanks to Cathy https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com/ for this IAVOM meme. Why not go over and see what Cathy and all the others are growing and arranging this week. Let me know what’s looking good in your garden at the moment too.

33 thoughts on “In a Vase on Monday. White and Green.”

  1. I nearly missed this post, Karen, so sorry. Your lovely whites must really shine brightly in these short days – what a joy they must be! And that sunset! I am sure you will have lots and lots of bulbs potted up and look forward to seeing more wonderful displays during tge winter. Thanks for sharing

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    • Thank you Cathy. In my haste, I forgot to link the post. Writing helps me to unwind at such a busy time. I’m keeping going with the flower arrangements as I’ve grown all the bulbs and the foliage is always here in the background. Enjoy your Sunday. I’m with mum who is getting over a bad cold again. xx

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  3. White and green are so lovely ar any time of year, and white hellebores are a favourite of mine in winter. The paperwhites really are early! Lovely to see them – outdoors! Like many people I can’t live with the scent indoors!

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    • Thank you Cathy. I agree. The Paperwhites get a bit overpowering indoors. Same as hyacinths. But they really cheer up the potting shed and the greenhouse. Much better than engine oil. I’m just taking my hyacinths out of the cold dark drawer under my potting bench. They have amazing pure white roots snaking out of the top of the pots. Such a joy to see. Thanks for stopping by x

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  5. Karen your arrangement is magnificent, divine, a beauty, I love it. I love all the flowers you have used and all the fresh material that you have interlaced: it is wonderful. The Paperwhites I like very much, they are precious. The Hellebore “Jacob Royal” a white beauty. The variegated Pittosporum I like very much its small white flowers and its variegated leaves are beautiful. I like the White Heath and the Ice Princess. And all interwoven with ivy, conifers, apple twigs and green moss. What a treasure of fix! I love seeing the photos of the Paperwhites, I adore them: this year you have gone ahead more than last year in having them in bloom, it’s lovely! What a beautiful photo of the wasp eating! Fairy lights make your Greenhouse more magical. The sunset is a real wonder, I love it. You’re lucky to have all this. Karen remember to rest and take care of you, do not enter the vortex of Christmas and end up broken. Christmas is a time to celebrate with family and close friends, to give and receive love and peace. It is not for exaggerated consumerism, neither for the beatings in the kitchen nor in the preparations. Is not it more beautiful that you and your daughter decorate the Christmas tree together? And that your family will help you in the kitchen or bring ready-made dishes for the Christmas Eve dinner? So you all contribute to the banquet and you have less workload. Forgive me that I have gotten where they do not call me but I care about you and your health. For your Mother from my side to recover, give her memories, love and health. For your family love and health. Karen, my great friend, love and health. Thanks for the beautiful photos that have made me smile. Take care. Loving greetings from Margarita. 🙂

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    • Thank you Margarita. You have also made me smile today. Your exuberant replies always make me happy. Do not worry. I am pacing myself. I have a list of jobs and have not over-burdened myself with too much to do. Everyone will have a wonderful time whether I wear myself to a frazzle or not. So I’m taking care to rest and only do what I can. Nearly all the presents are being home made. I’ve been planning for quite a while. My mother is much better this week, thank goodness. Thank you for remembering her. Take care dear Margarita. Loving greetings to you and your family too. xx

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    • I’m without hens at the moment. We had a visit from the fox. Made a very small hole just a few inches wide and got through, but wasn’t able to get any of the hens out. Such a shame. I was completely heartbroken. I’d trained the hens to go back to their run every time I went indoors. They were such good company in the potting shed. I’m hopeful for new new hens in spring. Thanks for getting in touch x

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    • Thank you Peter. It certainly does lift the spirits. I can hardly bear to come indoors at dusk. There’s always more to do out there. Tonight I was making door wreaths, and I looked up, and suddenly, it was pitch black. I had to feel my way along the side of the potting shed and down the path home. Now, armed with a torch, I’m going back out to rescue my secateurs, string and anything else I’ve left lying about. The days will soon start to lengthen again.

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      • SWEET! When I grew rhododendrons, we grew hundreds of cultivars, and only two were perfectly white . . . . and they were rather trashy. I mean one bloomed on stems that would not support its own weight. The other bloomed in round trusses that looked like tennis balls, with hazy green foliage. All the other white were better plants, but the flowers were blushed, striped, blotched, spotted, or whatever to not be perfectly white. Anyway, white works very well for other flowers, and will always be my favorite.

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