As my barbershop singing group meets in the next village to ours, one of my singing colleagues who comes from another direction picks me up on her way through and I have taken to giving her a little thank you posy each week. She has come to look forward to it and really noticed its absence on her mantelpiece when I missed a session due to our Edinburgh visit; even her mother noticed! Today’s vase partially recreates her posy from this week which, despite its humble contents, was a quiet success and hence gives the title ‘Repeat Prescription’.
The original components were ivy flowers, spent sunflower bosses, still-pink Sedum spectabile, dry astilbe spikes, a few fern fronds and the first crop of cornus stems, these from C ‘Midwinter Fire’. Monday’s vase however has the added benefit of Rose ‘Danse de Feu’, unopened cosmos buds and the only sprig of Dianthus ‘Green Trick’ that the straggly plant has produced all year and which I noticed for the first time last week. I could visualise this grouping in a little brown jug which sadly my vase collection does not include, other than a miniature version, so I resorted to using the tall green mug that the cut stems had been conditioning in prior to ‘arrangement’. Props took the form of a toy stethoscope which will be going to The Poppet at Christmas as part of the dressing up outfits I have been deputed to make.
Surprisingly, I was able to rescue much of last week’s vase: the two chrysanthemum blooms still looked fresh and amazingly new and tightly closed cosmos buds had opened, whilst the sedum, clematis and crocosmia looked unchanged and I rather like the dried pink Fairy buttons. The stems were recut fairly short and placed in a smaller vase to live to face another week.
Will you still be picking fresh blooms for your Monday vase, or looking a little deeper in your garden or local hedgerows for alternatives? Please share whatever you find by leaving links to and from this post in the usual way.
Rambling in the Garden 
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Sharing a posy is such a pleasure; your vase looks very summery with the cosmos, a lovely colour combination with the other flowers. You read my mind (in part) for my vase today: https://myhesperidesgarden.wordpress.com/2016/11/21/in-a-vase-on-monday-homage-to-autumn/
Thanks for hosting Cathy
The cosmos were remnants of last week’s vase, but themselves were from a lone and very tall plant in one of the borders grown from a pack of free seeds. Those in my cutting beds were all over after that first proper frost
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I love that mint green mug with the lime green fronds thing – is that the dianthus? The Chrysanthemums are lovely in the vase with the stones as well. I’ve gone for Coral today.
https://absentgardener.com/2016/11/21/in-a-vase-on-monday-coral/
I love the feel and look of this mug too and it has a lovely matte finish – sadly, I don’t enjoy drinking out of it as it is just too tall, although probably doesn’t actually hold any more than other mugs. Yes, the lime green fronds are the dianthus – it really has done nothing except produce a couple of very straggly stems and a few of these ‘blooms’, although it has survived into its third year!
Cathy, the gift of flowers is a special one. So lovely you are able to brighten your friend’s mantle all week. The green mug brigs a cheery aspect. I’m amazed you have still-pink sedum. Thanks for hosting. My vase today is:
https://pbmgarden.wordpress.com/2016/11/21/in-a-vase-on-monday-buttons-up
Yes, and it brings me pleasure to hear about her pleasure! This is the only sedum that is still-pink; the others are definitely now brown but will no doubt appear in a vase in due course
What a lovely thank you gift to give and receive! I am amazed you can still find anything to pick – all looks very dank and brown when I look out through the window !
Yes, she is always thrilled with the offring and intrigued to find out what is in the posy each week. It is cold and wet here today – a very November sort of day, and having been out all morning I must confess I haven’t yet had a ramble, which is most unlike me but it took me a while to warm up when I got in…brrr!
So nice to still find some blooms in our garden! Lovely to see that we have both used a dry Astilbe spike in our today bouquets!
I have only just ‘discovered’ spent astilbe spikes for my vases – not that I have many but they will be useful while they last!
My vase:http://timpingradina.blogspot.ro/2016/11/in-vase-on-monday-burgundy.html
My garden is wet, windy and muddy so I’m sending you a posy of the mind. It may contain a few blossoms out of season and indeed, not growing locally. Love the idea of a floral arrangement as a thank you, well done.
Welcome, and thanks for joining us today. But thank you especially for sharing your virtual posy – such a pretty thing and such unusual contents ps wet, windy and cold here, but thankfully not muddy.
Good afternoon, Cathy. I love the muted ‘Antique’ colors of your Repeat Prescription. I really miss my Fairy roses now. The Dianthus is a wonderful counterpoint to the colors – is it chartreuse? I think the minty mug suits your color palette.
Well, here is my vase or two this week: http://theshrubqueen.com/2016/11/21/in-a-vase-on-monday-thrift-store-finds
Thanks Amy – I suppose the whole garden seems ‘muted’ now
My favorite Pansy ever was a mix called Antique Shades, do you get those in the UK?
