Spring bulbs and Scabiosa in a vase on Monday

On July 21, 2021July 21, 2021 By CathIn Flowers, Light and dark, Photography, Spring Bulbs, Weather and Seasons3 Comments

Scabiosa ‘Black Night’ is another summer flower which put on a growth spurt during the extra warm winter weather in June. Luckily it’s in a dryish sunny bed close to the house, so was sheltered from the frosts and cold rain which July has brought. I love this flower, and Penstemon ‘Raven’, which is growing in the same bed, along with Osteospermum ‘Buttermilk’ which is making a fairly unenthusiastic attempt at flowering. Crepuscule roses farther from the house are covered with drooping buds.

The first of the Dutch Iris has bloomed, and a dill is blooming in a well drained bed. Narcissi of all types are blooming in most places and smelling sweet.

It’s interesting to see that vases from all around the world today have calendulas – this one is a self sown one from an original sowing of ‘Snow Princess’. Osteospermum Buttermilk looks a bit the same in this photo, but it has the darker coloured back of the petals and a darker center which isn’t showing.

It’s another cold and rainy day today, and while I am shivering, it’s comforting to see Cathy’s Sizzling Vase and other hot weather flowers at Rambling in the Garden.

In a Vase on Monday – a sad week

On October 23, 2017 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.

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daffodils and narcissus cut flowers with california poppies and forget me nots

In a Vase on Monday – Sparkling Daffodils

On September 18, 2017 By CathIn Flowers, Photography, Spring Bulbs9 Comments

I noticed tonight that the petals of the white daffodils are spangled with little sparkles, tiny reflections of the artificial light. I didn’t catch that in my photos, taken outside in a cold light just before yet another hail storm.
The first wave of daffodils and narcissi are going to seed, but some of the later yellow ones and the lovely white Thalia are coming on now, and there are still new ones coming up – I’m enjoying the Poet’s Narcissus and some truely radical ones which came in the mixed batch.

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In a Vase on Monday- Spring Brutality

On September 11, 2017October 17, 2017 By CathIn Flowers, Photography, Spring Bulbs, Weather and Seasons18 Comments

Now that the digger has dug a deep hole for the new building it was not the ideal time for 3 inches of rain and hail. Gale force winds made the hail on the unlined tin roof sound like a jack hammer, and thunder literally shook the hut. Amazingly, the blossom is still clinging to the trees, but I thought it was wise to pick the few tulips that escaped being dug up and eaten.

Plodding along in the cold rain and hail, my gum boots weighed down by massive clay blobs, I consoled myself that this was nothing compared to the hurricanes which were hitting Cuba, Bahamas, and Florida.