Tag: Cut flowers

More sweet scents, Gladiolus murielae

On By CathIn Flowers, Summer bulbs5 Comments

I always think of these as Callianthus, and they are also known as fragrant Gladiolus, which makes total sense to me. Some people say the scent is like Gardenia; to me it smells like tropical evenings, a nice vision in this frosty weather.

The ones I planted years ago have been miserable and haven’t flowered since the trees around them grew big. This one popped up in a small terracotta pot on a sunny deck – a strong hint that I need to move them to a sunnier spot! They normally flower in autumn, but it’s been a warm winter until 2 weeks ago, and I suppose it’s been so dry in the little pot that it didn’t start to grow until late.

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden who has a sweet vase of Cornflowers today.

Scent of Spring on the Shortest Day

On By CathIn Flowers, Spring Bulbs18 Comments

From this day on the days will get longer, thank goodness. On these dark rainy days I get the wood stove going to make sure we don’t need to use electricity for cooking or hot water, and hope we can get through to the next day without having to use the generator.

It’s a warm winter so far with no frosts as yet, so we have roses blooming at the same time as the earlier spring bulbs are starting to pop up.

Narcissus Soleil d'or, paper whites, and snowflakes in a beaker
Narcissus ‘Soileil d’or’ with Snow Flakes and Paper Whites
spring bulbs in a beaker by window
A tall beaker supports the long stems of the narcissus.

Please forgive the quick phone snaps. Life has been crazy busy and if I get the camera out I will never get to doing the post.

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for continuing to host this theme, even in the midst of getting ready for opening her garden to the public.

chrysanthemums salvia cut flowers

In a Vase on Monday, one month apart

On By CathIn Country Garden, Flowers, Photography, Vegetable Garden, Weather and Seasons19 Comments

It’s a month since I brought home flowers. Time is ripping past and there is so much to do on the house, in the garden, and at work that there just doesn’t seem to be time.
fruit and flowers with pumpkin
But yesterday I decided to pick some Mother’s day flowers for a close friend.
So here are last month’s flowers and yesterday’s flowers.
fall flowers and pumpkinsChrysanthemums are flowering now, the last of the pumpkins are inside, and the anemones are almost gone.
anemone roses and dahlias cut flowersWeirdly, I found the first of the Paper Whites flowering yesterday – although the weather is unseasonably warm.

vase of red and pink dahlias

Last Splash – In a Vase on Monday

On By CathIn Flowers, Light and dark, Photography23 Comments

The hot weather goes on and with it the dahlias. The bees are in the asters and the salvia, luckily there is a lot of it – this salvia leucantha grows willingly. I was going to say ‘like a weed’, but it doesn’t really, you have to plant it and then it grows where you put it.
dahlia akita
The dahlias are Akita, Profundo, the white and lemon grown from seed, and another pink one ‘Dark Horse’, which I thought I had lost.
dahlias akita and profundo
We are in the throes of harvesting, and have bottled another 19 pints of tomato puree tonight to add to the 3 or 4 dozen already put away, so it’s late and time to sleep. Congratulations to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for 6 years of blogging, and thank you for hosting IAVOM.

dahlia bud

In a Vase on Monday – Phormium and Dahlias, Orange and Yellows

On By CathIn Flowers, Photography27 Comments

Often I only notice flax flowers when the Tuis are drinking the nectar, but this one is from a pot by the door of the greenhouse, so the deep orange of the flowers and the dark brown-purple stem caught my eye. It’s unfortunately disappearing into the background in my photo.
flowers in a vase
The single Dahlias with dark leaves are a mix of Keith Hammett Dahlias and their children. The bees love them the best, so I rarely pick them.

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flowers against landscape

Crazy Pink Gladioli In a Vase on Monday

On By CathIn Flowers, Photography, Soil24 Comments

I’m really not sure why I grow ‘Glads’, as my Grandpa used to call them. I selected the subtlest of the available colours – 2 different softish pinks, and planted them around orange trees in a raised bed on the sunny side of the water tank. They have gone wild, shooting up in all directions, more every year, covering up the young orange trees and the runner beans behind them. I’m sure it’s the mixture of 3 manures (llama, chicken, and sheep) that made them go so mad – they are relatively normal where I’ve transplanted some to the other side of the water tank.

gladiola in garden with mountain papaya

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cut flowers dutch iris and narcissus

In a Vase on Monday – a sad week

On By CathIn Bees, Flowers, Photography, Spring Bulbs22 Comments

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.
cut flowers iris and kniphofia and honeywort
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anemones and poppies with ixia

In a Vase on Monday – more Spring Bulbs

On By CathIn Flowers, Photography, Spring Bulbs, Weather and Seasons20 Comments

It’s been a wet Spring, and this seems to have lengthened the bulb season. Roses are starting to bloom, and we still have a few Narcissi and Freesias, and lots of Iris, Ixia, and Anemones. There is even one last Tulip. The Columbine are just starting, and Lily seedlings are coming up like grass in the humus-ey soil where I’ve retained the bank with old logs.
anemones poppies columbine and iris cut flowers

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cut flowers freesias and anemone

In a Vase on Monday – Purples

On By CathIn Flowers, Photography, Spring Bulbs18 Comments

Well, mostly purple anyway. Everything is growing now, in spite of or because of the rain. Anemones are producing continually as I planted them gradually, and they obviously had no appeal to whatever ate the tulips. Dutch Iris are still brilliant. There are still some Freesias and Geranium Narcissus for scent, and perennial Stocks.
purple dutch iris spring bulbs and cineraria
Poppies are out, and the Cineraria have been flowering for a while. I bought a mix and I love this almost white one.

Continue reading “In a Vase on Monday – Purples” →