Whilst photographing and writing for my EOMV post yesterday, I was struck by how quickly and seamlessly the woodland had morphed from the whites of snowdrops to the pinks of fritillaries and the early rhododendron and then suddenly into the blues and whites of bluebells and wild garlic – all in the blink of an eye! Nature continues to bowl me over with her subtle trickery…
Today’s vase showcases the current woodland occupants, bluebells and wild garlic, picked in equal quantities but with some of the latter discarded as they appeared to dominate the vase, a slim milky white glass car boot find. Leaves of arum, a smaller variety than the A italicum I usually use, were included to add extra green. The bluebells I originally planted in the woodland were the native British species, but with Spanish imposters in the vicinity there has been a degree of inter-marriage, something I am unlikely to be able to prevent.
Blue and white blooms require a blue and white prop, this time a vintage tea or sugar bowl decorated with ‘British Scenery’ and made by Booths in the 1920s or 30s. The bowl came with other random blue and white oddments in a box from a local auction.
It gives me great pleasure to pick material from my garden every Monday to create a vase and bring the joys of the garden inside – and additional pleasure encouraging others to do the same by hosting this meme. Please do consider joining us by creating your own vase and leaving links to and from this post.
Rambling in the Garden 
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Simply beautiful. 😃 The Arum leaves are an excellent idea for accompanying them. I can’t grow either of these, as we do not have enough damp shade, so I am very glad to see bluebells in other people’s vases. And as usual you have found a lovely prop! Here is my vase today, celebrating the last of the early spring flowers. Happy May Day Cathy!
Thanks Cathy. I picked the arum leaves unsure if the vase needed them, but they really do enhance the bluebells and wild garlic I think
Lovely combination of colour and form. I particularly like your celebration of woodland plants, perfect for a cool May Day.
Thanks Christine – although I suppose, having made the vase and written the post on Sunday, I will have to admit I wasn’t even thinking it was May Day the day afternoon, so it was purely serendipitous
I love these blues and whites! They match perfectly with the bowl. A bit of blue and white for me as well this week…
https://wp.me/p50zvt-2SN
It always seems a treat to have blue flowers for a vase, as they are not as common in the garden!
I love the blue willow china from that era and inherited several pieces from my grandmother. Blue and white is a favorite color combination of mine, I like the addition of the Arum. Bluebell woods must be an amazing sight. Here is mine, thank you for hosting. https://theshrubqueen.com/2023/05/01/in-a-vase-on-monday-tropical-layers/
As the bowl is not a willow pattern I would just class it as blue and white, but these colours very popular over a long period and will probably always add a vintage touch. My Mum asked me to bring a tea service down from the loft that she was given and which belonged I think to her great grandmother – sadly, it was not especially attractive (and not blue and white!) and several pieces were broken. She had not seen it since she and my Dad had moved in 1988
It is interesting what ends up in the loft and how you remember it may be different from reality. Did she like it?
She was non-commital and I suspect it had probably been in the loft of the previous house too – it’s certainly not something I ever recall being on display
Perhaps one of those things you keep because of where it came from. I have a few.
There is something about blue, green and white that is very relaxing. Simply beautiful.
Definitely calming, Beverly, which I suppose would make it beneficial for relaxing
Absolutely love blues in the garden and your vase brings them out beautifully. We are both thinking vintage bowls this week. Have a glorious week in your garden. If it stops raining by the weekend I may finally get out to do a little work! https://gardenseyeview.com/2023/05/01/sanity/
Thanks Donna – one of the occasions when you can’t improve on simplicity. Although we have had a bit of rain most days they have een the lightest of showers and usually very short, so it needn’t stop gardening for long
I do love blue and white combinations! I’d planned to put white garlic flowers into an arrangement this week myself, only to find it was already past its prime. It seems it takes only a few days of warm, dry weather to knock some flowers out here – and that’s all we had. There are still plenty of flowers to be found, though still no sweet peas 😦 Thanks for hosting, Cathy. Here’s my post: https://krispgarden.blogspot.com/2023/05/in-vase-on-monday-lion-roars.html
The wild garlic blooms will last a little longer here, Kris, then I try to cut them off before they go to seed and spread further! I have alittle posy of my early sweet peas on the windowsill in the kitchen, but they are not flowering enough yet for a generous posy
Arum italicum is blooming impressively this year, at least as impressively as it can. The papery pale bloom looks like litter in the forest. Arum palaestinum did the same earlier, with its odd black bloom. Both species are somewhat naturalized here, so obviously bloom, but their spathes are rarely seen intact.
