Today’s little vase was prompted by a the sight of the tiny blue flower shown below left, a handful of which were left from bulbs planted in the blue & white border some years ago. I am not absolutely sure what they are as the label has long since disappeared. Less than 10cm tall with very spindly stems and minimal leaves they don’t fit the description of scilla, but I am sure someone can remind me what they are…
The welcome shot of blue set me looking for other blue signs, with a touch of white for contrast, and my search found a self-seeded pulmonaria and P Sissinghurst White, that useful comrey ‘Hidcote Blue’ that has been covered in flowers for over a month and as always a haven for any passing bee, the first muscari (contained in a pot to reduce over-exuberance), the first few flowers and variegated foliage of Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’ and some Viola ‘Cool Wave Frost’ grown from seed. Oh, and a stem of Leucojum aestivum ‘Gravetye Giant’, cut very short to match the lack of height of the others.
The short stems demanded a shallow vase so this little blue and white bowl was chosen from various random blue and white bits of mismatched china displayed on a plate shelf in the downstairs spare bedroom. The stems were gently pushed into a pin holder and the space around this filled with moss before the water was added. Rejecting the speckled blue and white and gold lapis lazuli crystals originally intended as a prop, the bowl was placed on china plate and positioned on a piece of white fabric and photographed outside.
I fondly remember a blue and white vase on a Monday last year, one of my favourites (which, on checking, contained similar material), and I am pleased with the end result of this one too, despite minimal material and minimal preparation – but then most of my Monday vases fit into that category and explain why this weekly activity continues to bring so much pleasure. Today’s vase joins last week’s which, without the tulips, is still going strong – the tulips didn’t ever full open, but stood up tall and straight and elegant for 5 or 6 days before the petals began to shrivel although the aquilegia leaves and Sweet William continue to look good.
I wonder what you might find in your garden today to cut and bring inside to bring you pleasure? To share it with us, just leave links to and from this post – look forward to seeing you soon!
Rambling in the Garden 
so pretty and such a lovely display! I am joining you, Cathy, for the first time and here is my link: http://www.suffolkpebbles.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/in-a-vase-on-monday-paper-white-narcissi.html
Oh thank you – and thank you for dropping in and joining us 🙂
sorry that link doesn’t work! http://www.suffolkpebbles.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/in-vase-on-mondaypaper-white-narcissi.html
Hi Cathy
they are chionodoxa, little blue jobbies. I went to get some dinky vases from charity shops but they were all shut obviously don’t get up as early as me. Done mine will post later, struggling as cat wanted to feature in the photos!
Yup, that must be what they are – thank you. I knew they were something quite ordinary! Good luck with trawling the charity shops – and if the weather is OK on Easter Monday visiting a car boot sale should prove fruitful… Look forward to seeing your vase (and cat?) later!
Your blue and white concoction is delightful. The little flowers are set off beautifully by the china. Thanks for hosting Cathy. My vase for today is
https://pbmgarden.wordpress.com/2015/03/30/in-a-vase-on-monday-over-the-top/
Thanks, but it’s a bit droopy now as there is little room for water – I shall need to keep topping it up! 🙂
Beautiful blue and white all around. 🙂
Thanks Judy 🙂
Cathy what a feast for the eyes…perfect array of blooms for the blue and white china. And so many of my favorite spring blooms. Here we are still 85% snow covered with 6 inches to 2 feet of snow depending where you stand. It has been cold still, temps well below normal. But the forecast for this week is 35-40 degrees, then a jump to 50 and 60 and back to 30s for the weekend with a lift to 40s and 50s next week. If this happens then, the garden will jump fast for blooms in a couple of weeks. One little patch under a front willow thawed and with the sun (even though the air was cold), it bloomed a few early crocus in 2 days.
I have my last Hippeastrum bulb for you today. And something for next week that will be ready (forcing a few things indoors). But no garden flowers for at least 2 weeks still…hope you enjoy the post.
Thanks Donna – and slowly but surely spring is getting closer for you…. 😉
Your vase is lovely, as usual, Cathy. We like blue and white things also. See
https://johnsviccellio.wordpress.com/2015/03/30/in-a-vase-on-monday-5/
Thanks John – and they continue to bring pleasure, week after week!
I just read Donna’s post above and agree with her comment “perfect array of blooms”. I am NUTS for blue flowers…and especially accented with white and purple. I think it is the most elegant combination. Beautiful vase this morning Cathy.
Thanks Susan. I think blue flowers sometimes stand out because there are less ‘true blue’ flowers around…
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This is such a lovely arrangement! I have now published my first one too, it is very simple but it welcomes the spring in my house and therefore I like it. I will be publishing arrangements from time to time.
Best regards!
Oh thank you so much for dropping in Felix and for joining the meme today. One of the thoughts behind the weekly post was to to remind myself just how much pleasure a few simple blooms could give.
So elegant and inspiring, thanks for sharing, Cathy!
