It was inevitable there would be Tête-à-Tête in a vase here today, as perhaps there has been at some point in February or March every year of IAVOM’s existence, and joining the Tête-à-Tête were several silver birch twiglets, snipped from a larger casualty of Dennis’ misdeeds last weekend.
Searching for a blue vase to contrast with the bright yellow cheerfulness of the chosen blooms, the examples I have proved to be either too big for the dainty dears or not big enough to squeeze their stems into. Meanwhile, thinking along the lines of something sunny as a prop (because daffodils always look so sunny and cheerful) it occurred to me that the vase could instead represent the greyness of the day and my little Prinknash pottery jug fitted this idea perfectly – and a little cut-out cloud stuck on what is presumably a place name holder (obscuring a chicken, the reason for having it in the first place!) became the prop.
Despite a lingering prejudice against certain shades of yellow, it is still a pleasure to see these harbingers of spring, a reminder of just how close the new season is (and Jude tells us that Cornwall has recently announced the arrival of magnolias and therefore of spring). Am I the only one who forgets from year to year how petite these blooms actually are? I am sure they or other narcissi will be appearing in many more vases on IAVOM today – will they be in yours? Whatever you can find in your garden, do consider snipping some for a vase and sharing it with us – but more importantly enjoy it for yourself in the coming days.*
* I have been enjoying the little ramekin and its hellebore heads all week, only removing the main bloom yesterday and leaving two tiny and perfectly formed blooms, the product of those tiny buds of a week ago:
The small daffodils are really cheery and the minute I saw the vase I thought Prinknash, with the pewter like finish on the pottery. Here are my little yellow narcissi pompoms:https://noellemace.blogspot.com/2020/02/in-vase-on-monday-spring-flowers.html
Thaks Noelle and yes, Prinknash is very distinctive, isn’t it?
So very sunny on another grey day. Yes, I love their little yellow heads and they are so welcome. I didn’t expect the hellebore buds to open in the bowl but what a bonus. Glad your open day went well, a complete unknown at this time of year. Here are my hellebores: https://ablogaboutcompost.blogspot.com/2020/02/our-favourites-in-vase-on-monday.html
It’s the way they reliably appear at their own chosen time that I like, and we can be sure we are on the cusp of seasonal change. Yes, it was a big unknown even without the weather, so doubly so with Dennis to contend with!
Your sunny Tête-à-Tête are considerably more dainty than my effort this week! Delightful. I do have a few in the garden, mostly in pots, which I have been taking in and out of the house over the past few days to try and give them respite from the damaging winds, which have been plaguing us for weeks now. Both Ciara and Dennis left a few relatives behind them to keep us on our toes. We lost a good size alder tree to Dennis and I am blowed if he and his rellies are going to wreck all our precious flowers too! Love your hellebores. Real seasonal beauties. Amanda https://therunningwave.blogspot.com/2020/02/in-vase-on-monday-namaste.html
Sorry that you have been wellturned over by these unruly visitors, especially if they are wreaking havoc in your garden…I wonder what you have been able to present today…?
Cathy, the Tête-à-Têtes are a welcome sight this time of year and especially when weather is so dreary. Prinknash is new to me–love this as your container today. Your cutout cloud sent me back to carefree days of drawing clouds as a child. Maybe I’ll do some sketching today after your inspiration. I rescued a few daffodils after a snow storm but ended up with a different palette in the end. Thanks for hosting!
https://pbmgarden.blog/2020/02/24/in-a-vase-on-monday-color-burst/
I had to resort to checking weather symbols online to get a satisfactory cloud shape, despite the apparaent simplicity of it! Oh please do some sketching, Susie – it would be nice to know I had triggered such a creative urge… Prinknash pottery was started by the Benedictine monks of Prinknash Abbey in Gloucestershire
Love your sweet little daffodils. Nothing like that here yet. I too have a lingering prejudice against most yellows, and rarely allow them in my garden other than early spring. I have lots of forsythia bushes, and when they bloom with the daffodils, my whole yard glows like sunshine. Other than that – nope – no yellows allowed until echinacea time in August.
