I have been watching, fascinated, as flower spikes begin to appear from the recently emerged green spikes of the Tête-a-Tête – surely they aren’t usually quite so early? Checking back on the blog shows that it was well into March last year and as late as April the year before after the harder winter, which just shows the variation. Many of the spikes have visible flower buds and one or two even have the teeny-tiniest hint of yellow, so I took a chance and snipped several of them late on Saturday afternoon – by the following morning some were already fully open so this vase should just get better and better. It intrigues me that the buds point upwards until the flowers start to open and then they bend over. Once picked, the stems were placed in a chicken shaped egg cup, this green one being chosen out of my (you’ve guessed it!) large collection!
Meteorologically we are now in ‘spring’ but, although we have enjoyed some pleasant sunshine and mild temperatures off and on in the last couple of weeks, psychologically I don’t think 
of spring till after the equinox or even until we change the clocks at the end of March. However, as a nod to the gradual burgeoning of fresh growth in the garden and the appearance of an increasing number of early spring blooms and in particular these Tête-a-Tête I have included some ‘spring’ props, a vintage egg whisk and egg lifter.
Although some young Arum italicum ‘Marmoratum’ foliage was picked it didn’t really seem necessary as the narcissi are attractive enough on their own. I really like the freshness and simplicity of this vase and watching the buds open over the next few days will bring me great joy. The miniature size of the display is really appealing too – and it’s good to use more of my dusty collection! If you would like to join in and find something in your garden or nearby that you can bring inside and place in a vase or container on a Monday please do – I hope it brings you as much pleasure as I know this little fellow will. It would be great to share your findings so please leave a link to and from this post to enable us to do so – or just enjoy your pleasures privately!
Rambling in the Garden 
I love the photo of the shelves with the roosters, vases, and other treasures. Reminds me of our flower shop when I was growing up.
In fact it is almost all egg cups here, Valorie… the vases are elsewhere…. 😉
Cathy I can’t wait to see the daffodils here in about a month maybe….I also think of spring at the equinox and we change our clocks this weekend coming up. What a lovely collection of cups to choose from and I love the color of this egg cup…a perfect pastel green for spring. You definitely made me feel like spring will soon be here even though it is still cold and still snowing here….winter does not want to let go this year.
Here is my vase….I had to reuse several vases of materials from December as I had no bulbs flowering…one just beginning to open though so I will have a vase of flowers next week. Hope you enjoy it….it is a long post with a garden review as well:
Still snowing Donna…? This is proving to be a real challenge for you, but each week you still post a vase and I love to see the inventiveness of them. It’s like a make do and mend philosophy! ps all the little narcissi in the egg cup are open now – such a cheery sight!
Beautiful spring arrangement and that is certainly a COLLECTION you have there. 🙂
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Oh yes, spring is coming! I really like the little Tête-a-Tête daffodils and am looking forward to mine, so it’s good to know you can cut them in bud. I did the same with snowdrops today… just got impatient with them not opening in the cold outside! Your photos are really lovely and the green background is perfect – as a header too. 🙂 I also chose a green background today: https://wordsandherbs.wordpress.com/2015/03/02/in-a-vase-on-monday-white-delight/
I wasn’t sure if the T-a-T would be OK with it, as there were some things I cut in bud last year that didn’t take kindly to being picked in bud – but you can buy daffs in bud so I was pretty sure they would be OK but didn’t know how long they would take. Not long at all, as it happens! Your snowdrops will have loved coming into the warmth 🙂 Glad you noticed the header – one of our blogging friends told me about it as I hadn’t realised you could amend the ‘Featured Image’ just for that one post
Featured Image is a term I must look for Cathy… I am also constantly learning something new!
When you are writing the post the option appears (on my theme) below the category and tag options and you just choose your image in the usual way. I had seen it before but didn’t realise it only applied to that one post and only if people actually click onto that post – so I will use it occasionally in the future
I checked and it isn’t available in my theme! Oh well, still learned something new!
PS Thanks anyway Cathy!
