I had been going to call this vase ‘Woodland Edge’, but the alternative title popped into my head just before the vase was filled and it seemed more catchy!
The title takes its name from Persicaria ‘Superbum’ which I have had my eye on all week for inclusion in today’s vase, and as the week wore on I liked the idea of just including plant matter from the woodland edge border which is where the persicaria is. The rhododendrons, having been in flower early, are almost over although perhaps a single intact flowerhead might have been found, and there are plenty of hellebore seedheads to choose from but I have already used them a number of times. Superbum’s cousin ‘Red Dragon’ was an obvious contender with its beautifully marked leaves blending perfectly with the pink shade of the flower spikes, and a rain battered Allium nectaroscordum was rescued to add to the two persicarias. Glaucous green foliage of Thalictrum aquilegifolium provided some added leafiness in what seemed like just the right shade of green, as was the polygonatum (still untouched by sawfly). On a whim, stems of Geranium x oxonianum ‘Thurstonianum’ were snipped and included once it was clear that the shades mingled appropriately.
The secateurs that were used to cut the vase contents were last used to trim all (hopefully) the heads off the wild garlic in the woodland and still have a strong garlic odour – a small price to pay for preventing the rapid spread of the garlic! Once trimmed, the stems were place in another Caithness Glass vase, one of the original 1960/70s colours, Moss. This was bought from the factory shop in Oban in the 70s, but I found a beautiful tall one at a car boot sale recently in Loch, an inky blue just like a Scottish loch of course – and a bargain to boot! No props to accompany the vase today, as I had taken the photographs before I thought about it.
Knowing last night where today’s inspiration was coming from I could actually feel a surge of excitement even then as I looked forward to seeing how it went together – such is the thrill some of us are getting from this meme, which turns out to be infectious. If you would like to be infected by the same bug then are you welcome to join us any or every Monday, posting a ‘vase’ with things you have found in your garden or nearby (and not necessarily plant material) – just leave a link to this post and a link to yours from a comment on this post. It’s inspirational to share!
Rambling in the Garden 
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Interesting mix of colour and form in your vase today Cathy, here’s my post http://myhesperidesgarden.wordpress.com/2014/05/26/in-a-vase-on-monday/
Thanks for hosting, most enjoyable again.
Thanks Christina – in retrospect I wonder if a smaller vase and shorter stems might have been better. I can of course shorten them and see…. Look forward to seeing your vase
Hi Cathy, I am always being introduced to new flowers through your vase combinations. The Geranium x oxonianum ‘Thurstonianum’ is really nice and I like the leaf form and color of the persicaria with it as well. My vase today is:
http://pbmgarden.wordpress.com/2014/05/26/in-a-vase-on-monday-simplicity/
Thanks for hosting. Susie
Hi Susie, and thanks – they are two different persicarias. Superbum has plain green leaves and Red dragon has insignificant flowers later in the year. The geranium came to be by mistake when I ordered ‘Southcombe Double’ which it clearly wasn’t. Look forward to seeing your ‘simple’ vase!
This ‘Monday Idea’ is wonderful. Is it too late to consider joining up?
Oh not at all Stephanie – just join in whenever you like. I look forward to it – the more the merrier! It really does draw you in, so be warned!! 🙂
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Great title, certainly made me chuckle! The Persicaria ‘Red Dragon’ leaves are fabulous, it all makes for a lovely ‘woodland edge’ combination.
My attempt is here http://duverdiary.wordpress.com/
Red Dragon is indeed a real star 🙂 Thanks for joining in again – I look forward to seeing today’s vase
I love the Persicaria and the Geranium! For some reason, Persicaria are hard to find in the nurseries here. I have a ‘Red Dragon’ I brought to this house as a cutting from my former garden and would love to add more varieties – I’ll have to check sources for ‘Superbum.’ Here’s my contribution this week: http://krispgarden.blogspot.com/2014/05/in-vase-on-monday-lopsided-arrangement.html
That’s strange, particularly as Superbum is relatively common (well, more so than Red Dragon I would think). I suspect some can be a little thuggish but easily dug up if they spread too much, I think. Thanks for your kind comments and your enthusiasm, as always!
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Very nice colour scheme Cathy. I like the Superbum foliage with the Allium, and am intrigued by your pretty geranium. I had to look it up as I have never seen one with star-like petals. Lovely! Here’s my post for this week: http://wordsandherbs.wordpress.com/2014/05/26/in-a-vase-on-monday-in-the-pink/
Thanks again! 🙂
Thanks Cathy. The geranium has grown on me – I didn’t like it very much at first! Superbum is one of those plants I would barely notice in the past and certainly wouldn’t have thought of picking the flowers – but I look at things differently since doing this meme!
