Hi everyone!
Great to be back blogging after a couple of months off. I’ll just post my Monday vase for today, for the fun meme hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden, and will update you on my summer in the near future.
Photographed in the rain
My sunflower jug has been waiting for this moment to show off the sunflowers ‘Valentine’ and ‘Earth Walker’, and Tithonia (Mexican Sunflowers) which I grew from seed, with some Golden Rod as well as a little pink-tinged foliage from Houttuynia cordata, often called Chameleon Plant (which I have in a pot as it is VERY invasive!).
Have a great week!
Welcome back Cathy, you have been missed! Love your sunflowers; I chose sunflowers and Tithonia for my vase today so we must be on the same wavelength. I love your jug too, deep blue and yellow, just perfect! Christina
Thank you so much Christina! Aren’t Tithonia just wonderful?! Your vase was also a lovely match today. 🙂
This particular large vase is quite difficult to use as it needs very long stemmed flowers.
Love that vase! and the flowers too of course – but the vase/jug – yumsk!
Thanks! It was time it finally made its debut for a Monday vase!
Welcome back Cathy, I hope you had a wonderful summer. Your vase is so vibrant and zingy full of energy and hopefulness.
Thanks Julie. The warm colours are perfect for a cool rainy day indoors.
It’s good to have you back Cathy. Your sunflowers are magnificent!
Thank you Gillian. Good to be back!
Welcome back! Happy almost autumn!
Hi Lori. Yes, time is flying but autumn is coming slowly this year… apart from the dip in the temperature over the past two days!
Gorgeous warm colours! Love that jug, too!
Thanks Sheryl!
And you’re back with the most gorgeous vase ever! You’ve brightened my day.
Thank you Susie! It is grey and rainy here so I needed something bright too!
Cathy this is a beautiful vase. I love the sunflower container and how it goes perfectly with the flowers….I have Chameleon Plant but as it is in shade, the leaves are a solid dark green color….and yes it is very invasive.
Hi Donna. I would love to plant it out and see how it copes in very dry soil , but I don’t dare! 😉 Interesting to hear it is hardy enough for your climate too.
So nice to see you back, Cathy! And a lovely vase you have for us today. The sunflower jug is so sweet. You reminded me that I have a vase with a sunflower on it that I rarely use because it has a slit-neck in which is hard to arrange flowers. Maybe I’ll challenge myself to use it next time.
I almost gasped when I read you grow Houttuynia, but was relieved to hear that it is contained in a pot. I SO REGRET planting that years ago and it has ruined the bed it was planted in, impossible to remove. A lot like goutweed. Nasty business!
Thanks Eliza! I would love to see your sunflower vase too. I was very lucky with the Houttuynia…. a neighbour gave it to me last autumn in a pot and I planted it out in November thinking it was semihardy and would likely die. When it reappeared looking very vigorous in March, I looked it up…. and promptly dug it out before it managed to get a hold!
Your neighbor didn’t warn you? Watch out for that wolf in sheep’s clothing! ;-D
Welcome back, Cathy, I have missed your Monday vases! Love these sunflowers and the jug, I am sure they will brighten your week.
Thanks Anca. Yes, the flowers are cheering up another dull day today!
The sunflower and royal blue vase looks so grand with the sunflowers, I’m glad to see Earth Walker because I am looking for a red sunflower to grow next year, and Valentine is a delightful greenish yellow. The Goldenrod gives such a sumptuous billowing look, and I like the Tithonia with the blue too.
Thank you Hannah. Yes, I can really recommend Earth Walker. It gets quite tall but is sturdy and has lots of buds forming continually – the flowers last really well too. Great for vases!
It’s great to see you back, Cathy! I’d been wondering where you’ve been. I hope you enjoyed the summer as much as I’m enjoying your beautiful and colorful vase this Monday. I had chameleon plants in my old garden, planted in the ground before I knew it was invasive, but fortunately it was contained in a narrow strip between a fence and a driveway.
Thank you Kris! I am so glad I identified the Chameleon plant before it got established in my garden. The foliage is so lovely though, I think I might put mine in a larger container and make a feature of it next summer. 🙂
Oh welcome back Cathy and what a cheerful vase to celebrate your return with. Looking forward to hearing about your summer. Hope it’s been a good ‘un!
Thanks Anna. It does feel good to be picking flowers for Monday vases again!
Lovely! You and Christina have me convinced that I should have included Tithonia on my seeds order; maybe I had better put in a second order… 😉 What a wonderful combination with the jug!
Hi Amy. Yes, you really should try Tithonia. I am smitten! It will be planted in greater numbers here next summer, and I will try it in the ground as well as containers. Apparently there are varying shades but I only managed to find plain old Tothonia rotundifolia. I shall be keeping my eye out for other varieites though! 🙂
Good to see your vase, looking so bold and bright. Welcome back
Thanks Dorris – good to be back!
Welcome back! That vase of flowers made me smile. It is glorious – and the perfect antidote to a dull day.
Glad It made you smile Sarah! The sunflowers are just so cheery and are lasting very well in the vase.
Welcome Back, definitely a sunshine arrangement.
Thanks Brian. Although we are glad of some cooler weather, I am actually missing the sunshine this week, so the vase is helping!
As everyone has said, and not surprisingly so, it is good to have you back and all has been well with you and your family during your blogging absence. What a lovely cheery vase to come back with – that pale sunflower is especially gorgeous. Thanks for sharing, Cathy
Thanks so much Cathy. The pale sunflower, Valentine, was slightly underwhelming at first as I thought it would have larger flowers, but the lemony shade is very pretty.
You’re back! With flowers! And Rain! Be still my heart.
Love the colors and your stunning sunflower vase. I missed growing them this year. Your flowers look happy and refreshed. I hope you are too.
Thank you! Yes, I am feeling refreshed now we have finally had some cooler days and a little rain! Hope you are well Alys!
Cooler days sound wonderful to me. We’re in a week-long heat wave with spare the air days to boot. How I wish we could harvest some of your rain. It was 101 today (38C). Miserable.
HEY, You’re back! 🙂 Man, I WISH I had your talent for plants. But I don’t. So I live, vicariously, through the artistry of others. Yes, what you do is an ART! Thanks!
What a lovely comment! Thanks! 🙂 🙂
I love your sunflowers! It is so “end of summer, beginning of fall” in colors! Gorgeous! You were missed, Cathy. So glad you’re back, and it will be fun to hear what you’ve been up to! 🙂
Thanks Debra. It is good to be back in the blogging world! 🙂
Welcome back Cathy, I was happy to see this in my email last Monday. I’m glad things are getting back into a routine for you even though I’m sure it was difficult. The flowers of course are beautifully put together and the vase is perfect!
Thanks! I expect that sunflower jug will have to sit around for another year now it has had its moment of fame! 😉
Me like… I especially like that sunflower jug!
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