IVAOM: moss on a plate

A Valentines Day present for my daughter and her family.

The big heart shaped stones were found by Little Miss M, in the stream near my house a few years ago, the others have been sitting in my ‘heart-shaped stones’ collection on my bathroom windowsil. The moss and catkins are from my garden.

I am still experimenting with moss-on-a-plate arrangements and when I saw these little stained glass trees on the Not on Amazon (I do not buy from Amazon) page on Facebook ….. well of course I had to get them.

They are made by an independent UK artist, TaylaMadeGlass

This is not an Ad, I like to support small independent businesses, the link is in case you would like to find out more.

I am joining in with Cathy and her hugely enjoyable In a Vase on Monday meme.

Cathy has made a moss-on-a-plate for the garden and that is my next mission.

In a Magic Garden on Monday

….. where a dragon, Frosty the snowman and a little glass duck can frolic happily together

The above arrangement was created by Little Miss M aged 5, in a pot of succulents

 

 

 

 

 

Then we added to it

with two more funny Forever Flowers  made by Jodie

The photo below is Jodie’s, showing more of her wonderfully bonkers creations

I just LOVE them!!!! They make me smile and brighten up a dull, rainy Jaunuary day.

We added some ‘flowers’ made using sculpture pieces by Zolo

These pieces are great for the children to make fanciful sculptures with – sadly they cost a fortune to buy from the US once shipping and customs duty ave been added. I first bought a set at the airport in New York when I was coming back home in 2008. Then luckily a friend of mine was able to get another set for me when she visited the US more recently.

The vase:

Hazel catkins, ash twigs and golden privet.

Pop over to Rambling in the Garden to see what Cathy and other gardeners, from all over the globe, have put in their vases this Monday.

Vase on Monday: Spring is on its way.

Hazel catkins and bay leaves, with houseplants of the week, three tardy hyacinth bulbs – still beautiful though. They promised to flower at Christmas!

All four containers are charity shop finds.

Such a challenge to photograph things well in the gloom, some days it never really gets light at all. I’ve had to ‘brighten’ these pictures quite a bit.

I love the way catkins start as tight little bundles and gradually shake themselves out into fluffy chenille. They will stay looking good for weeks so that one can enjoy spring green leaves bursting forth before very long.

The Bay tree was here when I came to the garden, it has elegantly long thin leaves, smells divine and is currently smothered in buds

Joining in with Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for her weekly International Vase party.

I joined the party in May and it is fun looking back at all the vases. I can’t seem to make a photo montage here so I have made my own Vase on Monday Pinterest page. It’s great to see them all together.

For a heady visual feast go to Google images for In a Vase on Monday and see so many of the other fabulous vases

GGorrrrrRRRRggggeeeeooouuSSSsssssssssss!

and also joining in with An English Girl Rambles

and

Cee’s Odd Ball Photo challenge

I played with this in iPhoto and used the ‘Fade’ filter – I’m pleased with the soft pinkish glow.

I think it might have been my Granny growing hyacinths in these special glass jars that turned me on to the magic of gardening as a child – the white roots in water with the light shining through never lose their magic…

…and in black and white:

Can you remember what first sparked your interest in gardening?