Hi Cathy,
Lovely! Must get myself some of that Persicaria some time…. I won’t have many this year as I took some to my parents’ and I’ve had mum keep guard of them in case dad thinks they’re dock and weeds them out.
How do you find Thurstonianum? I find it very large and almost thuggish. But that’s perhaps because I didn’t plant it in the correct place – i.e. I got it from a friend and didn’t realise it would grow so large. But I do love its blooms, so for me it will always feature in the garden.
I forgot about your meme this week – with it being bank holiday I thought it was Sunday, plus I’ve been power cleaning the decking and stairs and painting our bedroom. I do however have three bottle vases (new, larger ones than the little ones – from Ikea, very cheap) filled with Roseraie de L’Hay and a tall vase with Astrantia, Ox-eye Daisy and Geum in.
Oh and btw, my taller vase is also a Caithness glass vase 🙂
Thurstonium is OK in the woodland edge border but I probably wouldn’t
Lovely combination there, Cathy. Love the Nectaroscordum in the vase. I’ve grown them this year for the first time, and discovered how well it goes with Astrantia “Buckland” by accident. Would cut them both for a vase but I’m not brave enough to spoil the garden display!
Thanks – the Nectaroscordum seems to last well in a vase, even the damaged one I cut really short and put in a little pot, and the astrantia definitely does, so both give value in the cutting stakes…
Given the title I think perhaps just as well you added no props! ( Bridget jones knickers ?)
Anyway sillies aside I love the foliage of the persicaria, great colour.
I have managed a vase myself this week and the link is
Digwithdorris.wordpress.com
Nearly missed your link, Dorris (and if you put the http:// part in we could click straight on it – the easiest way is to copy and paste it from your post url). What a good idea for the knickers – I did wonder of I had anything saucy, in fact there may be some saucy postcards in a mixed box we had from an auction… too late now…). The persicaria is great, isn’t it?
Persicaria is such a great plant. I am relieved you saw the funny side of my comment. As to my link I will know how to do it next time. Thanks. D.
You are welcome – I had to ask somebody how to do it the first time.
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Hi Cathy – I love the idea of a woodland border vase! You have some great specimens there and I particularly like the persicaria – I have this on my wish list. I had fun today too and you can find my contribution at http://peoniesandposies.com/2014/05/26/in-a-vase-on-monday-roses-clematis-with-a-few-garden-treats/. Thank you for hosting this meme Cathy – it really is a highlight of my week.
Thanks Julie – roses and clematis in yours, how lovely!
I love the Persicaria superba and I wish it would be a bit more invasive in my garden, the clump never seems to get any bigger. It looks great in a vase with that other supposedly invasive plant the Nectaroscordum. I love your green vase.
Polygonum, Bistorta, Persicaria- I wish they would make make up their minds. I believe it’ s not entirely settled even now.
I had forgotten about its polygonum name – it’s not invasive here, but neither is Nectaroscordum of which I wouldn’t mind a few more. Apart from looking out at car boot sales I have to keep scouting round the house for bits and pieces I have forgotten I have got – and certainly vases I bought for their decorative value rather than to use as vases – I do like these original Caithness glass earthy colours though
I wished that I had taken a photo of the vase of flowers I took to our garden club plant sale on Saturday to stand on my stall. It included Solomon’s Seal, nectaroscordum and the persicaria. I sold all the plants I had taken of the first two and had several requests for the latter which I had not got. Maybe next year. I’m smiling at Doris’s comment about props 🙂
It has really opened my eyes to cutting possibilities, Anna, since starting this meme – I would never have thought of cutting the persicaria or Solomon’s Seal before.Glad you were able to clear some of your ‘spares’, but did you bring back anybody else’s I wonder?!
Love the fluffiness, and what a gorgeous geranium. But that’s a ridiculous name for a plant… Anna was complaining about ‘Black Neglige’, but ‘Superbum’?! Anyhow, I have managed to get a contribution together and actually do a post about it – only one day late! http://plantaliscious.janetbruten.co.uk/2014/05/in-a-vase-on-monday-27th-may-2014/
Black Negligee and Superbum sound a most appropriate combination, don’t you think, regardless of their suitability as plant names?! Thanks for joining in – I am trying hard to keep on top of other blogs so am off to look at your vase immediately!