Delighted to see your daffodils. Like others I am waiting to see my Tete-a-Tetes too.
https://johnsviccellio.wordpress.com/2015/03/02/in-a-vase-on-monday-an-inside-job/
They don’t usually overlap with the crocus John – although I suppose it may be a couple of weeks before they will actually be flowering in situ. Hope you won’t be waiting too long…
What a great moment this one, to pick up the first daffodils from your garden after so much cold and snow! So fresh and optimistic, like a new beginning. Hopefully, if the weather is fine, I will do the same thing next week.
My vase today is about the unique, peerless state of being a bud:
http://gradinameasialtefermecatorii.blogspot.ro/2015/03/in-vase-on-monday-unique-state-of-being.html
Fortunately we haven’t had a bad winter at all in our part of the UK – but still such a joy to see these coming through. I much prefer these to the full size ones. Look forward to admiring your bud!
Cathy, I won’t have my next post up for a week or so, but I took a photo last evening of a beautiful vase of all my own triple-ruffled daffs. Is there any way I can pop a photo in here or I guess just wait until my next post….anyway, your egg cups and vases are a collection to be proud of!
Hmm – don’t think there is anyway of adding pictures to a comment, so we will have to wait to see your beauties. Hope all is OK with you Susan. Take care.
Your pottery collection is just what I would have imagined you’d have – and nicely arranged too! I also picked some daffodils this week, creating another spring-y vase, although today’s weather is anything but here: http://krispgarden.blogspot.com/2015/03/in-vase-on-monday-callas-in-charge.html
Thanks Kris – and we have had some blustery days since I picked these too, but with some sunshine, which is always nice!
Hi Cathy I love your daffodils, I always think they look best on their own. If you can add my link to this comment I would be grateful. I’m somewhere quite hot where Hibiscus are flowering now. I’ll try to post from the iPad but the internet is very slow and only available in a view places in the complex. https://myhesperidesgarden.wordpress.com/2015/03/02/in-a-vase-on-monday-more-tulip-delights/
I look forward to some floral holiday photos in due course 🙂
Another lovely vase, Cathy, but I’m more amazed at your wonderful collection of egg cups! How many “dusty” shelves of collectables do you have? I imagine you to have a fascinating and interesting home, and I hope, lots of room! I’m now thinking of doing a “copy-cat” eggcup!
I don’t think I will incriminate myself by answering that question, Ali – but yes, from what visitors say we do appear to have a ‘fascinating and interesting’ home and you would be most welcome to come round and count our dusty shelves of collectables and have a ramble round the garden too 🙂
Thank you, Cathy! If I’m ever in the area…..I promise I won’t bring a duster!! 😉
I’m not sure I own any of those 😉
Hi Cathy,
Lovely cute little vase. Tete-a-tete are one of my favourite; so cute and dainty.
Thanks Liz – I’m sure I read somewhere recently that T-a-T tend to fizzle out after a while but these seem to be doing OK and are still increasing. They are perfect miniature replicas, aren’t they?
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Your egg cup made me smile, Cathy – that was a wonderful idea 😀 and all the better with the whisk and egg lifter. I love the miniature daffodils; well, I love almost all daffodils, but the minis especially so… It being a rainy day here, I found flowers that would stay open and smile so here is my vase for today: http://smallsunnygarden.blogspot.com/2015/03/monday-vase-sweet-faces.html
Thanks Amy – smiles all round then!
Cathy I just love your shelves of egg cups!! I only have a handful to choose from and feel really quite envious of your expansive collection – I hope you make the most of them at easter. Your Tete a Tete are perfect for displaying in this miniature way – I had never noticed that the heads stand up until they flower, but I have never picked them as buds. We are all learning so much from each other about the flowers that we love.
You can find my contribution this week at: http://peoniesandposies.com/2015/03/02/in-a-vase-on-monday-forcing-camellias/.
And yet I have realise since writing the post that when I used to buy daffodils the tight buds were of course pointing straight up! I shall bear your comment about the egg cups in mind as it gets nearer Easter, Julie…. If you go round antique fairs and car boots it is not difficult to find chicken egg cups and of course there are modern ones too, although I don’t look out for them any more.
The chicken ones are my favourites Cathy!