No arrangement today – no flowers here yet, but I’ll enjoy all the others.
I feel so apologetic about yellow – and yet some shades I am OK with, like chrome and mustard yellows. How much longer before you can expect blooms?
Tete a Tete is the perfect name for those daffs, alas I am too far south to grow Daffodils. I enjoy seeing all the spring bulbs in vases that I remember. I thought the jug was pewter, that is lovely. I am not that fond of yellow either, though I always end up with yellow flowers, a great contrast to many things. Happy Monday, thanks for hosting – here is my vase the anti Daffodil! http://theshrubqueen.com/2020/02/24/in-a-vase-on-monday-jurassic-parts/
In theory they are meant to have a tendency for double heads, but that doesn’t seem to happen often. And an anti-daffodil vase? How curious!
I had those Tete a Tete and February Gold further north. The Tetes were always a bit thinner than I thought they would be. Maybe they just need a few more years.
I think it’s just our memories at …
I was pleased to see the hellebore buds open so prettily. Daffodils are always a joy. My larger-cupped specimens are finally making an appearance here and there but they didn’t make it into a vase here this week. They will soon no doubt. Other bulb blooms edged them out this time around: https://krispgarden.blogspot.com/2020/02/in-vase-on-monday-new-and-old.html
Thanks for hosting, Cathy!
Me too! How long do your daffodils last in the relative heat? I wonder what bulbs you have today…?
Oh Cathy I love the little Tête-à-Tête daffies – just looking at pots of them in my case raises the spirits on grim grey days. I normally would steer clear of anything that colour but there has to be the odd exception. Your cut out cloud is a touch of genius. We both have clouds in our posts today 😄 My post is here : https://greentapestry.blogspot.com/2020/02/iavom-get-off-of-my-cloud.html
Clouds and earworms too!!
I love Cathy Tête-à-Tête with its sun color and small heads. They announce the colorful Spring. I really like the cloud you have made as a company of Narcissus. What a fantastic imagination you have Cathy! She is fabulous! It has been magnificent that the buds of Hellebores opened like lovely floating flowers. Greetings from Margarita.
After all this time I think ‘props’ are probably expected of me – and usually I can oblige!
These little daffodils are such a joy. We think alike, I am under a cloud today too.
https://wp.me/p3dx4o-3Av
I hope that it is just a metaphorical one, or a meteorological one, Chloris…
The cloud cutout is a delightful touch. I, another anti-yellow gardener, look forward to a bevy of those tiny, early daffys but this year the gopher activity pretty much wiped them out (only a few, where there once were dozens). Ah well, such is nature.
Thanks rickii – good to hear from you. Sorry your garden is affected by troublesome pests – makes me realise how lucky we are here in so many respects
Loveliness. The spring-blooming plants are starting to make an appearance here, poking through the soil, but it will be a while before we have any blooms. Thanks for sharing yours. 🙂
Oh I am so glad you do at least have the stirrings, Beth
I love them too, they’re always the first to flower and remind me of little suns. I’m under a cloud today so your vase is most welcome 🙂
Sorry to hear you are under a cloud, dear Annette, and I do hope it is something that will soon be resolved. Don’t forget, your garden is a good shoulder to lean on. Thanks for your email which I will respond to
Our daffodils are normally some of the first to bloom, but this year they are weirdly late while it seems that they are earlier in a few places. I can’t imagine why ours are late. It has been like spring for a month. There has not even been any rain.
Nature always her reasons, I think!
The daffodils know something that they can not share with the rest of us.
I think they do too!
The first tiny daffodils are always the prettiest (although there is nothing quite like a group of tall ones on a sunshiny day) and you have brought spring outdoors even if it is still wintry outdoors. Love the cloud and the pewter vase Cathy. Hope the sun comes out this week for you!
Thanks Cathy – it has been a mixed week, with blue skies in between showers – but without the chilliness of many Februaries