C’s Dad passed away this week, having fought cancer bravely and gained a hard won year. For him, the end was a blessing I think as he was in a lot of pain yet struggled with the effect of the painkillers on his ability to communicate.
I know this doesn’t really belong in this meme – however growing and gathering and photographing flowers is my main creative expression at the moment so… all things come into it.
The maroon and yellow Dutch Iris are growing in what I call the night garden, because many of the leaves and flowers are dark or intense colours – I imagine it as a city street at night with coloured neon signs. These are ‘Autumn Princess’ and ‘Lion King’.
These Spring flowering Kniphofia are a small fine – leaved variety – they look like a grass when not flowering, and the flowers are smaller than the standard ‘Winter Cheer’ type. The slightly hairy branch of buds is from the Cistus ‘Yellow Fever’ which is covered in masses of small yellow flowers beloved of bees. Unlike other Cistus, this grows well for me from cuttings just poked into free draining bits of the garden in Winter.
Several bees rushed in to take advantage of the flowers before I take them away. The almost fluorescent orange pollen on the osteospermum makes it clear where this bee has been.
Lavender ‘Sidonie’ is a bee favourite and has been flowering all winter. It gets huge, covering meters of space with its lovely deeply cut leaves and tall flower stalks like tridents – and then the whole thing often collapses and dies as Spring starts. I’ve lost one already this Spring and this one looks like it’s going to go soon too, so luckily I have some cuttings coming on. I think that it probably needs a dryer climate to last well.
As always, check out the flowers and vases at Rambling in the Garden.
The tall light blue flower stalk is a South African bulb Merwilla Plumbea, formerly Scilla Natalensis. Once it has been in the water for a day or so it will straighten up and open its individual flowers a few at a time over the next week.
Absent Gardener 
Lovely post. I always enjoy seeing busy bees. Condolences to your family for the loss of C’s dad. Sadness is like a fog. It clouds all other thoughts.
Thank you. That’s true.
I love your tapestry colors, rich burgundies and gold. So sorry to hear of C’s Dad passing, In my experience there is nothing more difficult than losing a loved one to cancer, it takes time to process and grieve. I hope the garden and blog help. Amy
Thank you, the garden always helps, and it’s so good having IAVOM.
IAVOM is fun. My mother (long gone) was a great gardener and she would have loved it, I think about her just about every time I post a vase.
Stunning colors that speak of waning sunlight as the seasons progress….and I am heartfully sorry for your family’s loss. I hope your garden can bring you solace.
My condolences to your family for the loss of C’s dad. Your flowers are a lovely celebration of a life. Strangely the colours seem more autumnal rather than spring-like this week. The light in your last image is gorgeous.
Thanks Christina – these brown and maroon colours are more like Autumn leaf colours I suppose. I’m still a bit ambivalent about them in the garden.
Such a life affirming arrangement in the midst of your sadness! I just love how the light accentuates the colours in that first photo. I hope it provides a little comfort at a sad time.
Thanks! Life, and life passing, and light and time changing – your thoughts are comforting.
My condolences for your loss. Such an interesting colour mix. I like it.
Thank you, I’m never sure about the mix of colours in Autumn Princess – but it is interesting.
Your arrangement is beautiful but also somehow sad too, with the intense colours reflecting strong emotion. My condolences to you and your family.
Thank you. Barry really loved flowers and always noticed and commented if I made a bouquet. He had a nice garden and I am happy to have a few plants from seeds and cuttings and some lovely red lachenalias to remind me of him in the garden.
That Kniphofia and the gold-maroon Dutch Iris are perfect together!
I’m glad you like it. I might try them together in the garden!
Beautiful flowers. The iris is so intricate! There’s no easy way to say goodbye to a parent. Wishing you and your family comfort in your time of loss.
Thank you. It is a fascinating pattern on that Lion King. That’s true, it’s not easy, even when they want to go.
A little somberness understandably crept into your vase this week. Lovely way to commemorate a life.
Thank you. We have paths in the garden named after parents and grandparents – it started when we made the first path to make it easier for my Mom to get somewhere without having to scale a hill – luckily she is still here to enjoy it.
Sorry to hear about C’s dad, but a release from suffering can be the blessing at one’s journey’s end. It is a time of mixed feelings.
When my brother-in-law died unexpectedly, my response was to go to the garden, too, and created a huge arrangement. I think your father-in-law would be well pleased with yours.
Thank you – I agree – if there is nothing left but more and more suffering the end is a blessing. It’s terrible when someone dies unexpectedly leaving a partner in the prime of life. You would have very mixed feelings.