This is my vase: http://gradinameasialtefermecatorii.blogspot.ro/2015/03/in-vase-on-monday-little-bit-of.html
And the last week vase which I posted only on Thursday:http://gradinameasialtefermecatorii.blogspot.ro/2015/03/in-vase-on-monday-imprimavarare.html
I especially like tiny arrangements, I think, Anca!
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Beautiful Cathy. Love the blue/white combo. Last years blue/white was very nice too. I have absolutely NO blue at this time. I didn’t realize it until looking at your arrangement that specifically I was missing blue. I will have to amend that 🙂
http://dancingfarmerflowers.com/2015/03/30/in-a-vase-on-mondays/
It was because I was pleased to see the first blue of the year that I created this vase, Monica – and I have now realised that last year’s blue vase was posted at exactly the same time!! 🙂 That tells me something about the garden, i think!
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Hello! I love that you included a little muscari in your arrangement, I find so few people realize what great cut flowers they make. Here’s my contribution, and thanks for the inspiration to try something a little different with my prunings:
http://www.thedangergarden.com/2015/03/in-vase-on-last-monday-in-march.html
Thanks Loree – I had almost ‘gone off’ muscari as they can become so invasive, but they are really pretty and the clump I have is now kept in a pot. They are begin to open up more in the vase now.
How lovely! Your blue and white china sets off the little flowers so well! Those little blue flowers look like scilla (squill) to me, but there are so many different ones in the scilla family. Love the blue and white pulmonaria together. Mine are just coming out now too. My vase is also very small today – these spring flowers all seem to have short stems! :
Thanks Cathy – Helen has suggested they are chionodoxa and I think she is right. Yes, the short stems certainly limited the sort of arrangement mine could be.
Oh that arrangement is so fresh looking and vibrant Cathy. Your brunnera is well ahead of mine. Here the foliage is only just emerging but the plant is in an east facing border so maybe that’s why. I was going to rescue some of the daffies that have been badly blown about and battered this weekend but it’s pouring down. I quite like mismatched china 🙂
Oh, more rain? It stayed quite pleasant here till late afternoon and we have had a little rain since then. I hadn’t noticed the brunnera until I started looking around for more blue bits – it’s only just beginning to flower and the leaves are still very measly, nothing like what they will be later on. It doesn’t matter if the b&w bits on the plate shelf are chipped because you wouldn’t notice it!
I love the combination of blue and white (even if I often find myself compelled to add yellow to the the mix). As usual, you’ve found the perfect way to display your flowers. I was impressed by all the bits of blue you were able to collect from your garden when you went hunting. The first flower I plucked also sent me on a scavenger hunt this week: http://krispgarden.blogspot.com/2015/03/in-vase-on-monday-whos-star.html
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Hi Cathy
Heres mine and the cat’s arrangement https://patientgardener.wordpress.com/2015/03/30/in-a-vase-on-monday-never-work-with-animals/
Lovely, blue and white, my favourite combination. So fresh and pretty.
WordPress is up to its tricks again and has dropped you from my reader. This keeps happening. You suddenly realise that someone has gone quiet. I thought it was odd that you hadn’ t posted ‘In a Vase on Monday’ Never mind I’ ll refollow you.
Oh thanks Chloris – and I wonder why some people have this problem with following? I have noted you ‘re-following’ me several times – so you probably make up a sizeable proportion of my Followers total as you haven’t ever disappeared from the list at my end! 🙂 Very strange – and as far as I know I don’t think it has unlinked me from following, although I always follow by email and I wonder if that makes a difference? You will know there is something amiss if a vase does not appear on a Monday….
Hi Cathy, I love your blue and white vase – so fresh looking!
Here’s my contribution, not made today and not in a vase, but I hope you’ll forgive me (again)!
Oh – ‘your’ wedding flowers, hurrah!
Oops, no sign of your wedding flowers post, Jen…
That’s so beautiful, Cathy! The China is a beautiful setting for those simply lovely blooms. As for the blue flowers, I originally thought of Scilla, they’re so blue.
Thanks Ali. They are a stunning blue, aren’t they? Must try and establish some more
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People are always bemoaning the lack of blue flowers, but I am seeing lots of blue in the garden right now. Guess I should celebrate. Your gathering of blues is perfect in the blue and white china. I’m showing some blue this week as well: http://bannersbyricki.com/archives/4445
The blue seems to come in a rush, although they are all just little spots. With b&w china they will always make an impact, won’t they?
Blue and white are a great combination, I guess that’s why Wedgwood was so popular.
Your arrangement helps to blow away any winter blues!
Thanks Brian – strangely, I wasn’t a fan of blue in any shape or form in or out of the garden till well into adult life
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I love your blue and white vases Cathy – both this weeks and last years! Reading this post reminded me that I intended to plant some comfrey Hidcote Blue last year and failed – I really must this year especially as you said it has been flowering for a month now. I think I need to plant some near to my apricot tree to encourage the bees over to pollinate it!. I also planned to add some pulmonarias to the Woodland area – another failure. I did notice today though that the deer have eaten the leaves of my brunneras – gritted teeth!! Also on my list is some blue and white china – I was looking for some eggcups today – the hunt is often more fun than the purchase.
