In a Vase on Monday – Spring Flowers

/ karen

Monday 18th February. I’ve run around the garden and picked flowers for a tiny posy. My mother in law Joan gave me the little cut glass vase. So cheerful, the reflection of light, and jewel- like flowers. How can such delicate beauties survive the cold.

There’s double and single snowdrops, chinodoxa glory of the snow, pink cyclamen coum, crocus, Paperwhite narcissi, and heavenly-scented daphne.

I’ve spun the vase round to show you the yellow aconites. What a joy to see them flowering in the wild garden. Just as the aconites start to go over crocus tommasinianus suddenly appear. A feast of pollen for emerging queen bumble bees.

Crocus are doing well in the woodland garden, but I didn’t plant these out in the meadow here. I wonder why an unexpected plant, growing where it wants to be, should make me so happy. I run out and check these little flowers each day and stand and ponder. I couldn’t be happier, and I’m not sure why.

For my summerhouse door wreath this week, I’ve popped a few crocus flowers in my recycled test tubes filled with water. No need to use florists foam which adds to pollution. Use little test tubes, glass spice jars or miniature jam jars.

Fresh green ivy berries and moss hide the workings, and wild clematis or old- man’s beard- makes a nest for the snowdrops.

There’s stirrings from the pond already. I’ve seen several frogs- maybe there will be frogspawn soon. A pair of bullfinches are investigating the nest box in the tree next to the summerhouse. They are going to be very noisy neighbours, judging by the racket they are making. A friend and I sat and watched them this afternoon, and marvelled at the weather being mild enough to sit outdoors, in the middle of February, the summerhouse doors thrown open. A moment to treasure.

Links; Cathy IAVOM https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com/2019/02/18/in-a-vase-on-monday-alternative/

Bullfinch song https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/bullfinch/

Crocus tommasinianus https://www.peternyssen.com/tommasinianus-ruby-giant.html

Cyclamen coum for autumn planting https://www.gee-tee.co.uk/bulbs/cyclamen/cyclamen-coum

Snowdrop, Galanthus nivalis https://www.cumbriawildflowers.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=181

Chinodoxa https://www.avonbulbs.co.uk/autumn-planted-bulbs/chionodoxa/chionodoxa-forbesii-blue-giant

clematis vitalba https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/trees-woods-and-wildlife/plants-and-fungi/woodland-wildflowers/travellers-joy/

24 thoughts on “In a Vase on Monday – Spring Flowers”

  1. I seem to have missed this post earlier in the week, Karen, so apologies. What a lovely collection of spring blooms you have found for your vase – I don’t have any chinodoxa and could do with thinking about them for next year. I like the way you keep topping up your wreath, something that could continue throughout the year, I guess. So interesting to read about the swifts and swallows too. Thanks for sharing

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    • Thank you Christina. I’m enjoying messing about with the summerhouse wreath. It’s such a time saver to just add a few new flowers once a week. Because it’s facing north at the moment, they last a long time. 12C here today. The first cuckoos have been see flying over Cork in Ireland, and 4 swallows have been seen flying north over Devon. These are so early. I hope they find sufficient insects to keep them alive.

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  4. Karen the vase your Mother-in-law gave you is divine. The flowers that contains simple and double snow drops, snow china glory, pink coum cyclamen, saffron, Paperwhite daffodils, daphne and yellow aconites are of great beauty, I love them all, it is a magnificent, divine vase. Your wild garden gives you many joys, now the precious crocus tommasinianus. Karen you are happy! That’s wonderful, do not think about why. Enjoy it! To the divine Crown of the Summer House you have added saffron and the test tubes work perfectly, I love it. You already have a nest occupied by bullfinches. What an illusion! Then you can see them from the Summer House as they enter and leave to feed their babies. And frogs in the pond. Spring is approaching and the animals are starting up. I’m glad you enjoy such good weather. Here in Madrid too, too: for Saturday and Sunday we will reach 22ºC, but at night we go down to 6ºC. I will try to enjoy it by going to the country for a walk with my parents. Thank you very much for the links, they are great. Love, health, strength, happiness and memories for your family and for you. Have a very good week and weekend. Take care and rest. Very loving greetings from Margarita.

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    • Hello Karen
      Thank you for sharing the posies – I’m loving watching my garden for each new arrival too. One question – have you tied your test tubes into the wreath with wire or something else? – hoping to shamlessly copy the idea for our front door!
      Many thanks

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    • Thank you Margarita. Spring is approaching, and I’m glad. I have managed to keep warm this winter by taking care to wear enough clothing for a polar expedition! I feel all bundled up in jumpers and coats. Enjoy your walk in the country. My mum is coming for a visit to see my snowdrops. I’m hoping it will be warm enough for us to sit in the summerhouse again. Much love and greetings. Karen

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      • Christina, it’s good that your Mother comes to your garden to see the snowflakes! I wish with all my heart to make a very good time so that you can sit outdoors with the sun or in the Summer House. Give many memories and love to your Mother from me. Karen, I’m very glad that you did not get anything cold this winter. A lot of love, health and strength for your family and for you. Take care. Loving greetings from Margarita.

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      • Thank you Margarita. My mother and brother had a perfect visit. The weather was lovely. They walked their little collie dog, Anna, down the footpaths, and then had tea in the summerhouse. Mum enjoyed looking in the greenhouse and poly tunnel seeing everything that’s growing. Today, I’ve come to mums house for lunch and we’ve been to an open garden for Charity with the NGS garden scheme. We’ve had s wonderful time. Hope you have enjoyed your weekend. Loving greetings from us both xx

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  6. Your joy at spring is as lovely as your vase Karen! We had a mild Monday too, and although there are still no flowers out here it was just wonderful to be outside in the asunshine listening to the birds! 🙂

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    • Thank you Cathy. Isn’t it wonderful to be able to get outside in the fresh air. The birds are singing so loudly in the mornings. I’m enjoying having 10 hours of daylight. At last. Thanks for your kind words, Cathy. Appreciated , as always xx

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  10. What a gorgeous little vase of Spring delights, made me smile just looking at it. You’re so lucky to have bullfinches nesting in your garden, we hardly ever see them these days.

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    • Thank you Kathy. Must admit, we haven’t seen them before, and it was my friend Mary who spotted them. They are definitely nesting, carrying bits and pieces into the box. It seems too early.

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