In a Vase on Monday : Summer Breeze (makes me feel fine)

I was desperate to use my first yellow roses (bravely included in the garden for the first time, having resisted their ‘yellowness’ for a long time) as soon as I could, so when the buds responded to a boost of warm June air by beginning to burst open the first three nascent blooms were plucked. They are from one of David Austin’s 2014 introductions, ‘The Poet’s Wife’, described as having a ‘neat outer ring of petals enclosing an informal group of petals within’, and a fragrance beginning with strong lemon tints, becoming stronger with age. I like the way the petals almost fade to white at their outer edges.

It was this combination of gentle yellow and the softness of the day that reminded me of warm summer days with a gentle breeze that wafts the fragrance of blooms throughout the garden – so any thoughts of a ‘hot hot hot’ vase dissipated in favour of a search for further blooms that would be pleasing to the poet’s wife. Thus we have a now label-less honeysuckle, Nasturtium ‘Milkmaid’, white aquilegia and ‘Dragon’s Breath’ aquilegia from Touchwood seed, Geum ‘Tequila Sunrise’ (complementing the colours of the latter), elegant buds of Eschscholzia ‘Ivory Castle’, immature flowerheads of Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’ and a single spike of unopened Hemerocallis ‘Mini Stella’. Joining the blooms were stems of bupleurium from the cutting beds, useful Luzula nivea and the perfect colour shaded contribution of Acer ‘Orange Dreams’, one of four tiny potted acers.

The blooms are displayed in the Uig Pottery ‘flowerstone’ I bought on our trip to the Outer Hebrides, although Uig itself is on Skye and the flowerstone travelled further westwards with us. I should, of course, have taken a ‘before’ photograph as you can’t make it out clearly now it is full of flowers. It is reminiscent of a hollow discus with holes of varying diameters in the top half and was made in various finishes but I liked this one, called ‘Expressive Landscape’, best as the mottled brown base and soft blue upper half did indeed remind me of a highland landscape – across which a summer breeze is now wafting. Unfortunately the holes are not as practical as you might think as stems have to be cut quite short to encourage the blooms to stand up rather than lean at haphazard angles.

Inspiration for appropriate props was lacking – but this tiny faience tea set in colours that complemented the blooms and the blue of the flowerstone hinted at lazy afternoons in a summer garden, taking tea and cake and making easy conversation, one’s senses assailed by that summer breeze and all the pleasures it carries upon it…

Would you like to bring the pleasure of blooms or other material from your garden into your home on a Monday, popping them into a vase to enjoy during the week? Those of us who look forward to this regular Monday fix can highly recommend it – the pleasure of choosing blooms, admiring them at close quarters and sharing them with other bloggers has exceeded all expectations. It does not have to be every week – just as and when is fine – and material can be plonked or arranged or displayed however you want. It is a personal challenge for your own pleasure – but sharing it can enhance that pleasure, so ideally do leave links to and from your post so we can have a peep at what you have in your vase (or jam jar or whatever!) ps I may be a little tardy to replying to your comments or checking out your vases this week, but I will catch up when I can…