I’ll sing you one, O
Green grow the rushes, O
What is your one, O? etc
Having walked past the seriously fragrant Sarcococca confusa several times a day in the last couple of days, I had planned that this would be my starting point. Admiring the glossy green foliage as well as the wispy white flowers, instead of choosing my go-to arum leaves for additional glossy shiny green accent, I chose the lesser known greater woodrush, Luzula sylvatica, an undemanding grass with a neat white edge that seems happy in any condition. Spreading readily, it would make good ground cover, but is very easily removed if or when it needs taking in hand.
At this point I looked no further, with ‘Green grow the rushes, O’ and a vintage green poison bottle immediately jumping into my head. Stuffing the plant material in the bottle not only meant no room for anything else, but also an unfortunately vertical and rigid vase – it smells wonderful though, especially now all the blooms have opened, and the ‘monochrome’ green and white segues conveniently into ‘I’ll sing you one, O’, with the dice to emphasise the singularity of it and perhaps my own singularity too! I challenge you to remember any of the other verses of the song, a traditional English one – I got as far as 5 before my mind became hazy!
If you would like to join us on IAVOM with a vase or jam jar containing material from your garden or nearby, simply plonked or expertly arranged, then we would love to see you, so please leave the usual links to and from this post.
Rambling in the Garden 
I love how someone wrote in Wikipedia: ‘The message of the poem is that men who are driven by money and status may not be enjoying their lives to full.’ instead, as the lyrics go, instead:
‘The sweetest hours that ever I spent
Are spent among the lassies oh’
A good poem for the start of the year eh?
Although my photo has a backdrop of pouring rain – taken on Saturday – today it’s nothing but really cold and very white outside (snow and more snow for weeks ahead now). Your beautifully glossy green leaves with the tiny white flowers would certainly be nice here!
What a curious response to that quote! You must have had a sudden drop in temperature to go from pouring rain to snow, Chris! Yes, a pure white background would have been lovely for my vase but, given a choice, I would pass on the opportunity for snow, thank you very much… 🤣
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It is lovely to see your greenery Cathy. And the sweet scent must be an added bonus for you. I vaguely remember the song but do not recall any of the lyrics so will have to go and look that up now! 😃 I think we used to sing it in my grandad’s green van (he was a market gardener!) on outings when we were very very young.
Here is my contribution for today. Thank you as always Cathy!
P.S. I just looked it up and oh my goodness the memories came flooding back! Thank you for that! 😆
You are very welcome – it is still in my head too, of course!! 🤣
Definitely the sort of song to sing on long journeys and when youth hostelling with friends too! The fragrance of sarcococca is amazing but, intriguingly, inside it is clearly coming from these blooms and yet outside you don’t smell it as you pass, but a little distance away…
The song is new to me. So are the plants. I love the deep emerald green in the bottle and foliage and the fragrance is an added bonus. Thanks for hosting and Happy Monday! https://theshrubqueen.com/2024/01/15/in-a-vase-on-monday-prayer-for-sun/
I wasn’t sure if the song would have made it over the Atlantic – did you seek it out online? I love deep green glass – and deep blue too
I looked it up on youtube, maybe popular in the early 60s? I have never heard of it. There was a recording by Richard Burton. Interesting, I love cobalt blue glass too.
Well, that’s when I would have come across it I suppose… A recording by Richard Burton? Why on earth would he have done such a thing?!!
I thought the Richard Burton recording was weird too.
I love your green bottle. I’ve read somewhere, and posted on it too, and it seems to work for me, that cuttings root easier in green glass. Hoping to take part today. Found a treasure in Goodwill, but the pickings in the garden are very, very slim.
Thank you 👍 How curious about cuttings doing better in green glass – I guess it must be light related? Hope to see you with a vase later
I was able to gather some evergreen plants in my garden.