I have never seen spathes on this smaller arum, unlike ‘Marmoratum’ which reliably flowers every year
They must flower reliably every year because I see the M&M berries that they produce. I just never see any more than scraps of their spathes.
I’m sure that the bluebells flower earlier every year Cathy. Such a beautiful colour which goes well with the white of the wild garlic flowers. You’re fortunate to have the latter to hand – do you pick and make use of the leaves in any dishes? A smaller leaved arum sounds appealing. Mine has assumed monstrous proportions this year 😂 My post is here : https://greentapestry.blogspot.com/2023/05/iavom-mainly-green-cream-and-tangerine.html
I must check back to see when bluebells have flowered before, Anna, as I don’t think of them as flowering in May, which it is now is. I think I probably bought this arum when I first created the woodland edge border in 2003, so it will have probably have a label somewhere, but no doubt well hidden (good grief- that’s 20 years ago!!). I usually ferret around for smaller leaves on my other one for vases and posies, because some of the leaves are really huge – in fact, I started with some for this vase but discarded them and went to find smaller ones on the other plant. I do aim to use some of the leaves but am not sure whether the Golfer’s ‘allergy’ to garlic is psychological and if he would reject wild garlic too…
Your woodland flowers look right at home in that pretty milky vase and the small bowl is beautiful. Thanks for hosting Cathy! https://pbmgarden.blog/2023/05/01/in-a-vase-on-monday-paeonia-madame-emile-debatene/
Thanks Susie, it was such a simple vase, but effective – and I am glad I remembered I had that milky white vase, as it’s a useful shape
This would be the sort of posy many children would have picked this time of the year over centuries, it has that timeless feel to it. Lovely!
Yes, that’s a good observation Noelle, thank you. Hope all is well
Yes all is well, just wanting to stay calm and focused on some admin and other things.
Hello Kathy, it’s been more than a wee while since I’ve joined in here but a lot has happened since. Your spring arrangement is lovely but your post reminds me that I no longer have my little woodland to wander in. Maybe I’ll plant up another one day. In the meantime, I’m concentrating on finding what lies beneath the surface of the new, very much neglected, garden that came with our new home. Today’s offering is mainly made up from inherited Spanish bluebells and privet cuttings – here’s the link:
Oops! Here’s the link: https://silverscrappers.blogspot.com/2023/05/in-vase-on-may-day-monday.html?m=0
Hello Elizabeth, how lovely to have you back with us – your absence was noted! I hope your move was a choice rather than a necessity and that you are happy with your new home and garden, albeit without your woodland
Hello Cathy, sorry about the ‘K’! The move was a necessity due to hubby’s increasing infirmity. I’m still grieving the loss of my beautiful house and garden but it is what it is. I don’t think there’s a lot to discover in this new garden – it’s previous owners were never gardeners – but there might just be a few hidden gems among the weeds. Fingers crossed 🤞
Oops? Here’s the link to my blog. https://silverscrappers.blogspot.com/2023/05/in-vase-on-may-day-monday.html?m=0
Blues and White are a favorite. Very beautiful arrangement. I found one lone snowdrop blooming out in the middle of the backyard today. Far away from the original clump. I love flowers that travel. Hoping to take part today.
Thanks – blue and white invariably make a winning combination as far as blooms are concerned. It amazes me that snowdrops can travel the way yours has done, but that certainly happens here too
It is like finding treasure to find that late bloom standing alone in the backyard.
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I really love the way the arum leaves carry on the cool white effect from the wild garlic. It’s a lovely vase all round, and all the better with your blue and white china bowl for a prop.
I didn’t realize that the two Hyacinthus species would cross in the wild; that must be frustrating, to say the least.
I have a very small contribution for this week’s IaVoM–with a favorite flower in it! https://smallsunnygarden.substack.com/p/the-smallest-vase
Most of mine seem to be hybrids now, and yet there are still climps of the original and some of purely Spanish, even side by side! It is an increasing problem in the UK as the they threaten the native bluebell woods, and I think it may now be illegal to sell the Spanish variety here
One of my favorite color combinations: blue and white. So clean, cool, and refreshing. Excellent arrangement–the Arum leaves just the right accent.
Thanks – I was pleased that the arum enhanced the blue and white of the blooms
I’ve always love the combination on white and purple flowers. This is lovely, Cathy, and so are you.