In a Vase on Monday: For the First Time In Forever

When starting picking for today’s vase, I realised that the first three things picked had never been used in a vase before so allowed this to dictate the underlying theme – the title could perhaps have been ‘Vase Virgins’, but sadly this has only just occurred to me so it isn’t (and I am not quite sure what prop I would have used for this alternative title)!

The starting point was the clutch of Osteospermum ‘3D Double Lemon Ice’, bought as plug plants for summer residency of the snowdrop border but only lately coming into flower. Using white annuals in this border has worked quite well and I shall repeat this plan, but with some variation in the annuals chosen. Bellis perennis, nemesia and petunia are dead certs but, pretty though it is, this osteospermum will not be making the cut. Still at this end of the garden, the shrub border yielded Fuchsia magellicana, gorgeous stems of Miscanthus ‘Ferner Osten’ and late blooms of Cornus ‘Midwinter Fire’. One of my cornus has lost all its leaves already, but Midwinter Fire is still fully clothed.

Persicaria ‘Inverleith’ was plucked from its streamside spot (reinforcing an awareness that persicaria is up there as one of my very favourite perennials these days), before moving on up the garden and picking another grass, Pennisetum ‘Hameln’, along with Sedum ‘Munstead Red’, Salvias ‘Hot Lips’ and ‘Phyllis Fancy’ and plumbago Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, with a strand of Rhodochiton atrosanguineus to complete the collection. ‘Phyllis Fancy’ is now awash with buds, having spent all year building up to a height of nearly 6 feet and gaining a bulging six-pack at the same time, thoughts of flowering being beyond its remit until now. Having only arrived this time last year (in a 9cm pot), it probably spent last winter in the greenhouse so I am unsure yet how hardy he will prove to be, but there are already a handful of rooted cuttings as a safeguard. Likewise, rhodochiton is new to me, this one brought by blogging friend Anna of Green Tapestry  for my plant stall on open days, and although I read that they can be overwintered, is it worth trying or should I just treat it as an annual? Its flowers are quite bizarre, aren’t they?

The blooms were tied together in a posy to keep them together as they were popped into this small cuboid glass vase and surrounded with tiny pebbles. Do you recognise the prop? If you have daughters or granddaughters of a certain age you will know that this character is Anna from the film ‘Frozen’, where she sings the song of the vase’s title. I have to confess to having never seen the film but know the song from the choir I belonged to before I found my favoured barbershop group; however, having played Frozen pairs (pelmanism) and completed Frozen jigsaws several times with the Poppet on visits I am now at least familiar with the characters too!

As the end of October draws nearer I am aware that we are approaching another IAVOM anniversary so watch out for a themed week and a giveaway in three weeks time. In the meantime keep sharing your Monday vases, created from the offerings of your garden, by leaving links to and from this post – but more importantly enjoy them for themselves.