Have I managed to fool you into expecting a vase filled with the wildflower meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)?! Instead, however, we have a vase of cultivated cornflowers and grasses, standing on a piece of artificial turf. A sweet meadow (of sorts), rather than meadowsweet.
Cornflowers do grow naturally in meadows in the UK and often appear in seed mixes aimed at creating a meadow effect, which generally looks pretty stunning. Cornflowers were the first plants to flower in my cutting beds this year and do create a mini-meadow 
effect in themselves. I still haven’t established what variety the lighter blue ones are, and despite my fairly meticulous seed-sowing records don’t seem to have included them, nor can I find a seed packet – but there is a definite drift of them so it is clearly a distinct variety and its origins remain a mystery. The others are Blue Ball, Black Ball, Red Boy and white; the grass, I think, is Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’ but, clutching the cornflowers, cut grass stems and secateurs in one hand, despite putting down the cup of tea in my other hand, I still struggled to delve amongst the abundant growth in the border to check the label.
Some of you may have forgotten that we replaced the small square of grass in front of the sitooterie, nominally used for me to practice Tai Chi, with artificial turf a few years ago, and some of you may still find it an odd decision for an avid gardener to make. The loss of 
habitat for wildlife in such a small area is minimal, and the garden provides an abundance of alternatives – not that we need an excuse for our actions, a decision we have not regretted. With the cultivated contents and artificial prop, today’s IAVOM is really the antithesis of a natural meadow, but the contents were still picked with love, highlighted by the vase given to me by dear blogging friend, Anna, of Green Tapestry.
Perhaps you will handpick blooms with love today too and share them with us: if so, please leave links to and from this post as usual.
Rambling in the Garden 
Meadowsweet I get it! A sweet meadow full of flowers, celebrating the links of friendship as well with the vase from Anna. I too am showcasing something from an IAVOM friend this week: https://noellemace.blogspot.com/2021/07/in-vase-on-monday-potentilla.html
Ha, yes, something like that, Noelle 😊
I love the story and the vase – and thanks Noelle for explaining the name (not enough coffee yet this early on a Monday morning!) Your mixture of colours is really nice. I started cornflowers for the first time this year, they’re just starting to bloom – ‘Silvery Rose’ was on the packet – and I’m looking forward to including them in future vases!
Silvery rose sounds an intriguing colour for a cornflower, Chris, and I look forward to seeing them in due course
The meadow effect is very nice as is the link to friendship. The range of colors is amazing. I love cornflowers but have been unsuccessful growing them. Just bought new seeds though! My flowers today could have come from a meadow too. Have a great week.
Thanks Susie. And I have found this year that spare cornflower planted in the borders do not seem to interest slugs and snails, which is a useful thing to know!!
I love cornflowers as well and can’t grow them in my garden. I have some artifical turf and find it grows weeds as well as the real thing. Meadow gardens are a fad here currently, not sure how long that will last. https://theshrubqueen.com/2021/07/05/in-a-vase-on-monday-fireworks/ Thank you for hosting.
Ha yes, I have found windblown weeds in ours too – as well as moss at the edges… Just makes it more realistic!!
Mine is a dog doormat, though I think it has good uses.
I’ve tried growing cornflowers here without success. Whether that has to do with my sandy alkaline soil, excessively dry conditions, or simply inattention, I can’t say. They look lovely in your vase. It’s good to hear that the small spot of artificial turf you introduced in your garden has worked out – I’ve heard horror stories here of it rolled out on school playing fields only to literally melt under the feet of student athletes so there must be differences in the quality of the product. Here’s my post: https://krispgarden.blogspot.com/2021/07/in-vase-on-monday-my-own-kind-of.html
It’s not something I would have considered a few years back, until I saw how realistic some could be – and for 4 sq m it was a practical decision. It’s interesting about your difficulty growing cornflowers – perhaps a combination of heat and drought more than the sandy soil
Aaaaaah both lovely flowers and vase too Cathy 😘 Your post title certainly had me fooled. You have a great mix of different colours – I love the deep red shade. I’ve not sown any cornflowers this year and am missing them. I used to grow them at the allotment where they would survive a premature Chelsea chop courtesy of the dreaded bunny. I must grow some for next summer as they are so easy going and cheerful. One for the September sowing list methinks 😂 My vase is here : https://greentapestry.blogspot.com/2021/07/iavom-flowers-in-rain.html
Is it woth given them a Chelsea chop, Anna? I know mine tend to finish before other annuals, but perhaps I should try cutting them back. I found some of the dark Black Ball self-seeded from a previous yearm which is useful to know. I haven’t grown the ‘red’ one before, although it’s actually pink, I would say! Still haven’t sown any bienials here… 🙄
Cathy I love the divine cornflowers in the fabulous range of colors – they are adorable. They make me happy and make me smile: thank you for such beautiful flowers. And collected with love, the same one with which your blogger friend Anna gave you the vase with the inscription “chosen with love”: I love it. It is a magnificent vase with a lovely meadow bouquet that is accented by the artificial grass on which the vase rests that looks like a green meadow, I love it. Cathy take good care of yourself and the golfer. Have a great week. Very affectionate greetings from Margarita.
That is so good to hear, Margarita 😊
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Yes, you fooled me! The cornflowers are a wonderful surprise, especially as there are different shades. A red one? It’s wonderful! I have tried growing cornflowers once or twice, but they flopped in the heat and got blackfly. Here is my vase for today: https://wordsandherbs.wordpress.com/2021/07/05/in-a-vase-on-monday-4/
Thanks Cathy!
It’s not really red though, but a lovely plummy pink. I have never noticed aphids on mine, so that was a surprise to hear
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Beautiful cornflowers! I love them, especially the light blue ones. There are so few flowers that seem to be a real blue. For me they get tall and floppy but your picture makes me want to try again. There are a lot of bunnies around here now that Mac the dog is getting old so perhaps they will give them a good ‘chelsea chop’. Here’s my vase today https://absentgardener.com/2021/07/06/more-sweet-scents-gladiolus-murielae/
Anna mentioned Chelsea chop – but again, there were rabbits involved! I now use horizontal netting at 2 different heights and that makes a big difference, reducing flopping and the need for staking generally
Cornflowers seem to be so Midwestern. Aunt Em probably grew them in her garden, along with sunflowers. When I was a kid, I thought that all cornflowers were blue. I happen to like the white and maroon ones now, but not as much as the formerly common blue.