Monthly Archives: March 2024

In a Vase on Monday: Slips and Stepmothers

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Spring arrived dead on time this year, just around the equinox. Milder daytime temperatures and spring sunshine mixed with plentiful showers have stimulated a sudden burst of growth and it is looking green and lush out there! So, as I join Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for a Monday vase again, the primulas are being celebrated. Perhaps you saw my post yesterday (here) with a few photos of them. They have been wonderful and are spreading nicely, so I had no qualms about picking some for indoors.

These cowslips and primroses are sitting in my frilly vase with some Tansy leaves around them.

But not only the primulas have been flowering… Before I continue, let me explain the title! The slips are the cowslips. I love that name for them. And the little pewter box pictured above has a Shakespeare quote engraved on it:

I must go seek some dewdrops here,

And hang a pearl in every cowslip’s ear’

And the stepmothers are the Violas, commonly known as ‘Stiefmütterchen’ in German. (Apparently, the two lower petals are the ‘stepmother’, covering the two ‘daughter’ petals on the sides which cover the two ‘stepdaughters’ above 🤔)

This row of tiny connected vases is ideal for showing off some of the small and short-stemmed spring flowers such as violas. Roughly speaking, from left to right: Glory of the Snow in blue and white, Scillas, Muscari, Pulmonaria, Cowslips…

… Violas, Primulas, a Narcissus and a Hellebore. All lined up and taking a bow!

It has been a bonanza week for flowers indoors as I have rearranged some flowers from previous vases…

The Hellebores pictured above are still looking good and the Forsythia is now standing in my Forsythia vase.

I hope you all have lots of sunshine this week, be it spring or autumn in your part of the world!

And Happy Gardening!

Primrose yellow

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The primroses are wonderful this year and I wanted to share a few pictures of them before they go over.

There have been a lot of bumble bees in the garden, tempted by the pussy willow in our hedgerows and then discovering the primroses, apricot blossom and hellebores as they pass through.

I managed to move some seedlings before they started flowering, but will be digging them up and replanting them all around the garden this year to spread these gorgeous mounds of lemony yellow.

These are best established in the Butterfly Bed, which was the first bed made here in 2018.

And this is the bed with the most hellebores too. This one is Carlotta, my favourite at the moment.

But the Moon Bed is also very established now, and into its fourth Spring. Doesn’t time fly!

The Primula veris stands out well in front of the ‘moon’…

…as do the Chionodoxa ‘Glory of the Snow’ with their pure white starry petals surrounding a golden yellow centre. (Can you spot the bee?)

I must put some of the paler Primroses in there too.

However, the most dramatic splash of yellow in the garden right now is the Forsythia on the end of The ‘Edge.

The bees pass it by, but it makes me stop and stare!

What is making you stop and stare in your garden right now?

Have a great Sunday!

In a Vase on Monday: Spring!

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The Forsythia is in full flower, the Hellebores are slowly aging and getting more vase-viable, and I have another new vase! 😁 Every reason to smile, and I hope it will make you smile too.

An unexpected gift from my Mum, this Royal Scots crystal vase arrived last week and had to be christened with daffodils of course.

Unfortunately I don’t have any taller ones yet, so I filled the vase with lots of Forsythia and Hellebores and just put a few small Narcissi at the front (probably the well-loved Tête à Tête). Some dark Heuchera leaves at the base help them stand out better.

The Hellebores are Moondance…

… and Carlotta…

Having finally got around to pruning the Cornus, some of the red stems were also added.

My arrangements are slowly getting bigger as Spring progresses, but I must use some Primulas before they go over… maybe next week! And then the taller Narcissi will no doubt be in bloom soon as well. How is your season progressing?

To see how gardens around the world are moving into Spring or Autumn, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden, who tirelessly hosts this lovely meme each week. Gardeners from the UK, Europe, the US and Australia regularly contribute with vases, and it is always wonderful to see what they find to share! 😃

Happy gardening!

In a Vase on Monday: Floating Hellebores

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I love it when the day arrives that all my hellebores are open and I can gather one flower head of each to float in a bowl. That day is today! 😁

And I have two bowlsful!

It seems I have somehow acquired a grand total of seventeen or eighteen hellebores… how did that happen?! They are dotted all around the garden, and although some of them look remarkably similar to each other they have all been sold to me under different names (or nameless) – with the exception of Yellow Lady, of which I have two.

The bumble bees and a few other creatures have been buzzing and fluttering around the flowers, enjoying the recent sunshine. It hasn’t been very warm though until today – the cold wind seems to have finally abated for now, so I am keeping my fingers crossed for some gardening time this week. 🌷🐝🌷

I am joining Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for her Monday meme, where she invites us to gather materials from our gardens to share in a vase or similar receptacle. (This week one cut glass sweets dish and a large glass trifle bowl.)

Seeing these flowers from above really does show them off best, so even if you only have one or two, do try floating them. Floating works well for many other flowers too, including aquilegias and even sunflowers.

By the way, the hellebores in my vase last week did not last well, as I suspected. But they too were floated and the remaining stems rearranged:

Have a great week, and happy gardening!

In a Vase on Monday: Lovely Ladies

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Now, when you look at this pretty double Hellebore, what comes to mind?

I am sure some of you think of ladies’ petticoats, as I do. 😉Hence the title for todays’s vase, as I join Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for her weekly meme with vases from around the world.

The winter Viburnum ‘Dawn’ has been opening bit by bit for about a week now, but only two days ago was it warm enough to detect its delicious fragrance. Needless to say I was immediately tempted to cut a piece to bring indoors. Cornus and Forsythia stems and some Pussy willow from last week’s vase joined the Viburnum. And then I made the decision to cut some Hellebores; I always hesitate, as they do not usually last well in a vase. But the ones I picked last week still look amazingly good, so I went for it!

As well as their resemblance to frilly feminine attire, their names all sound very feminine to me: Moondance, Noa, Carlotta and Yellow Lady.

Yellow Lady is the one at the front, with pretty pink freckles. (Is she blushing?)

The double one is called Noa. I bought it from an online nursery some years ago and have not been able to track it down since. I wonder if you have seen or heard of her before?

Next to Noa, on the right, is Moondance. This is a newcomer to the garden so I hope she settles in well. I love the hint of pale pink on the edge of her petals.

And on the left is the beautiful Carlotta, with her peachy pink and golden hues. A proper lady indeed.

At the moment they are standing tall, but I know they may flop at any minute. I have given up all the tricks suggested by friends and fellow bloggers such as searing the stems, as they sometimes work and sometimes don’t. I will just have to enjoy them NOW! Carpe diem and all that!

So, as you can see, I think we can now safely say that spring has arrived. I even saw a couple of butterflies today: some Peacocks and a single Brimstone. I just hope we are not plunged back into winter with icy winds later this month – March came in like a lamb… so it may go out with a lion’s roar!

Whatever the weather, I hope you are enjoying your gardens and wish you all a flowery week. 🦋