In a Vase on Monday: Cream Tea

Today’s vase is a bit of a trompe-l’œil, an optical illusion, as the vase is made out of card and arrived flat-packed a couple of years ago although this is the first time it has ventured out of the vase cupboard. It came with its own foldable plastic container to pop inside the cut-out but, for stability, I used a chunky glass one to hold a clutch of blowsy Madame Alfred Carrière roses which are currently arriving at the rate of a handful of new blooms every day.

You will get more of an idea of this delusional vase from these photographs, the first of the original pack as it came, and the second an overhead shot of the vase indicating how it folds out to form the 3D stand.

There must be hundreds of rose buds around the garden just now and it is a delight in mid-May to have my first vase of roses of the year; I am sure there will be many more. It takes the place of last week’s little jug of bellis which looks exactly as it did a week ago, as does the little pile of liquorice allsorts – I say ‘does’, but in fact since moving the latter away from the spot on the kitchen worktop where my weekly vases live some of them have disappeared, never to be seen again…

The tea cup which acts as a prop for today’s vase is from a box of mixed blue and white china we picked up for next to nothing at an auction – so, we have the teapot, the cup, cream blooms and all we need now is the cake… Perhaps somebody else’s vase will feature the cake… If it’s not yours then, not to worry, still share your Monday vases with us by leaving the usual links to and from this post.

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72 Responses to In a Vase on Monday: Cream Tea

  1. Pingback: Hubble Bubble | Wild Daffodil

  2. What a cute idea for a vase – I’m wondering if I could make a cardboard ‘vase’ using the same idea – that’s got me thinking. I’ve gone over to the Dark Side today! https://daffodilwild.wordpress.com/2019/05/20/hubble-bubble/

  3. jenanita01 says:

    Stunning illusion…

  4. the running wave says:

    What delicious roses Cathy! And I love your ‘vase’! It’s brilliant! How lovely that we are the beginning of the rose season. I have buds but nothing showing yet – it is all to come! Hooray! My vases this week are full of leftovers! Amanda https://therunningwave.blogspot.com/2019/05/a-vase-or-three-on-monday.html

    • Cathy says:

      Just from the kitchen windows I can see a mass of rose buds – hard to imagine what it will be like when they all open… Mme AC is the only one properly in flower yet, but she is one of the oldest and most established, which probably helps

  5. Noelle says:

    Yes the rose arrangement is lovely…so clear and fresh. The Bellis look delightful and good to know that they last in vase…as for the liquorice all sorts they wouldn’t last a day here! Here is my first rose of IAVOM this year…https://noellemace.blogspot.com/2019/05/in-vase-on-monday-early-one-morning.html

  6. How unique. It looks real and goes so well with your tea cup, who would know? Your roses are beautiful and I envy your roses to come. They did very poorly here over the winter and many died. I love roses, but they just don’t do well here in Ohio long term. Thanks for sharing yours with us.

    this week’s bouquet

    • Cathy says:

      Thanks Cindy. What a shame that roses don’t do well for you – I have increased the number in my garden year on year and will run out of places for them soon! Can hardly wait for all the new ones to flower!

  7. Pingback: this week’s bouquet – in my spare time

  8. Christina says:

    One of my very favourite roses. The vase is a clever idea. I’m not home but in the UK for Chelsea.

    • Cathy says:

      Ahah – I remember you said that’s the show you would go to this year. Hard to believe it was 2 years ago today that we met up!! Have a great visit 🙂

  9. Chloris says:

    How lovely to have your first roses. I wish I could come to tea in your lovely garden.
    Here is my contribution .https://wp.me/p3dx4o-33F

  10. Pingback: In a Vase on Monday – Perky Pat! | Duver Diary

  11. jenhumm116 says:

    Love the ‘vase’ and the roses. I’ve got roses too

    In a Vase on Monday – Perky Pat!


    Thanks for hosting – I’ve missed taking part!

  12. Love the cute teapot vase!

  13. Oh my, at first I really thought it was an actual teapot. 😊 This is a beautiful idea, and really makes your roses pop. Well, I can finally start participating on IAVOM not just as an active reader since my little garden is finally waking up and it’s just making me so happy! https://angiebaer.com/blog/this-northern-garden-mid-may-update

    Thank you kindly, for hosting Cathy!

  14. Lisa at Greenbow says:

    What an interesting card. Your vase of roses is beautiful. Such fun having many more to look forward to.

