Whilst clearing the contents of the cutting beds, I have sometimes hesitated, holding back the secateurs and erring on the side of caution and leaving some of the annuals a little longer; calendula have fallen into this category although really they are way, way past their best. Sadly, having saved seed last year, they have melded into a ubiquitous yellow from cross-pollination, although there has been an occasional hint of the distinguishing features of Indian Prince and Snow Princess. I shall be buying fresh seed for next year!
It made sense, I thought, to put them out of their misery and cut the remaining flowers for a Monday vase, allowing me then to cull the plants themselves. Once cut, there weren’t really enough for anything other than a small posy, so I added some yellow single unnamed dahlias and a few barely open buds of Dahlia ‘David Howard’, as well as some self-seeded nasturtium from one of the bold borders. On the cusp foliage of Heuchera ‘Kassandra’ provided autumnal support, along with a handful of fallen leaves from Amelanchier lamarkii.
One of the less obvious joys of the autumn season is the culling of spent plant material, piling it onto the compost heap and knowing in a year or so it will become a valuable resource for the garden, enough to mulch every border with some left to bag up and use to enrich conditions for specific plants. The 2021 heap is currently piled high above its retaining slats but will quickly drop back as the composting process begins, and a quick peek at the 2020 heap shows a gloriously dark and crumbly mix ready and waiting to be used.
The phrase ‘pushing up daisies’ refers to something being dead and buried; composting my daisies, however, and all the other spent plant material in the garden, instead brings new life and enrichment from what was once dead, just another of Mother Nature’s tricks.
Is there anything avoiding the compost heap in your garden that you could pop in a vase and share with us today? If so, please leave the usual links to and from this post.
Rambling in the Garden 
When I saw your title, I wondered what your prop would be – I imagined a little wooden coffin! HaHa! (just me?!?)
Instead a joyful vase of autumn colour and beautiful leaves. 🙂
Haha – no, A mini-coffin is not amongst my collection of things that might act as potential props… 😁 So not my usual standard of prop today, clearly….😉
Oranges and lemons! Lovely! So pretty and they won’t be together again until next year so I think they are having a lovely little party in your vase Cathy! I have just planted an amalanchier in the corner of our large room-sized garden. Such lovely coloured autumn leaves, as your photos show!
The soil under our tree is not great at all, and it is sitting in quite a wet strip of land so I hope it settles in OK. A bit nervous that it might not do well but time will tell. Have a good week! Amanda https://therunningwave290580645.wordpress.com/2021/10/18/soldiering-on-in-a-vase-on-monday/
Oh I do hope your amelanchier does well for you, as they are such pretty little trees
Hi Cathy, I love your bright and cheerful posy today. Those marigolds and nasturtium have brightened my day. Ive been unwell and confined to bed for few days so not been out recently to inspect the amelanchier we planted last year for its autumn colour. Will do so just as soon as possible. We don’t have a compost heap because our local authority composts everything for us. It’s not ideal but given our health issues probably for the best. No vase from me today, just a visit to cheer me up.
Oh Elizabeth, it’s good to hear from you but I am sorry you have been unwell and hope you are back to full health soon. I also hope your amelanchier is at its autumnal best and hasn’t dropped all its leaves while you have been indisposed.
Love the autumnal vibe and the movement created by the Nasturtiums. I have had a difficult time making compost here – always more green than brown but have finally cracked it! Compost this year has been used in the garden. Yay! Here is my vase, thank you for hosting. https://theshrubqueen.com/2021/10/18/in-a-vase-on-monday-whatizzit/
We don’t have shreddings as I find shredders really intrusive, but do add cardboard as a brown contribution, and it seems to work out well. I could really do with bigger ‘heaps’ although could perhaps ask the Golfer to extend the height so more slats can be added
It is amazing how much ‘waste’ it takes to make so little compost.
I can testify towards similar feelings of autumn, and your arrangement really sums up the wonderful colours that are still around. I may just go out and collect some of the Amelanchier leaves to scatter and add some colour to the mantle piece. Here is my contribution this week: https://noellemace.blogspot.com/2021/10/in-vase-on-monday-colours-of-autumn.html
The amaleanchier certainly has the best autumn colour of our trees, although usually I don’t notice it till the leaves are on the ground!!
Ah, nasturtium!
These flowers look anything but miserable to me, Cathy. I was charmed by this arrangement on first sight. However, I can appreciate the need to clear the garden to set the stage for the future. Despite their late start this year, my dahlias are certainly nearing the point to take their last bows. Here’s my post: https://krispgarden.blogspot.com/2021/10/in-vase-on-monday-dahlias-keep-on-coming.html
It always sad cutting down annuals when they are still in flower Cathy but needs must sometimes. Nothing beats your own black gold! A really cheery concoction of flowers and foliage which is shining out of the screen this end. I must peek at my alemanchier to see what the leaves are up to 😄
There are not many plants worth keeping in the cutting beds now, apart from zinnias and scabious, so more culling is likely this week. I tend not to notice the amelanchier foliage until it’s on the ground, because of where it is in the garden
This is so pretty. Beautiful colors. It is autumnal, but in a light way–not the heavy, deep tones of fall yet. Thanks so much for hosting. Busy weekend so I’m late posting. https://pbmgarden.blog/2021/10/18/in-a-vase-on-monday-savoring-the-moment/
I wondered if it was the nasturtiums and their foliage that freshened it up and took the autumnal edge off the vase?
Pingback: In a Vase on a Monday: Embracing autumn – Annettes Garten / Annette's Garden
A lovely, autumnal vase, Cathy, and I like the way you’ve shot it with the cotinus leaves. As I do my main cutback in late winter our compost heaps aren’t overflowing yet. I’m late, almost midnight but still Monday so here we go: https://personaleden.wordpress.com/2021/10/18/in-a-vase-on-a-monday-embracing-autumn/ Wishing you both a good week!
And I was tucked up asleep when you posted it, Annette!
I love the colors in your vase/bouquet! They really do show the glories of autumn. I am so behind in my “tidying up” for the season, but you’ve spurred me forward with the reminder to get the compost bin full in time to do some good next year. 🙂
Thanks Debra. My next big job is defoliating the roses, but the leaves will go in our green bin and not the compost heap, to reduce infection from black spot