In a Vase on Monday: Sweet Pea Sweetness on a Pot

Posted on August 3, 2015 by Mominthegarden

Sweet pea in a vase sitting on my antique potty chair

I’ve missed a few “In a Vase on Monday” memes, so even though it is 11:40 P.M. I am sneaking in with my post! You can join Cathy at Rambling in the Garden, and all those who have linked to her blog, to see what everyone has gathered from her garden this week. Here’s the link: https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com/2015/08/03/in-a-vase-on-monday-xtravaganza/

in our front hall

I was having a little bit of fun with this. You know, sweet smelling flowers on a potty chair! 🙂

sweetness on the potty chair 😉

I love the evening sunlight coming into our front hallway.

Sweet Peas in front of the sweet peas (you can just make them out in the background)

My Father-in-law started these from seeds he’d collected from my plants last year. Phew, did you get that? He gave them to me in cute little pots that were supposed to be planted right away… Eventually we got to planting them in the ground! So my plants are very late. I’ve been cutting them now in the hopes of bringing on more flowers. We’ll see!

last week’s sweet peas blending in with the garden

My vase of Sweet Peas was even more full last week! I loved how they kind of flopped all around in the vase, so I used the same vase this week.

blending well in the garden

up close

adding a lovely scent to our back room

Last week I had the vase in our back room. The scent really does fill the room!

What’s growing in your garden this week that you can throw into a vase? I’d love to see it!

Happy Monday!
Dana

In a Vase on Monday: Pink, White & Blue

Posted on July 6, 2015 by Mominthegarden

Delphinium, shasta daisy, Dusty Miller Lychnis Coronaria

Delphinium ‘cobalt dreams’, shasta daisy, Dusty Miller Lychnis Coronaria

Just recently I found myself looking through my past blog posts. My husband and I had a discussion and he felt I’d strayed away from my original ‘blogging about the garden’ plan since this past year I mainly posted on Mondays for the meme ‘In a Vase on Monday’. I saw his point in that I certainly need to blog more about what is going on in the garden. But I loved looking through what flowers I was able to create arrangements with during the different months.

close-up of that pretty blue!

So I will continue to join Cathy on Mondays at Rambling in the Garden https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com/2015/07/06/in-a-vase-on-monday-baby-face/ for her ‘In a Vase on Monday’ meme, and I will set a goal of having at least one other post per week. Start out small and go from there! 🙂

Our pewter water goblet. Can you see the picture of the ‘stamping of the grapes’?

This week my delphinium ‘cobalt dreams’ had one stem that was broken. I bought three of these plants just this past month and they are doing so well. They are quite showy! I think the blue and white are lovely. So I was happy enough to use the broken stem.

Dusty Miller Lychnis Coronaria

The dusty miller Lychnis Coronaria is just going crazy in my garden this year! It has taken over half its bed. All of this is from one small plant two years ago! I will have to move some (a lot?) of it to another location where it an spread without getting in the way of other plants.

Daisies and Delphinium

The above picture shows my blue delphiniums and my not yet blooming shasta daisies (to the right of the delphiniums)! That was taken late last week and they only started to bloom yesterday! They were divided early this spring, so they’ll be in two places along the ditch-wall garden.

a very ‘red, white and blue’ look

A rather simple arrangement, with an almost red, white & blue hue! Maybe you’ll join the meme? Or at least visit to have a look-see at what others have created? I hope you will.

Happy summer!
Dana

In a Vase on Monday (or Tuesday?): Friendship, Fellowship, and Food

Posted on June 23, 2015 by Mominthegarden

Special dinner with flowers on the table

I have lived in Ireland for almost seven years. Really, this is home. But I will always refer to the United States as “home” because that is where my heart also is. It isn’t an either/or thing for me. I love both places. What I miss absolutely the most from my U.S. home are my friends and family.

Selection of Irish Cheeses

It is tough being apart, especially when those people are as special as they are. Do you have friends and family like that? I have been so blessed with the friends and family that I have in my life. Definite keepers.

add some candles…

One group of friends that I made “back home” was through our church. I helped to start-up a women’s group when I first moved to the area and boy was that wonderful! We had a very original name: The Women of I.C. (Immaculate Conception parish). 🙂

Roses & Lady’s mantle (Alchemilla)

We were a diverse group of women. Some were stay-at-home moms with young children, some worked, some were grandmothers and everyone was welcome.

Colm De Ris Pottery

I miss that group of women… lots. So I was delighted when one of those special ladies said she was coming to Ireland! She has also moved away from where we used to live, so there was so much to catch-up on. But what we both realised was how special those bonds were that we had created through the women’s group, that fellowship. It is not something easily replicated.

roses, astrantia, lady’s mantle

Given that it is still going strong 16 years later, I have to say there is something special about it to facilitate that.

lucky to have a sunny day

We had a special dinner for my friend and her husband. A traditional Kerry (lamb) pie. As we set the table I decided that I would like a few flowers from the garden on the table, too.

My roses are just starting to bloom, and the Lady’s Mantle (alchemilla) has popped up in more than a few places! I believe the burgundy coloured flower is astrantia. It is new in my garden as it was given to me from a friend just a few weeks ago.

