In a Vase on Monday: a Date in an Edinburgh Garden Diary

The well-thumbed ‘Great Breaks in Edinburgh’ that comes away with us on our annual family get togethers in Edinburgh has proved very useful but is not entirely comprehensive; it does not, for example, suggest ‘meeting blogging friends’ as a worthwhile activity on a visit to Edinburgh’s capital city. Fortunately, prior knowledge of this hugely rewarding opportunity enabled me to arrange to meet the delightful Joanna of Edinburgh Garden Diary and her partner during this year’s visit. 😉

As well as a few hours conversation over a lovely lunch and ramble round the garden, Joanna kindly allowed me to snip some blooms for today’s not-at-home vase. Despite being 300 miles further north than our own garden it seemed almost unreal to see sweet peas, salvia and penstemon still in full bloom in her garden along with the dahlias, although admittedly the earlier and colder winters of my childhood in Edinburgh were quite a few years ago and UK winters are not what they were back then.

Thanks to Joanna, we therefore have a glass of Cafe au Lait dahlias (huge), Amistad salvia (also huge) and a couple of sprigs of rosemary – a nominally aromatic vase with the herby smells of rosemary and salvia but thankfully no lingering coffee aroma from the dahlias. You, however, may not need to beg blooms from a blogger for your own vase and as always I look forward to seeing what you do find to pop into it so please share it with us in the usual way.

Next week is IAVOM’s third anniversary, and I shall be providing a giveaway to the Monday vase contributor whose name is drawn out of the Golfer’s hat. To commemorate the event I propose the theme ‘Three’ (with apologies to Cathy of Words and Herbs who posted a ‘three’ vase recently!) although there is no obligation to stick to that theme – but surely it’s easier than ikebana…?!