Hi Cathy, your egg cup makes the perfect ‘vase’ for the Tete-a-Tete daffodils. That’s a truly wonderful egg cup collection. It’s a bit of a coincidence but we’ve both gone miniature this week – here’s the link: http://silverscrappers.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/in-vase-on-monday-budding-beauties.html
PS: I’ve had a trawl through comments and have been unable to find the one on snowdrops you refer to!!!
Thanks Elizabeth – there are certainly plenty of options for the future!
Oh what a fine collection of egg cups Cathy. You must have had much fun building their numbers up. How long has it taken you to amass them? Those little daffies make for a vase full of instant sunshine. My ‘Tête-à-Têtes’ opened their first flowers yesterday just in time for St. David’s Day 🙂
Hi Anna – I haven’t added to them for many years now, but I do have a photo from late 1998 when I built my first shelf in the kitchen after we completed the extension – and on it were a couple of Oxo tins and perhaps one big platter… More shelves soon followed….. 🙂 I wondered if your T-a-T would open in time – it looked as if they might. They must be in a sunny spot
Spring is on its way here as well, I really feel like we are going to have an unusually strong summer. Love your early blooms and the collection does not surprise me.
Hmm, other bloggers must be building up a rather distorted view of me if my collections are no longer surprising them, Charlie! 🙂
I’m afraid all my vases are empty! It’s so encouraging to see Spring flowers in bloom…..Your pictures are so pretty especially the vignette. Happy Gardening!
Thanks Sally – they will all be coming in a rush soon as temperatures get milder and the days longer. I wonder when you will start to see signs of your spring…?
Your vase looks great but I love your egg cup collection! What a nice selection you have, and glad you can put them to another use today.
When you get a chance please send a little spring our way 🙂
Thanks Frank – I am glad the props are bringing pleasure as well as the vases 🙂 I will try and blow spring across the Atlantic for you….
All those egg cups! I told you that I was a jug addict, but you never owned up that you are an egg cup addict. Wow, what a collection.
I love your adorable little tete a tete. I used to buy daffs at this time of the year but since you have been doing this meme I make it a point of honour never to buy flowers now. I always have a vase of something on my dining room table even if sometimes, like this Monday, I couldn’ t find the time to post it. That is all thanks to you and your encouragement.
They are just such perfect miniatures, aren’t they? When daffodils were first in the shops I used to buy them weekly, I expect – at 99p or whatever no reason not to, but as you say there is now, definitely a point of honour. I stand at the checkout at Aldi and notice the daffs and tulips and hyacinths and am pleased to be able to dismiss them with no regret whatsoever 🙂 It didn’t take much for me and you and others to change these long time habits, did it? ps I could show a panoramic view of the kitchen and all its bits and pieces, but instead I shall retain an air of mystery…but you are welcome to come and see it for yourself of course 🙂
Hi Cathy, Many thanks for your kind offer of snowdrops which I would be delighted to accept. I’ve been searching online and maybe I’m having a senior moment but I haven’t located your e-mail address so would appreciate it if you could get in touch through my address: ellie.worthington@sky.com
Many thanks. Elizabeth
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I’ve always loved egg cups but lacked the imagination to see them as collectors’ items. Once again, you open my eyes to new possibilities. Mt Tête A Tête daffys are one solid color. Hmm…guess the name has more to do with the size and early appearance. Here’s my take on bouquets, not myt own this time: http://bannersbyricki.com/archives/4388
I assumed t-a-t were named that way because they have double heads, but in fact they very rarely do. Only chicken egg cups on my shelves, rickii, but it could be anything for other collectors!
Cathy, your lovely little egg cup of daffodils against such a lush green backdrop just embody the beauty of spring 😉 Such a lovely arrangement this week! I forgot to send you a link as I was out of town on Monday, but am sending it on now. Best wishes, WG https://forestgardenblog.wordpress.com/2015/03/02/a-vase-on-monday-unfolding-buds/
Thanks Elizabeth – and it is still looking gorgeous now!
😉 Did you see how I recycled a Monday vase into a potted plant? Yesterday I potted up the Impatiens from a few weeks ago, and made a new arrangement with a fresh cutting. Such fun to follow your meme each week, Cathy. Thank you (again) for hosting it.
You are so welcome – we are all learning from it, Elizabeth