  15. What a clever idea for a card/vase. I have purchased a number of cards over the years with teapot images but none that could be used. And I can just imagine the fragrance. I have too much shade for roses; but seeing your bouquet suggests that I really need to think about what other fragrant shrubs I could add. My vase is here: https://www.lindabrazill.com/each_little_world/2019/05/ivom-color.html

    • Cathy says:

      There are some roses that are OK with some shade – worth checking out? But yes, increasingly I look for plants with fragrance too

  16. Pingback: In a Vase on Monday: the prince of marigolds | acoastalplot

  17. Sam says:

    I’ve not come across anything like this before! Gorgeous roses and a nice play on words 🙂 It’s lovely to have the time to join in today, Cathy. Thank you for hosting. https://wp.me/p5Pz00-297

    • Cathy says:

      I found the ‘vase’ quite by chance Sam and am pleased to have finally used it! Good to have you with us again today

  18. Pingback: In a Vase on Monday: May Bouquet | Words and Herbs

  19. Cathy says:

    Lovely roses, and what an amazing container! Here is my vase for today. I always forget to use props but must try to remember next time! https://wordsandherbs.com/2019/05/20/in-a-vase-on-monday-may-bouquet/

  20. Blue china is my favorite, I love this. My first thought was ‘looks like my vase’ in my alternate Florida universe. I have no roses and shudder to imagine the fungal implications. Yours roses are lovely and a treat for me. Here is my vase http://theshrubqueen.com/2019/05/20/in-a-vase-on-monday-scentsational-moonlight/

  21. bcparkison says:

    At first look…What? How cute . The roses look especially nice in the blue and white.

  22. Kris P says:

    That’s a very effective illusion, especially against the black back-drop! The card must have been sent by someone who knows you well. The white roses are wonderful with the blue and white props. I went with blue and white myself this week: https://krispgarden.blogspot.com/2019/05/in-vase-on-monday-blues-have-it.html

  23. Wonderful illusion!

  24. Anna says:

    Oh that’s a most natty vase Cathy and such a clever idea! The little china tea cup is the perfect match. Fabulous blowsy roses too. I have some catching up to do here as we have had a busy week or so with various trips away from home. My vase is here : https://greentapestry.blogspot.com/2019/05/in-vase-on-monday-butterfingers.html

  25. Eliza Waters says:

    A clever and unusual vase, Cathy. A perfect gift for someone to give a gardener. Not sure if you are getting my pingbacks, but here is my vase this week: https://wp.me/p3O3z4-2kg

  26. Heyjude says:

    I thought that teapot looked strangely flat – what an illusion! The roses are fabulous and it sounds as though your garden is about to burst forth in roses. My Gertrude Jekyll has one flower and several buds, I must start trying to train it as a climber, but I have planted here in a very awkward to reach spot!

    • Cathy says:

      Thanks Jude – I have moved my GJ to a better spot and am hoping it will do better now. No buds on it yet though, unlike most of the others. I have moved 4 or 5 different roses this last year and fortunately they are all doing OK

  27. Pingback: In a Vase on Monday: Forgetting Why, Remember How – A Moveable Garden

  28. smallsunnygarden says:

    What a clever teapot! 😉 And just the thing for white roses. Somehow I hadn’t known about your Madame Alfred Carriere – just lovely! I am returning to antique varieties myself now, or so I think – though still waiting for my rose order to arrive! Sorry I have been so dilatory with IaVoM, though the same could be said for my gardening and blogging generally, as settling in and recovery have taken precedence. But I have done some foraging today as there is much to be had growing wild right now. Here is today’s vase: https://www.smallsunnygarden.com/2019/05/20/in-a-vase-a-field-of-wildflowers/

    • Cathy says:

      But settling in and recovery should be a priority Amy, and the aftermath of your traumatic uprooting will have its own difficulties too, I am sure – so no apologies are needed. How exciting to be waiting for a rose order – is it coming from within the US or do you buy directly from the UK?

      • smallsunnygarden says:

        I had ordered from an old- and rare- rose specialist in California, but one of my selected varieties was too small for shipping so we delayed the whole order to give it time to bulk up. Must check into it now!

  29. Last night at about 9pm I made a little video of my wander around the garden pop along over if you would like to join me: https://daffodilwild.wordpress.com/2019/05/20/come-walk-with-me-at-dusk/

  30. Cathy I love the trompe-l’oeil of the vase: it looks like a real teapot, although I prefer them in porcelain. Your Roses Madame Alfred Carrière I love them. It must be wonderful to enjoy them in the garden and also inside the house with such a unique vase. Greetings from Margarita.

  31. How interesting: I wouldn’t have noticed it was paper stock until you mentioned it. It’s a creative idea. The flowers you’ve used for your vases are lovely.

    • Cathy says:

      Thanks Beth – sadly the roses did not last long, but I had picked them when they were fully open so didn’t really expect them to

  32. tonytomeo says:

    Sorry I missed Monday.

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