In a Vase on Monday: Indian Summer

A very hastily plonked together vase as I was taking them to a friend’s 70th birthday party and was running a bit late.

I am thrilled with this clump of Alstroemerias, variety Indian Summer, which I bought at the Rare Plant Fair back in June. Not that they are rare, but they are beautiful and are the only plant of the three I bought that have survived.

They have such long stems and you pull them up rather like pulling rhubarb, instead of cutting them.

They are growing very happily in my new border – I wonder if they will survive the winter, when that border gets very wet. I have mounded up the soil, in the hope that their roots will be kept out of the swamp.

I love this group of colours together: the hot pink pelargonium; the alstroemerias; the bright pink argyranthemum, which has been the star of the show since May – what an amazing plant; the purple toadflax, much loved by the bees; the deep bronze heuchera leaves, just peeping through, back right; and behind them the red achillea.

This video was taken a couple of weeks ago

You can see the beginnings of this border here .

Pop across to Cathy’s post to see what other gardeners are putting in vases today.

Astrantia

A crown for the goddess Astrantia.

With her attending angel.

I have been following Floral Forager on Instagram, she also has a website.

So inspiring! She makes wonderful headdresses and this is where the idea took me.

I sought out the frame after seeing these wonderful creations at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2016. I can’t remember exactly where I got the frame from now, I think it was from an Etsy site –  it might have been this one: Geckomeister.

The angel etched in a glass block – how do they do that??? comes from St David’s Cathedral shop. I bought one for each of my grandchildren as a christening present.

I’m joining Cathy for her IAVOM meme, where we pop something in a vase (ahem) from our gardens and share our arrangements with other gardeneners all over the world.

You can see my more conventional arrangement using Astrantia here.

Yesterday I had the utter joy of going to the Rare Plant Fair at Sculpture by the Lakes

 

I bought 3 plants

An alstroemeria, a trailing snapdragon which sounds almost too good to be true and some quaking grass.

My daughter chose alstroemerias as the main flower to decorate the marquee for her wedding reception so they have a special place in my heart – I hope I can grow them – any tips?

Also joining

Cee’s FOTD

Bingo and Perennial Plants

Back to more Wales tales.

One of the conditions for Jude joining me on the trip was that on the Tuesday night,  we would go to Tony’s Bingo at the Harbour Inn, which is right next door to Felingog.

 

I first time I went to Tony’s Bingo was with my sister and her son, when he was about 15 and we loved it, so it has become a bit of a tradition on trips to Solva.

Jude was not too sure!! But the evening – although it doesn’t start til way after the publicised time of 9pm, was really good fun, with loads of local fun and banter – “At the end of your foot – 8 – 0……. (a toe) 80”

and so on – and Jude came home with £22!

I came home with lots of collage material!

Next day off to the Perennial Garden Centre near St.Davids

Where alstroemerias were in flower in the poly tunnels
and a cute little plant I did not recognise
the flower was on a long stalk above a floret of variegated leaves

 

does anyone know what it is?

The owner was away for the day and there was no label or price tag.

We sheltered in the cosy cafe

with hot chocolate, bara brith, and some dreamy hookiness.

There is something wonderful about being away from home and sitting in a cafe with knitting or crochet that feels SO good – delightful conversations strike up and meander around all things creative – cafe crochet – can’t beat it. Know what I mean?

The cafe is also a gallery for local artists and the tablecloths provided doodle inspiration
we checked out the cottage to let for future reference.

 

and then out into the mild grey drizzly day and back to the smallest city in Britain, St.Davids.