Um, not sure – when I googled it there seemed to be no consistent range of ‘Antique Shades’
What a lovely idea to give your friend a weekly bunch of flowers. I love your mint green mug too. I grew Green Trick a few years ago and loved it. It is wonderful for arrangements. But then I am a sucker for green flowers. Your mention of a brown jug gave me the idea for my vase this week. https://thebloominggarden.wordpress.com/2016/11/21/in-a-vase-on-monday-brown-study/
Green Trick would be even more wonderful if it did more than it does!
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The bright pink of your rose and the fresh green dianthus are so vivid at this time of year – slowly all the colour is draining from the scenery here! I still managed a small arrangement though : https://wordsandherbs.com/2016/11/21/in-a-vase-on-monday-now-what-is-that-thing-called-again/
Thanks Cathy, and have a good week!
Yes, I think my garden needs a new prescription as the colour is draining away here as well!
I am surprised you still have any flowers in the garden! A few miles south of you here in Warwickshire I’m restricted to foliage, but I suppose sometimes it’s nice to appreciate that in its own right- instead of just as a foil for flowers. https://onthepottingbench.wordpress.com/2016/11/21/rescued-from-the-rain/
Oh welcome to IAVOM and intriguing to know that you are not far from here – couldn’t work out from your blog where exactly though, not that it really matters. Colour is just a few spots and dots here, but after 3 years of IAVOM I am pretty adept at seeking it out!
Yes I expect you are! My current garden is new to me, I only moved in June and it was a fairly blank canvas flower-wise, so most of the summer colour was provided by annuals and dahlias which were all killed off by the first frost. Hopefully next year I’ll have a better-stocked garden that flowers well into autumn.
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A perfect prescription for an autumn day and a very nice way to show your gratitude for sharing a ride. My offering is also a bit of a repeat. http://outlawgarden.blogspot.com/2016/11/in-vase-on-monday_21.html
Yes, she appreciates the gesture, Peter
Beautiful! I love that ‘Green Trick’. How annoying of it to have waited this long before producing a bloom. Here is mine: https://edinburghgardendiary.com/2016/11/21/pick-of-time/
Thank you – and I might try Green Trick somewhere else in the garden in future to see if it will do better
I love sharing little bouquets with friends who don’t garden. But unlike your garden mine is pretty much bereft of any flowers at this point. But I did find enough to create a display to share with you today: http://eachlittleworld.typepad.com/each_little_world/2016/11/in.html
There will be leaner times ahead!
Your vase still has flowers to offer, I’m envious. 🙂 I’m definitely in the scrambling stage of searching for garden material. Creativity is called for! http://wp.me/p3O3z4-1zK
Oh I am pretty much scrambling too, Eliza!
What a great idea. Sometimes I give plants, but that’s a commitment and responsibility. A posy is a temporary joy. Thanks.
It is certainly appreciated – and looked forward too!
I love that Dianthus, it’s one I’ve almost added to the garden so many times. In the end I’ve decided against it, only to go through the same exercise the next time I see it for sale.
Interestingly my post today also has to do with giving away an arrangement. I hope you won’t mind my bending the rules a little (again).
http://www.thedangergarden.com/2016/11/in-vase-on-monday-self-serve-flowers.html
A little rule bending is OK in the pursuit of Monday vase pleasure 😉
I laughed when I saw that stethoscope, thinking: what does her cabinet of props NOT contain?! A brown jug seems to be the answer so I hope that’s on your Christmas list. I have no doubt that your floral gifts to your “driver” are appreciated and that their absence was missed. The content of my vases (yes, there are 2 again) were rescued from the garden in advance of a rainstorm. We actually got rain this weekend! Here’s my post: https://krispgarden.blogspot.com/2016/11/in-vase-on-monday-fleeting-blooms.html
🙂 at least I am only in temporary ownership of the stethoscope 😉 Still can’t believe I haven’t got a little brown jug though… but it can wait till car boot sales next year!
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Your vase is much more interesting than the one I’ve cobbled together this week, Cathy! Here it is: https://acoastalplot.wordpress.com/2016/11/21/in-a-vase-on-monday-4/
Many thanks.
But what is ‘interesting’? We can gain pleasure from many things which aren’t in themselves interesting…
Such a lovely sentiment to give a vase of flowers to a colleague. Your collections are always so beautifully designed and displayed, so it must really brighten her day! My contribution is simple…some Knock Out Roses that are still blooming in my November garden: http://landscapedesignbylee.blogspot.com/2016/11/garden-bloggers-bloom-day-foliage.html#.WDM6ubIrKUk
Thanks Lee – pleasure for her and for me in giving them. Your Knock Out roses certainly live up to their name!
I’m glad what goes into the vase doesn’t always have to be flowers as this the about the end of mine until Camelias open in January! Here’s the last of the pretty Hydrangea in my gardens.https://lindylecoq.wordpress.com/2016/11/21/stalwart-hydrangea-in-a-vase-on-monday/
Yes, there are so many other options that we may have neglected when blooms were bountiful
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A very adventurous vase and I love the effect of the dried astilbe and white of the ivy. What a nice idea to thank your friend with a posy each week. So you have a double floral responsibilty each week. Impressive! Here is my contribution: http://wp.me/pM8Y1-3Fo
It’s not out of her way to pick me me up as she passes the end of the lane, but it’s a nice gesture and I know she appreciates it. I have to say Allison, that I have also started taking a little posy in to where I do voluntary work most weeks – so that makes three!
