I hadn’t anticipated yesterday being a particularly busy day, but with a visit to support a local NGS (National Garden Scheme) garden in the morning, a commitment in the afternoon and then our least favourite garden opening task – putting up posters on the roadside – there was no time for any gardening. Suddenly, it was early evening and oops! I hadn’t prepared a vase for IAVOM… Nipping outside again, I snipped a bloom from Rosa ‘Munstead Wood’ and popped it into a little vase with a stem of graceful grass Luzula nivea – a very impromptu and simple vase – but I have some others to share with you as a bonus.
On Wednesday, the Golfer and I did a stint at the Staffordshire County Show, manning the NGS stand for a couple of hours and promoting garden visiting in the County. The stand was in the Floral Marquee and although there were not many classes it was interesting to seeing the entries and how they interpreted the themes. We were directly opposite entries for the ‘Coastal Chic’ class, and I enjoyed inspecting them closely. Without seeing them for real, you might not realise that they are all miniatures – ‘A petite exhibit using a shell. Exhibit must not exceed 25cm in width, depth & height’, I discovered later when I checked on the internet. Photos show (in order) a selection, 1st, 2nd and 3rd and a number of Highly Commended entries.
I am sure there will be ideas to be had from some of these.
If you have had time to pick blooms or other material from your garden for a Monday vase then please share them with us by leaving the usual links to and from this post.
Rambling in the Garden 
Your gorgeous rose looks like it has a punk hairdo – i like it!
Thanks for sharing the show arrangements a nice surprise treat.
Thanks Sandra – and the rose still looks pristine (apart from its hair!), which I am a little surprised about as it was in absolute full bloom when I picked it yesterday
Oh well done Cathy. So much to do and yet you squeezed in helping ngs at the show. Sweet shell arrangements, I hope no foam was used?
I have lots today https://digwithdorris.wordpress.com
It made a nice break except it turned out to be quite a cool and damp day (nearly didn’t take a coat!) and even in the marquee it felt chilly – for once I agreed to maximum heat in the car on the way home!). I didn’t think to check for foam but will do next year, I promise!
Sounds like weather I had at Malvern
I haven’t felt at all cold for weeks so wasn’t expecting it – and the Golfer feels the cold a lot, so he suffered, poor boy…
Hope he had some sweets to sustain him!
Probably not enough in the circumstances
Ha. No probably not!
Stunning photos Cathy…
Thanks Hermione – the ones from the show were with my phone, which is not what I would normally use for photos
Your little vase is sweet and pretty and sometimes something quick and easy is good. I suspect the floral artists took a little longer with their creations. I’m always amazed by their inventiveness and do love reading the notes from the judges, which I don’t always understand. Here is my link. https://ablogaboutcompost.blogspot.com/2019/06/in-new-vase-on-monday.html
Thanks Alison – I did think I might just use the show ones but am pleased I did make the small effort needed to pick and photograph the rose. What was it you were setting up for at your show? Hope all went well. I had a look at the schedules of the Staffs one afterwards and they made interesting reading too
I set up a Flowers From the Farm display with a group of other growers to promote British flowers. The public loved it and commented about the bees buzzing all around. Though there were other stands in the tent they only chose our flowers!
That’s a great vote of confidence – from bees and people!
I love the simplicity of your display this week. The show creations are rather marvellous, I especially like the last one, by Miss Bradley, which has a lovely naturalistic, coastal look.
This week my selection is old favourites from a new garden: Roses, snapdragons and lady’s mantle. https://doingtheplan.com/2019/06/03/in-a-vase-on-monday-new-old-favourites/
Thanks, as always, for hosting this delightful meme.
Thanks Jen – my favourite was third from the end
Your impromptu vase is very impactful. The rose is a beauty and the slender grass is just enough to enhance. Fun to see the flower show entries. Your life must be so busy—in the best way. Have a great week and thanks for hosting each week.
My own vase is quite the opposite of miniature. (I see the concern from digwithdorris about foam. I used an eco-friendly floral foam this week. It doesn’t hold up as well but still works well.)
https://pbmgarden.blog/2019/06/03/in-a-vase-on-monday-heat-wave/
Thanks Susie – Munstead Wood is such a great rose, and so distinctive too. And yes, things are busy here, but all good – particularly now we have those pesky posters up!
Sometimes less is more….but with the shell arrangements, more is better! If foam isn’t used (from Doris’s comment, above) – how would the flowers in the beautiful large shells stay in place? And, foam is a bad thing…for environmental reasons?
Here’s what I gathered yesterday:
https://countygardening.wordpress.com/2019/06/03/in-a-vase-on-monday-endings-and-beginnings/
Yes, the foam is not recyclable although it could be used a few times. People might use scrunched up wire, or metal or plastic pins called frogs (that look more like hedgehogs!). Or little pebbles, real or glass
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Very pretty and inspirational. I think I like the last one the best of all. So very petite and delicate. Thank you for sharing them with us!!!
https://customcomforts.blog/2019/06/02/this-weeks-bouquet-25/
Thanks Cindy – I was glad to be able to share them, and I love all things miniature so must bear some of the ideas in mind
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Your rose is very sweet and if you had had more time it may not have been given the honour! The little arrangements at the flower show are inspiring. Thanks for hosting again, especially at this busy time of year. Here is my vase for today:
https://wordsandherbs.com/2019/06/03/in-a-vase-on-monday-daisies/
That’s true – can’t believe I had actually ‘forgotten’ about a vase though!