Hurrah! 👍
I love these traditional songs and rhymes, and will have to look this one up. Scent adds another dimension to the garden whatever the time of year, and your ‘monochrome’ arrangement is very attractive. Here is my first arrangement of the year! https://noellemace.blogspot.com/2024/01/in-vase-on-monday-winter-cold-grips-not.html
Thanks Noelle – hope you are feeling much better than you were. Have you not come across the song before? Good for singing on long car journeys, treks with teenage friends or round a Girl Guide campfire! 😉
What a great vase for winter…and scented too! I always love the props you use. So creative. Slim pickings here so I have repurposed some dried flowers. We are into the polar vortex now so bone chilling here with no respite until next week. Stay warm and thanks for a spring-like vase to warm me. https://gardenseyeview.com/2024/01/15/in-a-vase-on-monday-repurposing/
Thanks Donna – it is cold here too, although far from as bone-chilling it will be for you, I am sure!
The fragrant white flowers must be a delight. I’ve never had the pleasure. Nor do I recognize the song. Will look it up later. Thanks for hosting, Cathy. https://pbmgarden.blog/2024/01/15/in-a-vase-on-monday-leftovers-and-bits/
The flowers really are astonishing in their modesty and fragrance
That’s a wonderful vase to start the week, Cathy. I still remember the scent of Sarcococca growing in my former garden – those tiny flowers pack a punch! I wonder if there’s a perfume focused on the scent? Although conditions in my part of the US are far warmer than most of the country at the moment, plants in my garden are still reluctant to flower but I managed to put a single vase together: https://krispgarden.blogspot.com/2024/01/in-vase-on-monday-peachy.html
Yes, even though it is a strong fragrance it is not overpowering – interesting question, and I wonder of Google has the answer…?
The scent from your sacoccoca especially indoors must be a delight Cathy. Mine in a pot by the front door is all berries and very few flowers so far this winter. I love the green poison bottle and can just envisage lilies of the valley tucked in it. I remember the song from secondary school music lessons. I don’t think we sang it at primary school but I could be mistaken. Having said that the only lines I can remember are the ones you quote and the refrain to every verse 😂
I am surprised how long the fragrance of the flowers lasted inside too, even a week later 👍 I only ever have a few berries on mine – I wonder why this is? I hope you have refreshed your mind with the song now, Anna!
Greenery with a bit of extra greenery. Sarcococca has such nice foliage. I am unfamiliar with that species, but I recognize the name.
Yes, greenery and foliage can be undervalued sometimes
Oh dear, I think I am too Australian to know the song, Cathy, but it makes a great blog post, along with your green vase and greenery. 🙂
My contribution this week is here ~~ https://homelifeonlineblog.com/2024/01/15/in-a-vase-on-monday-heat-survivors/
And yet I can a think of a few Australian songs that seem to be fairly commonplace here!! 😉 As usual. I am late getting to your post – catch up Sunday again!
Now I’m wondering what those songs are! 😅
Waltzing Matilda, Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport? Or perhaps they are not really Australian songs but just ones popularised by Rolf Harris… 😉
Haha, of course. I’d forgotten about Rolf Harris living in the UK. They are definitely Australian songs from past years. ❤️
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Love your take on singularity! I went straight to ‘black hole’ in my mind, but your story makes much more sense. 🙂 . Glad to hear that the scent is wonderful. Sadly that song has not stuck in my mind at all. I am amazed you got to five verses!!
Just an isolated one though, Cathy – a remnant of a small pot I had on sale one Feb that didn’t sell, which I planted in the verge at the front of the house. It reappears every year, but doesn’t really get beyond a bud before succumbing to the weather or general wear and tear…
Mine is flowering too, scented plants are so uplifting at this time of year. My shrub produced a baby which has been potted up and will eventually be moved to the terrace. Have a nice weekend!
Really? A seedling? And yes, such a joy, with fragrance reaching us expectedly. Best wishes to you both
It’s more a shoot that rooted while touching the ground 😃
I must look out for those then… 😉