What a beautiful way to start a frosty Monday. I am surprised at all of your flowers. I on the other hand don’t seem to have any vase worthy flowers left after all the frost, cold and wind. Happy Monday. http://greenbowgardens.blogspot.com/2016/11/a-vase-on-monday.html
Blooms are definitely few and far between, Lisa, but it is a fun challenge to look for alternatives – thanks for joining in today
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Do like the mums and fern. Don’t see ferns in arrangements to often. Cute mug…love colors. This is my first time here. Not much to offer on this windy cold day but I guess all you have to do is imagine. Having issues commenting on blogger, hope to work it out soon. Enjoying this meme, thanks.
http://www.pseewald.com/2016/11/in-vase-on-monday.html
Welcome to IAVOM Patsi – sometimes comments on different formats takes a bit of getting used to but I hope you soon get it sorted. I think ferns will be appearing more over winter, certainly in my vases!
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Your flowers are charming, Cathy, and I’m happy to see you still cutting fresh flowers from the garden so deep into November. The ferns look especially vivid and beautiful, and it all works beautifully in your pretty mug. “Dressing up outfits” could be a lot of fun. Sounds like you’ll be quite busy these next few weeks.
We are preparing for frost, and so I harvested roses today for a vase.
https://forestgardenblog.wordpress.com/2016/11/21/autumn-roses-safely-in-a-vase-today/
My partner much prefers me to leave flowers in the garden to grow. Our threatened first frost bought me a good excuse to cut from the garden and join you again today! Hope you are well and ready for the holidays yet again. ❤ WG
The Golfer has always been ‘anti’ cut flowers but increasingly he is realising how nice it is to bring material in from the garden – he often tries to guess the title of the post but always fails spectacularly!
What fun ! It can’t be easy to keep up with a soul as creative as you !
Both your vases are lovely – my red sedum was mashed by the rain this week 😦 oh well. my Chap would like green mug very much – his favourite shade of green 🙂 I hope a little brown jug turns up in a charity show – my jug collection is growing. Thank you for commenting on my post already – I wonder who else recognise fuchias as their first ‘flower’ too. Here’s my post:
https://viewsfrommygardenbench.wordpress.com/2016/11/21/in-a-vase-on-monday-first-and-latest-fuchsias/
On time for a change 🙂
I like green mugs too, but to drink out of them they have to look and feel ‘just right’ – am I daft, or what? 😉
It’s surprising what we can still find in our garden despite the time of year. Roses have got to be the most tenacious though. Your little mug of flowers is lovely – I can quite see why your friend appreciates her repeat prescription! Here’s the link to my vase for this week – http://silverscrappers.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/in-vase-on-monday-winter-vase.html
I think you are probably right about roses tenacity, Elizabeth 😉
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I love the challenge as the garden gets ready for its winter break. Impressive to see so much flower power still showing up in your vase.
http://bannersbyricki.com/archives/5663
Yes, it adds a certain piquancy, doesn’t it, rickii?
We so enjoy the vases you share here, so I’m not surprised your singing colleague noticed the absence! 😉 Here is my contribution for this week – necessarily a rather quick one! http://www.smallsunnygarden.com/2016/11/21/in-a-vase-tidbit-in-a-teacup/
There is such lot to be said for the simple pleasures of life…
Indeed, visiting here and seeing everyone else’s contributions is such a tonic. I nearly posted but it was so miserable I went swimming instead. Better weather today so I will make a posy and feel as if I’ve joined in. (You’ve reminded me of the dressing-up outfits my mum used to make for my children – and I so enjoyed reading your poem the other day too – thanks Cathy.)
It was definitely that sort of day here yesterday too and I was conscious that for many people this time of year gets them down because of the lack of light, etc – barely got light here at all (and didn’t help that the Golfer was working on the electrics too!) Hope thw swimming perked you up – it always does for me. Thanks for your kind comment about the poem too
Thanks so much for the natty pop up vase Cathy which will no doubt feature in a future IAOM
post 🙂 The seeds were a most welcome surprise and I look forward to sowing them. I was too much of a wimp to venture out in Monday’s almost non stop rain to try to salvage anything to put in a vase.’ Green Trick’ was straggly here too but did produce a few flowers in the summer. My chrysanths from last week are still going strong too well over a week later 🙂
Still looking lovely but in an autumnal way. Flowers bring such joy, don’t they? I love to give people a posy as you do with your friend. Time has been against me for the last few days so no post but I am going round my garden thinking ‘Oh, that can go in next week’!
Thanks Alison – when blooms werebountiful I often didn’t decde till the last minute what to pick for a vase, but at this time of year I am looking for possibilities throughout the week, just as you are 😉