Congratulations to Cathy, at Rambling in the Garden, for one year of her most enjoyable meme, ‘ In a Vase on Monday”. Her posts are so informative and encouraging – not forgetting beautiful, too!
I, too, strive to have a continuous stream of cut material in the house, having set myself a target of achieving this for one year, at least. Unfortunately, I have rarely taken part in the meme myself, mainly due to working on a Monday, and now coming home in the dark, but I really wanted to join in this week to celebrate Cathy’s achievement. So, I have to spill the beans! As in good old Blue Peter style, “Here’s one I prepared earlier”! My thinking is, that, even though my vase was collected yesterday, it is still in a vase on Monday! Do you agree? I do hope so!
As most of you who join in will probably agree, material is starting to get scarce. I could also name this post as “The Last of the Summer Flowers”, as that was my starting point. I scoured the garden for blooming stragglers, and came up with some Astrantia “Buckland” and a surprise spray of Alchemilla mollis. So they started it off and dictated the colour sceme. Foliage was needed to pad it out and I chose some variegated Ivy to pick up the lemon, and some silvery leaves of Phlomis fruticosa. Our long flowering Coronilla “Citrina” has just started again, (definitely not a summer flower!), so their lemony flowers added scent as well as colour. All that was needed now, was a touch of blue, courtesy of a campanula which is happily self-seeding itself around the garden, and blooming well just now. They add contrast and a trailing element to the composition. Oh, and a solitary Ox-eye daisy, just ready to flower, was added in the centre for good measure.
All that’s left now, is to thank Cathy for her inspiration, and encouragement. Well done on 1 year!
The Long Garden Path 
Good old A Buckland – did you notice that’s what was in my first vase?! The alchemilla really bridges the whites and yellows – don’t know why I haven’t used it more. I haven’t used any campanula either but these dinky little ones will still be flowering for a few more weeks here too, I am sure. I don’t know Coronilla – must look it up. Isn’t it amazing what can be produced in November – who would have thought it? Thank you so much for joining in today – it would be good for more people to see your vases.
Great! The link must have worked! I noticed your Astrantia, but only today, after I had done my vase – totally coincidental as it happens. I love using Alchemilla in vases. It’s so good for softening and filling out. It is amazing what can be produced in November, especially with summer flowers sharing a vase with winter-flowering shrubs! And thank you for your kind comments.
I frequently prepare mine in advance due to weather and other issues and post it on Monday so I think yours is perfect. I love that you used the variegated foliage with the yellow and purple flowers….reminds me of spring.
So glad I’m not cheating! I should be able to join in more. I agree – it is a very spring-like vase. In hindsight, my blue and white mug may have been a better receptacle. But, never mind!
Lovely colours Ali. I just adore Coronilla, it seems to be in flower all the time. And as you say the scent is fabulous, a very important point for you I know. You being the Queen of scented flowers.
What a nice description! Coronilla certainly proves its worth. I can’t believe it’s longevity and the perfume, although quite delicate, is still very noticable. Even “Mr. Chef” commented, and that’s a rare occurrence! It could be a mainstay of my winter vases.
I have asked you before and I can’ t remember what you replied. Does it live outside in winter? I have mine in a big pot which I haul into the greenhouse each winter. It’s getting increasingly difficult.
Mine does live outside, in the ground, in the front garden which is South facing and warm and sunny. It’s also quite sheltered. It has thrived so far, although I’ve only had it for one winter, which was pretty mild. Hope that helps you!
Beautiful. Coronilla is something I don’t recognize but will check it out. It seems fair enough to prepare a vase ahead of Monday (I did the same).
That’s reassuring – I don’t want to cheat! 😉 Coronilla is a beautiful, scented, winter flowering shrub. The delicate lemon flowers, are complemented by lovely glaucous blue leaves. And it flowers for such a long time. Last year, it flowered till late spring. Bargain! I’d recommend it.
Thats really lovely and one of my favourite colour combinations
Yes, as Donna commented, the colours are very spring like. Unusual for this time of year. Not at all what I expected to collect, actually!
Beautiful! Isn’t it amazing too how much all the vases differ?!
Yes, lovely contrasting vases! At this time of year, I would have expected mainly reds and russets. Mind you, I’m saving my reds and russets for later. There’s a lot of autumn and winter still to go, so I wanted to make best use of the last of the summer flowers.
It don’t think it matters at all if you pick and prepare your vase the day before, I have to sometimes too. Put a nice mixture of different flowers you have put together.
Thanks, Chrisiina. The more I do them, the more I learn. I’ve moved forward a lot since I started at the beginning of the year. I just have to keep it going over winter now.