In a Vase on Monday

/ karen

It’s 25th February- and it feels like May. There’s a steady low hum of bumble bees on the hellebores by the front door. I’ve just seen a wren making a nest under the bedroom window; there’s been a nest there every year for the past 30 years. And joy! There’s frogs in the pond. So hopefully there will be frogspawn soon. Today I’m sharing a selection of photos of my containers. So it’s not strictly in a Vase on Monday- but rather in a container on Monday. I thought I would share photos of the places where I’m taking flowers from to make my daily arrangements for the summerhouse, and kitchen table. And of course some of the flowers will always go to the care home where my in-laws are now living. They can’t easily get out to see gardens, so I shall take spring joy to them.

These narcissi are Snow Baby, new to me, and a real beauty. Grows to only 6″ with flowers the same size as tete-a-tete. Flowers start off the colour of clotted cream and fade to white. Perfect in every way, and the bees love them too.

It’s good to try new varieties, while still planting old favourites such as February Gold and Paperwhites.

Speaking of Paperwhites, I’ve still got pots of deliciously scented flowers on my garden trolly next to the greenhouse. Very handy for picking and adding to bouquets. They are propped up with hazel twigs from the wild garden.

Hazel catkins- “lambs’ tails” – are a much awaited treat. A joyful sight. So full of bees today. I’ve never seen as many out in February before.

White crocus Joan of Arc has joined the trolly display. Also a wonderful pollen supply for bees.

Giving months of interest is hyacinth Delft Blue . Such a wonder to watch it slowly forming a flower spike and starting to unfurl. The scent is heavenly too!

I’m very fond of hyacinth Carnegie too. I love the green tinge to the petals followed by pure white flowers. Well worth growing.

And finally, even the humble daisy is putting on a show right now. Some of these dainty flowers will be going into my jam jar posies. I’m leaving plenty behind for the bees.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my roundup of what’s in flower in my garden. Thanks to Cathy for hosting In a Vase on Monday. Why not go over and see what Cathy and the others all around the world are growing and displaying in their pots, vases and containers this week. It’s a fascinating read.

Links : #IAVOM https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com/2019/02/25/in-a-vase-on-monday-it-had-to-be-you-2/

Paperwhites https://www.gee-tee.co.uk/bulbs/daffodils-narcissus/tazetta-poetaz-narcissi/narcissus-paperwhite-grandiflora

Hazel https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/native-trees/hazel/

Narcissi Snow Baby https://www.peternyssen.com/narcissus-snow-baby.html

crocus Joan of Arc https://www.gee-tee.co.uk/bulbs/crocus/large-flowering-crocus/crocus-joan-of-arc

Hyacinth Blue Jacket https://www.gee-tee.co.uk/bulbs/hyacinths/ordinary-hyacinths/ordinary-hyacinth-blue-jacket

Hyacinth Carnegie https://www.peternyssen.com/prepared-hyacinths-carnegie.html

40 thoughts on “In a Vase on Monday”

    • Thank you Cathy. That’s so good to know. It’s been record temperatures for February here. It was 20C in some places yesterday. The snowdrops are all going over quickly. They don’t like the heat. Hope your spring flowers soon arrive. I love the anticipation as much as seeing the actual flowers.

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    • Thank you Anne. It really should still be winter here. It was a record 20C here yesterday. There were lots of Clouded Yellow butterflies out today. I’m glad you have some green shoots. The promise of flowers to come. x

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  7. You’ve got a beautiful crop of Narcissi. It seems incredible to me that spring seems further along in your part of the world than it is this year in mine (coastal Southern California) this year. What an weird winter this is!

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    • Thank you Kris. It really is s weird winter. It was 20C yesterday and just like s summer’s day. Today we had lots of Clouded Yellow butterflies fluttering around the garden. I just hope they haven’t woken up too soon. I’m sure we will have snow later in the season. Like last year. It was absolutely perishing last April. I was cold the whole month.

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    • What a lovely idea. I hope they grow beautifully for you. What a nice way to celebrate a wedding. I would plant a white crab apple called Malus brevipes Wedding Bouquet. It is utterly gorgeous and has fine white flowers and red crab apples.All the best. Karen

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  10. Karen this year we are having a preview of Spring. I do not want to take away this joy, but since the weather is crazy about climate change, it is cold, rain and even snow again. Let’s enjoy these wonderful days as much as possible. You have frogs in the pond, you take flowers to your in-laws for them and for the care home where they live. Flowers for your Mother and for your house. Beautiful flowers that you cultivate in your garden. The Snow Baby Narcissus are divine just like the Paperwhites with their scent. Bees and bumblebees in the air in search of flowers to eat like the Hazel catkins, which are wonderful and change completely to the tree. They also eat at the beautiful white crocuses Juana de Arco: the photo is magnificent. The Hyacinth Delft Blue I really like its shape, its color and its fragrance. The Hyacinth Carnegie with its white flowers is divine. I love Margaritas, they are beautiful. Karen thank you for so many beautiful flowers: you’ve cheered me up. Thank you very much for the links, I like them a lot. Love, health, strength and all the best for your family and for you. Take care and rest. Have a very good week. Very loving greetings from Margarita.

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    • Thank you Margarita. I am so delighted to have cheered you. Certainly it’s a taste of spring here! We had temperatures of 20C yesterday. Record temperatures since records began. I’m sure cold weather is due, but for now, I’m enjoying sitting in the summerhouse and picking flowers in the garden. It’s a little taste of spring in the middle of winter. We have 10 hours of sunshine now, so seeds are starting to grow.
      Very loving greetings in return. Karen. Ps. An update on the puppy…. we await a visit from the rescue centre for them to assess our garden- and us to ensure we are suitable. Much excitement and trepidation. We have selected a pup from East Midlands Dog Rescue. They have come from hell. Hopefully they will find heaven here with us. xx

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      • Karen I hope with all my heart that the visit to see that your garden and you are suitable as owners of the puppy is a success and very soon you have it at home. Love, care and pampering will not miss you at all and will make you a wonderful company, a friend. Good luck with the visit! Thank you for telling me, dear friend. Take care. Have a very good week and weekend. Very loving greetings from Margarita.

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      • Thank you Margarita. I’m replying from London. It’s very mild here and sunny. I’m going to visit the Chelsea Physic Garden and also the garden Museum tomorrow. And then head home. Loving greetings. Karen x

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  11. Oh yes indeed – Snow Baby is right up my street! I will definitely be on the lookout for them for next year 🙂 Thank you for sharing all your blooms – spring bulbs are such a joy, whatever they are. My smelly narcissi in the Coop are just beginning to open and the fragrance is already evident. Is Joan still able to appreciate the flowers you bring in?

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    • Thank you Cathy. Yes Joan loves her flowers and she mostly knows I am someone dear to here, although not always. Sadly, she doesn’t enjoy making her own arrangements any more, or topping up the water in the vases, so my posies don’t last long. But there’s a constant stream of tiny posies being dropped off as we check up on them every few days. We couldn’t keep up visiting every day, and keep our own home and business going. We were getting worn out.

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