I hope you all had a lovely Easter weekend. In Germany Good Friday is also a holiday, so we were able to do some garden tidying before the cold rainy weather set in on Easter Sunday!
This Monday I am joining Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for her weekly meme with a rather special tulip. I have also made use of a new ‘frog’ for the first time!
Tulipa ‘Swan Wings’
I did try photographing it outside, but the wind kept blowing it over!
The Spiraea inspired this vase (along with wanting to try out the frog). The white tulip, barely open, seemed a lovely accompaniment…
I nearly titled this post ‘Snow white’, as snow showers have been forecast for this week. But the only predictable thing about the weather in April is that it is unpredictable!
At the base of my arrangement I used fresh Alchemilla leaves, one of the first wild strawberry flowers, some Omphalodes verna ‘Alba’ and a white Muscari…
The bowl I used is my favourite blue rice bowl, bought in the Japanese shop I briefly worked in many years ago, and used almost daily for one thing or another. 🙂
(I just realised – those are huge Alchemilla leaves! Where did they appear from so suddenly! )
I shall be keeping my eyes open this week as spring rushes on and surprises me daily.
Hope you have a sunny week!
😃
P.S. The above photos were taken on Sunday afternoon, and after the tulip had been indoors for a while it began opening… now it is clearer why it is called Swan Wings, with those feathery edges.
😀
Words and Herbs 
I love Swan Wings and your arrangement of it is perfect. I’ve grown it in the past but sadly it isn’t one that returns for me, I hope you have better luck. We’re forecast zero temperatures this week which is a bit of a shock as I’ve already planted out some of my tomatoes!!!!!!!😳
Ooh, I hope you have some fleece to cover them up! I covered some of my herbs up last night and we had snow showers this morning!
Your vase is very elegant. I especially like the white frilly tulip.
Thank you. I like the white tulip a lot too. 🙂
Gosh, that tulip is indeed gorgeous! I think Peter Nyssen do it so I shall try that for next year. The frothy accompaniments work well, but did you feel that the frog did its job too? I trust so 😉
Hi Cathy. Yes, mine came from Peter Nyssen. I was very pleased with the frog… really easy, and I had been worrying about trying it out!
What a beautiful tulip! …and what a surprise about your weather. I’ll be in the Netherlands May 8-18 with a group and am hoping there will be a few tulips to admire, but honestly I rather see the gardens flush with roses and herbaceous perennials. I’m sure it will be wonderful, whatever is blooming:^) Hope you had a lovely Easter.
I am sure it will have warmed up by early May Marian. We had such a warm start to spring, so maybe this cold spell will slow things down a bit!
Simply gorgeous photos of a stunning tulip! Nature’s gifts always bring amazement.
Thanks Deb!
What a lovely tulip! It looks just right with the Spiraea (yet another plant I can’t grow) and the tiny strawberry flowers are a nice touch. Happy Easter, Cathy!
And Happy Easter to you Kris, albeit a bit late! The little strawberry flowers were a lovely surprise too!
‘Swan Wings’ is aptly named, it’s beautiful! The spirea is a nice wing-like touch, too. Happy week to you!
Yes, the Spiraea always looks as if it wants to take off if I put it in a vase! 😉
Lovely arrangement Cathy! The spirea was a great inspiration–the tulip is amazing. How did you enjoy working with the frog? Really looks professional.
Thanks Susie! I wondered what I had been worrying about – the frog is so simple to use. But then I had the best kind of stems to use – the woody Spiraea ones and the fresh thick tulip. The foliage was just dropped in the water and not fixed. The tulip is still standing tall, 48 hours later!
Splendid Swan, it reminds me of costumes from Swan Lake – ballet.
Oh yes, those pretty ruffled tutu skirts… 😉
That’s such a lovely bouquet, Cathy 🙂 It makes me think perhaps I should get a frog… but the best is the wonderful combination of dainty, frothy whites and green foliage! The fringed tulip is beautiful; in the Midwest I grew one (I think it was “Burgundy Lace”), and it seemed to come back better than most of my tulips. For what that’s worth… 😉
The frog was very easy to use Amy. I shall have to use it more often for holding things in place in smaller vases or dishes. We had lots of rain atvthe weekend, and snow showers too, so suddenly everything looks even greener!
We also had a lovely long weekend and lots of gardening was fitted in. This tulip is a stunner and is going to be different every day. Enjoy the spring, unpredictable as it may be!
Thanks Alison. The white tulip petals are slowly curling outwards. Really pretty!
Wonderful swan tulip! I like the arrangement with the other ingredients. 🙂
Thanks Uta! 🙂
That tulip is gorgeous. The arrangement is very pretty. I love the arch of the spirea.
The curved stems of the Spiraea inspired me to try this arrangement, as they will not stand up in a normal vase!
Oh yes, swans’ wings indeed! What a wonderful tulip, I must add it to my list for autumn. Looks wonderful with the other fresh white and green elements too, and excellent use of a frog!
Thanks Joanna. Yes, the white tulips along with ‘Spring Green’ tulips really add light to the rockery even before fully open. 🙂
Elegant arrangement. I love the white tulip :). No, it’s not a sunny week, it is bad weather here.
It’s very cold here now Dorina, but at least we have seen the sun today!
No sun for me today :(.
Maybe tomorrow… 😉
Maybe 🙂
Very Ikebana.
An attempt at ikebana at any rate! 😉
D > Oh the joy of those Swans Wings! Tulips do well here, even so close to very wild seas and with viscous winter storms: their timing is perfect for our seasons. We’re reworking our borders to find make more space for bulbs – and tulips will feature strongly.
Glad you can grow them too. I love the colour they add to the spring garden, and all the different shapes and sizes too. 🙂
Such a pretty tulip – would very much like to try it next year. Good to know your little bowl is used almost daily – too nice to stand in a cupboard. I particularly like what you did with the alchemilla leaves at the bottom. We take them for granted (their shape and fine details) in the garden often, and to see them show-cased like this is another reminder of how perfect they are. We had a little sleet yesterday and – yes – it seems there is a possibility of snow!
I got the tulip from Peter Nyseen, so I expect it will be in their catalogue for this year too. We had sleet later on Tuesday too, along with another snow shower, rain and hail!
It went on my list! Hope the weather is treating you better by now.
What an elegant gathering of whites. I’ve had my eye on Spirea ‘Ogon’ for a bouquet but then it went “over the hill” while my back was turned. Happy for the chance to enjoy yours.
We had a week or so of really warm weather and everything was flowering and going over really quickly here too, so I should be grateful for tis cold spell I suppose!
Absolutely gorgeous, Cathy. I hope you enjoyed your Easter break.
Thanks Alys! 🙂
I was out of town much of last week, but before you post again I wanted to see what flowers you were showing. Swan wings! What a wonderful name for a most gorgeous and exquisite flower! It’s truly exceptional with all those little feathers. 🙂
It is quite a fun flower, isn’t it! The ‘wings’ curled very slowly outwards during the week and it lasted so well in the dish of water. 🙂