Mystery Flower and Vase on Monday

Posted on 7th May 2018 by | 52 Comments

cactus in flower

The mystery flower from this month’s Monthly Meet-Up Photo Challenge is a Cactus flower. I have no idea of the name of the cactus – do you know?

It is not too late to enter the challenge – just add your flower photos to the comments in the post. You can see each Month’s prompt word here.

I am delighted with the flowers as for years this gifted cactus sat forlornly on a shelf sulking – then I discovered that it needed watering more often than I had been doing, feeding, and it needed a period of drought in the winter. Ta dah! Beautiful pink flowers!

cactus and giraffe

Joining Cathy’s crew for In a Vase on Monday

Follow the link to see lots of beautiful vases from gardeners all over the world.

The giraffe with the fancy pink hardo of antirrhinum is a vase from Chive.

The Zebra, carrying forget-me-nots on its back is a little coffee cup I found in a charity shop.

giraffe vase, zebra

cactus flower

The antirrihnum has been sitting in bud for months, waiting for the sunshine, in this south facing Veg Trug

antirrhinum and poppy

and now it has burst forth into luscious blooms

antirrhinum

Don’t you just love the complicated design of this playful snapdragon, it  intrigues me and delights the children. They love to squeeze it’s cheeks so that it opens its dragony mouth and then snap it shut again.

Joining in with Cee’s Flower of the Day.

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52 responses to “Mystery Flower and Vase on Monday”

  1. Pingback: In a Vase on Monday | Wild Daffodil

  2. Pingback: In a Vase on Monday: Kangaroo Colorwheel – T's Southern Garden Blog

  4. Christina | 9th May 2018 at 8:02 am | Reply

    I think they spoke about your cactus on a recent Gardener’s Question Time (radio 4) it’s one that is usually called Christmas/Easter cactus depending on the exact variety. James Wong said it wasn’t a true cactus and did need more water than people often gave it.

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Cathy | 8th May 2018 at 8:50 pm | Reply

    How clever you are to get a cactus to flower for you. I have given up! 😉 I love your animal vases and am also a great fan of antirrhinums. Yours are a gorgeous colour! Their German name translates as ‘little lion mouths’…. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    • Wild Daffodil | 8th May 2018 at 9:39 pm | Reply

      Yes, they are more like lion mouths! 🙂

      Have you tried the 2 months of drought in the Winter – I think that is what made mine flower when it had not done so before – the feeding has helped increase the number of flowers.

      Liked by 1 person

  6. Kristabella's Hodgepodge | 8th May 2018 at 3:52 am | Reply

    The mystery flower is lovely 😍 I’ve never seen it before. And you’re right…a Christmas Cactus is not really one 😅 It’s missing the spikes that like to attack me 😉 I’m grateful for that!
    Thanks for the beautiful photos. I love the vases and their funky hairdos 😁 And the Snapdragons 💕 Gotta pinch those little cheeks

    Liked by 1 person

  7. Murtagh's Meadow | 7th May 2018 at 7:35 pm | Reply

    Lovely flowers and vase. I had some nice snapdragons overwintering but the snow did them in in the end! I must sow some more!

    Liked by 1 person

  8. Alison C | 7th May 2018 at 7:29 pm | Reply

    What a lot going on and so much to see. It is sometimes a detective job to work out what a plant likes and where it wants to be but it is worth it in the end. Beautiful snapdragon and very early.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Wild Daffodil | 8th May 2018 at 5:51 am | Reply

      Yes, it takes a while to work out where plants will be happy doesn’t it. The snapdragon is right next to a south facing window in a Veg Trug which is about waist high, the buds have been there all through the snow we had, just waiting for their moment. I think they have benefitted from the reflected light and warmth from the window behind them.

      Like

  9. Cathy | 7th May 2018 at 6:43 pm | Reply

    Yes, that’s an epiphyllum – my Mum has always had them and in the days when I didn’t neglect house plants I had one too! Yours is such a gorgeous colour 🙂 Oh those Chive vases keep haunting me but what fun displays you have created 🙂 Thanks for sharing, Sandra

    Liked by 1 person

  11. nanacathy2 | 7th May 2018 at 6:20 pm | Reply

    Such cute vases. I found a ridiculously small sherry glass in my sideboard, now beng used for grape hyacynths and forget me nots.

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Donna@GardensEyeView | 7th May 2018 at 4:58 pm | Reply

    Oh these are fun animal vases with the exotic cactus blooms….the bright snaps are a perfect addition. My snaps are just blooming too!

    Liked by 1 person

  13. Cee Neuner | 7th May 2018 at 4:45 pm | Reply

    These are marvelous photos. I really like your snap dragon. 😀

    Liked by 1 person

  14. Terri Robertson | 7th May 2018 at 3:06 pm | Reply

    What fun vases for IAVOM! I love the whole exotic spread of cactus flower, a snapdragon-haired giraffe and an “unforgettable” zebra. It makes me smile.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Wild Daffodil | 7th May 2018 at 3:10 pm | Reply

      Ha!Ha! Great comment! So glad to give you a smile today Terri. That cactus really is spreading in the most bizarre way, I’m going to hae to clip her wings a little after her magnificent performance is over for the year.

      Like

  15. Peter Herpst | 7th May 2018 at 2:18 pm | Reply

    Gorgeous Epiphyllum blooms! Such fun vases today – It’s a zoo at your place. Love it!

    Liked by 1 person

  16. Laurie Graves | 7th May 2018 at 12:59 pm | Reply

    Snappy snap dragons and such cute little vases.

    Liked by 1 person

  17. Linda Arthur Tejera | 7th May 2018 at 12:48 pm | Reply

    Beautiful way to start my morning!

    Liked by 1 person

  18. pbmgarden | 7th May 2018 at 11:19 am | Reply

    Glad you found the formula for achieving these beautiful blooms–lovely. Snapdragons are cool flowers.

    Liked by 1 person

  19. thecontentedcrafter | 7th May 2018 at 9:50 am | Reply

    Ah, I see you already have the name. (schlumbergera truncata) I have one of these plants, mine has masses of flowers from about mid-winter and keeps going on into spring. Love your little flower containers, it’s fun to have those ready to fill with flowers as the season gets underway isn’t it. There’s not much flowering in my little courtyard now, it’s closed down for the winter 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    • Wild Daffodil | 7th May 2018 at 11:10 am | Reply

      I have done a bit more research and discovered that it is an Epiphyllum ‘Pegasus’ or Pegasus Orchid Cactus. It is a spiky cactus and not a succulent like the misnamed Christmas Cactus. I’m going to try and grow a few cuttings as now I can get it to flower it is quite spectacular. Always seems so strange that you are entering Winter as we are looking towards Summer – we have a mini-heatwave here this week – such a relief after so much grey rain.

      Liked by 2 people

  20. Rainbow Junkie | 7th May 2018 at 9:05 am | Reply

    Your cactus looks as if it might be a relative of the ‘Christmas Cactus’ I had. The family name appears to be ‘schlumbergera’. Picture from my blog – https://rainbowjunkiecorner.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/0211-christmascactus.jpg

    Liked by 1 person

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