I love your rose and pretty vase, and your “bonus” photos. I might have a go at these miniature arrangements. I’m trying to find something to inspire a 5 year old. This might be something she would like to do. Here’s my first sweet peas -for my mum, as always. xx https://bramblegarden.com/2019/06/03/in-a-vase-on-monday-3-june-2019/
Ooh yes – as a 5 year old I would have loved the idea of a miniature vase of flowers or garden…
I love ‘Munstead Wood’ and all the English roses, so your spur of the moment arrangement is a delight! 🙂 The miniature arrangements are pretty too…I probably would never thought of using shells! Thank you for sharing them with us!
Here’s my offering this week:
http://yeflowerlovers.blogspot.com/2019/06/in-vase-on-mondayand-more.html
‘Arrangement’ is stretching it a bit, Joanna, but thanks anyway! MW is one of my top favourites
‘Munstead Wood’ is a beauty and I have been growing that Lizula for years. What clever solutions to the floral instructions for the competition. I tend to think big so it was quite a surprise to realize the size of these displays. My offering is here: https://www.lindabrazill.com/each_little_world/2019/06/ivom-japanese-containers.html
Yes, I like this rose very much too, Linda. It was interesting to read the judges comments on the displays that did not do well, usually because they did not meet the brief or fit the theme sufficiently
I love that rose, new to me – Gertrude at her best? Lizula is also new to me. The shell arrangements are amazing and what fun to see all the different interpretations of the size limits.I thought 25 cm was more like 10! After I looked it up I could figure out what the plants were. Silly American. Anyway, Had a bit of an oops here http://theshrubqueen.com/2019/06/03/in-a-vase-on-monday-rabbit-food/
I would say they were all very much smaller than the brief allowed, apart from the tall element in the last one – in fact, I was surprised when I did read the brief later, although I suppose the size includes anything they are standing on too
I love little things like that – always so interesting to see the creative forces at work.
Love the rose. The meander through the coastal chic floral displays was fun. If you hadn’t said anything, I’d have thought many of those were much bigger than 25cm. And there are some great ideas there. I went a little wild with my vases this week: https://krispgarden.blogspot.com/2019/06/in-vase-on-monday-wild-in-more-ways.html
I love the rose too, Kris! And you, going wild with your vases this week…? Surely not…!!
How fun! I love county exhibitions. And your vase is darling with that one stunning bloom. That pink is so deep! My garden is still bursting with tulips and I am excited to share the queen tulip in my garden: https://angiebaer.com/blog/the-striking-queen-of-my-garden-queen-of-the-night-tulip.
It was the first time I have been to a County Show and it was really interesting, albeit on a surprisingly chilly day. I expect we will help again next year – perhaps I should enter a vase…?!
A fitting arrangement to show off Munstead Wood… a rose I love and what a scent it has too. To see so many lovely little arrangements just opposite your stand, quite the thing to have a peer at during any quiet periods. Like you I have been pushed for time these last few days: https://noellemace.blogspot.com/2019/06/in-vase-on-monday-pure-and-simple.html
Yes, I kept going back to have another peek, Noelle. I think everyone seems to like Munstead Wood and it is such a distinctive rose
Cathy your rose is so wonderful that she alone is enough for a magnificent arrangement, I love it. The photos of the Staffordshire County Show are spectacular, thanks for them. Greetings from Margarita.
Glad you enjoyed them Margarita
Thanks for sharing the interesting and inspiring mini-arrangements shown at the show. It’s always fun to see what others create when working a theme. I’m leaning towards a ‘burgundy’ theme this week: https://wp.me/p3O3z4-2kB
You are welcome, Eliza – it was a really interesting experience
As much as I enjoy growing flowers, this is why I leave the use of them to those who know what they are doing.
Well, creating a vase each week doesn’t necessarily mean we know what we are doing – but we enjoy it anyway!
If I a able to eventually get some more free time, I might partake, and I really do not care if I am no good at it. I do happen to grow some good flowers.
Go for it, Tony – just pick and plonk…
Oh, I probably will someday, but not just yet.
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What a busy time you are having! Your rose is a gorgeous example and there are certainly plenty of arrangement ideas in your captured Coastal Chic selection.
I’ve been out in the countryside for my vase: https://wp.me/pM8Y1-7po
Busy but enjoyable, Allison – and unless I get any more group bookings the openings will all be done by the end of June this year, so any pressure will ease off then
Well … I wish you a brilliant June then!
Thanks Allison 🙂
Oh ‘Munstead Wood’ is an absolute beauty Cathy and the scent is blissful. When my sister got married my matron of honour’s dress was velvet in that same shade so the rose always takes me back to that day 😄 I love the imagination and skill involved in those show entries. No vase from me this week – the spirit was willing but the body was weak after a marathon allotment session.
That’s such a lovely memory to have and it is intriguing how a particular shade of a colour can do that. I remember fondly the green of velvet ribbons when I was a bridesmaid to my older sister – very 70s of course!
I do love the miniature arrangements – definitely ideas to be had there! 🙂 Your Munstead Wood is lovely; it’s on my bucket list for someday… Meanwhile I have a rose myself this week, a single bloom and not even a supporting cast as you have with the Luzula. But it’s a rose that’s very special for me: https://www.smallsunnygarden.com/2019/06/03/in-a-vase-a-rose-from-the-past/
Yes, these little arrangements were far more appealing than the big and elaborate ones in other classes. I am pleased that you have a bloom on your very special rose
Munstead rose is a stand-alone beauty. What a joy the roses are this year.
Yes, she has everything I might want in a rose – although after a shower yesterday I noticed the raindrops weighed heavily so I will need to stake her. And it is definitely heading toward rose heaven here, as it will be for you too, I am sure!
Super shell arrangements, I particularly like the one in the large clam shell.
That’s my favourite too, Jude