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.

Vase on Monday – Chives and marigolds

Celebrating the chive flower as it bursts through its papery/silky bud

joining Cee’s Flower of the Day

and Cathy’s ‘In a Vase on Monday’, with lavender, purple toadflax which is giving the bees a lovely October feast, gaura, marigolds, and chives.

A chirpy bunch in a charity shop vase – just love its bright colours.

Sitting happily next to last week’s vase, still going strong.

I couldn’t resist sharing with you how my houseplants are looking at the moment. I took the photo below just before removing them all from around the woodburner, as I am thinking a fire will probably be needed this week.

The orchids are nearly all rescue plants from friends who were about to throw them out after flowering or those being sold off for £3-5 at the garden centre. The tall plant in the blue pot on the right has grown from a pip out of a custard apple, which is native to Australia – not sure how that will turn out! And most of the others have been grown from cuttings.

I used to be so terrible at keeping houseplants, so I’m very proud of these – now to find them new places for them around the house.

I’ve also enjoyed a row of pink pelargoniums (geraniums) acting as a welcome committee – they look so perky and can be seen at the dining room window greeting anyone walking up the drive. They were ones I just did not get round to planting in the garden, and I think I’m going to leave them there to see how they do over the winter.

Do you have a favourite houseplant?

In 2 Vases on Monday

Last week I used a tall plastic pink vase, but readers could not tell from the photos that it was plastic

So here it is empty and lying flat with two more. I’m hoping these photos give you a better idea

The little mauve flowers – some sort of aster I think (?) are self seeded, as are the marigolds and the hypericum. I sat them on a plastic tablecloth with grass printed on it – funky? tacky? bonkers? – yes all three probably – but hopefully fun.

And things even seem to self-seed in my houseplants

Any ideas? The leaves have speckles on them.

And thenI just had to have a play with that madget gadget on my camera

Now I need an extra day in the week so that I can take time to draw this ivy.

See the last photo much larger on the PHOTOS page here.

I’m even wondering if this photo, printed very large, say poster size, would look good as a framed picture to go above my fireplace – hmmmm. What do you think?

Hop on over to Cathy’s blog to see some more stunning vases on Monday.

Additional info:

I bought the vases about 20 years ago and can not remember where from, but the wonders of Google images – and LOOK! There are simply masses of them around apparently!

Camera effect: I have a Nikon D5200. The effect is built in. It has a setting on the dial which says ‘EFFECTS’ and the one I used is the ‘Colour Sketch’ effect.

I presume you can create the same effect in Photoshop.

Flowers inside

My granny used to grow streptocarpus and I have tried before failing miserably, but now…

I seem to have got the hang of it ….

Maybe it helps to be a Granny.

 

And here are some flowers I picked from my garden to put in the bedroom for my friend who is coming to stay ….

Weigela, black cornflowers, marigolds, red campion, and sweet cicely for a bit of froth..We are going to a Quick Draw event at Sculpture by the Lakes tomorrow – lovely!