In a Vase on Monday

Mmmmmmm ….. those irises – the colour, the shape, the markings, the scent – I greet them each morning with my first cuppa,

and couldn’t resist bringing one inside …

to go with a collection of other plant shapes

From left to right

1. A local farm shop has started selling milk in returnable glass bottles Hurray! In this one are rooted cuttings of my spectacular epiphyllum
2. A miniature bottle of wine, so cute I couldn’t throw it away, with Mare’s Tail that is rampant in my front garden – I love it’s shape and design and the way it captures the dew in the morning, I respect that it has been on this planet much longer than humans – if only it did not want to take over the world.
3. A chirpy marigold in a teeny Victorian bottle with NOT TO BE TAKEN moulded into the glass – but I will be eating the petals of the flower sprinkled on a salad later.
4. Another miniature wine bottle, bought for the bottle’s shape this time. With chives.
5. Miniature wine bottle which came as a ‘favour’ at my son’s wedding, with one of my beloved irises in it.
6. A bottle which held an organic fruit drink now holds a sprouting acorn, which I pulled up from my lawn. Squirrels bury them in autumn, and I have never seen one being retrieved. A mini forest grows at this time of the year.

Do you have anything to pop in a vase (or a bottle) this Monday? If you do, how about joining in with Cathy and her pals over at Rambling in the Garden.

Also joining Cee who has a glorious photo of a beautifully flouncy Bearded Iris for her Flower of the Day

Have you seen any of these little white spiders in your garden? I’ve seen a few recently having never seen them before. So cute!

I had to look it up and believe it is a Crab Spider.

They do not make webs but lie in wait for their prey. Some can turn yellow or light green if necessary to merge with their surroundings.

 

Advertisements

In a Jug on Monday

That is my son-in-law ploughing the field for the maize to go in – at last we have a stretch of good growing weather ahead of us.

Sweet Cicely and Red Campion, both from my garden, sit in an orange metal jug that has ‘Made in Yuogoslavia’ on its base. My Mum used to have a stall in Wimborne market buying and selling all sorts of bits and pieces – I think she probably bought more than she sold! But she used to find us all some wonderfully fun and quirky gifts – this jug was one of them.

I use Sweet Cicely stalks to sweeten rhubarb, I never use sugar nowadays, I might pop in a few raisins or dates to add a bit of sweetness too.

My epiphyllum is throwing its own party in my sitting room – it is GORGEOUS at the moment! I feel proud of myself to have managed to get it to flower so well!

The pelargonium has been flowering for over a year now, and the marigolds sit in a Victorian glass ink pot, I found in a hedge in the 1970s.

Pop along to Cathy’s place for a flower feast in her In a Vase on Monday meme, where a happy band of gardeners from all over the world chat about all things horticultural.

Also joining Cee’s Flower of the Day.

Mystery Flower and Vase on Monday

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!

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.

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

and now it has burst forth into luscious blooms

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.

Mandala Monday

Happy Holiday Monday!

Joining Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for her wonderfully heartwarming ‘In a Vase on Monday’. Pop over and visit her post and in the comments you can click on links to visit vases from gardens all over the world – and bathe in a flurry of flower petals.

I’m playing with primroses, hebe leaves and hyacinth pips to create a couple of mandalas

I’m caught up in a meditation of mandalas at the moment

This is a paid for pattern:  Illusion Mandala designed by Tatsiana of Lilla BjornCrochet.

It made my brain ache the first time I made it and it took me a week to make – but it is a fantastic pattern with very clear instructions and a photo tutorial.

So I started another

and another

All made with Stylecraft Special DK and a 4.5mm hook

I do hope you are having a bright and happy weekend wherever you are

Also joining Cee’s Flower of the Day.

 

 

Primroses in a Vase on Monday

and in a crochet mandala celebrating our clocks Springing forward here in the UK.

Scheepjes Sweet Treat Cotton

Pattern: Mandala Madness by Helen Shrimpton with a plain centre

One of my granddaughters was born on Primrose Day so I will be using the one of these photos to decorate her birthday card.

 

Joining Cathy and her happy band of gardeners for In a Vase on Monday.

Snow and Vase on Monday

I could only light the candle once inside, the wind is fierce today.

Happy Sixth Blogging Anniversary Cathy!!

This is where the hellebores came from this morning

and the hebe

Other flowers had snowy hats on too

The hyacinth above is my entry into Cee’s Flower of the Day.

Not exactly Easter Island weather

and this dear little pot seems to have a white fluffy stole on to keep warm

Pop over to Cathy’s and see what others have found to pop in a vase this Monday.

In a Moss Ball on Monday

Joining in with Cathy’s In a Vase on Monday

A rooted cutting from a ‘Money Plant’ or Crassula Portulacea (I think?), just right to make into a piece of Kokodama as a gift for a fellow blogger with a penchant for succulents.

I had the most brilliant day yesterday – all due to commenting on Noelle’s Snowdrop post a couple of weeks ago. Following an exchange of comments and Noelle’s generous invitation, Noelle, Alison and I all met up at the Bishop’s Palace in Wells for the Snowdrop Celebration.

The day was cold but the sunshine bright

Look at that sky!

So much beauty to see

and Cathy – so many wonderful witchhazels

 

We had the best time – more photos to share in a future post

So, thank you from the tip of my toes to the top of my head to Cathy for her fabulous Monday meme which brought us together, Noelle for the suggestion and generous hospitality and Alison for joining us to make it such a wonderful day.Noelle  ~  Alison  ~  Me