You can find my contribution at: http://peoniesandposies.com/2015/03/30/in-a-vase-on-monday-tulips/
Thanks Julie. This comfrey (and I am pretty sure it is HB but the label has long gone) tends to have the odd flower even throughout the winter and it never gets out of hand – it seems to get thicker rather than spread so I just trim it when it needs it. It’s low growing too, and the bees really do love it. So glad we don’t have marauding deer!
Just popped into to have a look, thank you Will be popping in again
Oh welcome Kim – lovely to hear from you and hope you enjoy looking at everybody’s vases today. See you again soon perhaps?
Hi Cathy, What lovely blues! … but “reduce over exuberance”? I’d love to have over exuberant muscari! Everything seems to take so long to multiply for me! ah well. Here is my vase link: https://mominthegarden.wordpress.com/2015/03/30/in-a-vase-on-monday-daffodil-beauties/ I hope you aren’t too tired of daffodils yet 😉 Dana
Tee hee – I suppose I could just give them a stern warning instead…! Off to look at your daffodil beauties now…
Your concoction of blue and white is delightful and looks lovely with the pretty china. I have a blue pulmonaria, in my vase this week, but no white – pity because they look so good together. Here’s my link for today: http://silverscrappers.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/in-vase-monday-spring-posy.html
Thanks Elizabeth. I only know of Sissinghurst White, but I was thinking as picked it how nice it would be to have another white pulmonaria.
What a wonderful selection of blues, Cathy! You’ve reminded me that not only should I have plenty of blue in the garden (which I am working toward!), there should be some more in the china cabinet as well 😉 I love the whole combination you’ve made! My own vase is a rather unorthodox take on a classic idea… http://smallsunnygarden.blogspot.com/2015/03/monday-vase-flowers-sun-and-water.html
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Ohhh- la- la! So perfectly balanced, such enchanting flowers, and such a pretty plate and bowl, Cathy! We are definitely thinking on the same wavelength today, as I chose a Lapis Lazuli egg to balance against my vase this week. I love your miniature blue flowers and variegated leaves. B. ‘Jack Frost’ is on my list to find this season- none of the local nurseries offer it as yet- just lovely here. Our vase features a gift of perfect, white lilies: https://forestgardenblog.wordpress.com/2015/03/30/in-a-vase-on-monday-lilies/. Best wishes, WG
Oh thanks Elizabeth – and definitely a coincidence with the lapiz!
What a perfect blue and white arrangement, Cathy. I really should plant a blue and white border, as I love that color combination. I am participating in your meme for the first time today. Thank you for hosting. P. x
http://pamsenglishcottagegarden.blogspot.com/2015/03/in-vase-on-monday.html
Thanks Pam. I first started a ‘blue’ border when I bought a blue salvia and realised just how out of place it would look in my existing borders. I later added white to give more scope and it’s gradually coming together now.
Lovely little fresh dose of spring.
Very pretty, Cathy. I like the freshness of the blue and white scheme. Had the courage to cut some Hellebores for a studio shooting. Didn’t last long in the vase and I began to see why people make them float in bowls. Have a lovely, sunny Easter 🙂
Ahah – will there be hellebores in your book…? Have a lovely Easter time too, with lots of time in your garden!
no there won’t…just for the agencies 😉
i really like the blue and white colour scheme – it looks great with the dutch plate/vase. Here’s my mini effort this week –
https://viewsfrommygardenbench.wordpress.com/2015/03/30/in-a-vase-on-monday-purple-power/ tHave a lovely Easter 🙂
Oh thanks Bec, and look forward to seeing your miniature vase too
I love your themes. The flowers growing in your garden are so much different than mine. It is fun to see the vast variety in vase arrangements. Here is my vase for the week – http://rebeccastexasgarden.blogspot.com/2015/03/in-vase-on-monday-stereotypical-spring.html
Thanks Rebecca – that’s another of the joys of the meme 🙂
Your blue and white vase is charming in every way. As I thought I have had no time to post about the vase I made for the weekend but I hope to do a catch up post in the next day or two. Spring has suddenly arrived and the garden is full of flowers to choose from!
Thanks Christina – I am sure you have enjoyed your very busy weekend, and how lovely to find spring has now arrived!
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So, so sweet! I know it’s Thursday, but I finally had a few moments to post an update on the bouquet of branches I created a couple weeks ago: https://cosmosandcleome.wordpress.com/2015/04/02/april-begins/
I am sooooooo much looking forward to having flowers from the garden for bouquets soon!
The days just fly sometimes, even when you are not able to get out in your garden!!
Cathy, after seeing your arrangement, I now realize I have no true blue flowers in my garden. Must remedy that fact.
It has been a while, but I am once again participating in your meme, this time with a vase of philadelphus and versigny rose. http://ladyoflamancha.blogspot.com.es/2015/05/in-vase-on-monday-versigny.html
You have managed to link your vase to an old Vase on Monday, Karen, so I will see if I can add it to today’s post… 🙂