Yes the flowers were perfect, the food delicious, and the fellowship was priceless.

I hope you, too, have such amazing friends in your life. …and if not, maybe start-up a women’s group!

As always, the “In a Vase on Monday” meme is hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the garden. Stop by and see what other vases people have created from flowers in their gardens. https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com/2015/06/22/in-a-vase-on-monday-summer-breeze-makes-me-feel-fine/

In Peace,
Dana

friendship

In a Vase on Monday: Peony Pause

Posted on June 1, 2015 by Mominthegarden

Peony and Bluebells

Peony are such lovely flowers. It is a shame how short their lives are! I have to be sure to pause and take a moment to really enjoy them because all too soon they will be gone. My plants have finally established themselves enough for me to cut a bouquet to enjoy in the house.

I had a couple of monkshood stems left from a bouquet I had made last week (which I never posted about!). I like the purple and red together, although the two stems seem to me like antenna. This is the first year that I have been able to fully see that hosta on the left. Normally the slugs eat it completely! I rather like it.

Up close and personal.

among the plants

The vase is among the plants due to the high winds we’ve been experiencing! I do really hope that warm weather comes soon. I am linking up with Cathy at Rambling in the garden https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com/2015/06/01/in-a-vase-on-monday-pink-and-proud-of-it/ for her “In a vase on Monday” meme. Won’t you visit and join us?

Happy start of summer! May the warm weather find us soon!

Peace,
Dana

In a Vase on Monday: Parrot Tulips and a vase of misfits

Posted on May 4, 2015 by Mominthegarden

Parrot tulips

Given that I had a vase of flowers from the garden, I could hardly let my Monday go by without contributing to Cathy’s meme “In a Vase on Monday”! Thank you Cathy, of Rambling in the garden https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com/2015/05/04/in-a-vase-on-monday-in-your-own-hands/ , for hosting such a fun meme! Pop on over to Cathy’s blog to see some great ideas for creating arrangements from what is in the garden now from gardens all around the world!

up close

These parrot tulips are new flowers for me. We planted them last fall, and they have provided a lovely pop of colour in the garden.

front garden with parrot tulips

They are rather unusual, or shall I say “sloppy”? Yes, I’m sorry, I think they are rather sloppy the way they open up and seem to almost hang with their arms wide open! I still like them, I just find them rather … odd?

different backdrop

Their petals have a fringe to them, too, just to make sure they are completely different looking to other tulips! 😉

My second vase is filled with flowers that were either on the ground, or I cut them because they were on their way out…

what a stormy sky for a backdrop

Lovely colours, even if a bit tattered looking!

miscellaneous tulips

I’m loving that I had enough tulips to cut for a vase. I *still* struggle with cutting flowers from the garden! It’s not so bad if they are nearly gone though.

view from above

I’ll finish with one more look at a most unusual tulip…

Parrot tulip

Happy Monday!

Dana

In a Vase on Monday: Confessions from Mom (and One final week of Daffodils)

Posted on April 13, 2015 by Mominthegarden

4 different varieties of Daffodils in my new watering can

Well, it is Monday, it must be time for my weekly blogging confessions! I arrived home from work tonight to find our kitchen counters completely covered and in a very un-pretty state. This is not unusual at our house since the kids don’t really care about having tidy counters. So before I can do anything I have to clear off the counters. Here’s the confession part: then, instead of making dinner, I took pictures. Phew, that wasn’t so bad!

clear (and clean) counters

What is it with my kids that it doesn’t bother them if empty containers are left on the counter? or the compost container overfloweth? or someone left the counter covered in crumbs??? arg 😉 Lucky for me that is all I have to worry about!

lots of leftover flowers

I actually have quite a few containers of flowers in the kitchen at the moment! Some are usually on the table, but that was just too much work to clear for a picture (especially when I was getting hungry for dinner).

Hellebores from the garden

I thought I’d be able to work the hellebores into my daffodil arrangement, but they really did not go together.

my new watering can

Above my watering can arrangement is my favourite quilted pot-holder. It was made for me by my dear friend Betty who was 80 when she made it. She is now 86 and still making beautiful quilts!

Watering Can Vase

I bought the watering can this weekend out of necessity. I have finally planted some (read: LOTS and LOTS) squash seeds and when I went to water them with my regular watering can I nearly drowned them! So when I was at the store I opted for the much prettier metal can rather than the (cheaper) plastic one. It is cream and I think it matches our kitchen nicely. 🙂

another variety of daffodils from the garden

second round of life for a bouquet that was “spent”

This picture is of flowers which were in a bouquet last week. There were other flowers in the original bouquet but they are now good and dead. I cut these guys nice and short and put them in a much smaller container and they look really happy! Don’t you think so?

daffodils on the deck

And finally, I show you my back deck containers of daffodils (and bright pink anemone). There are two pictures, and look how different they are by just kneeling down, or standing up! I couldn’t decide if I liked seeing the grass and no sky, or the hedges and fields beyond so I combined them both into one collaged picture. Which do you prefer???

I will be joining Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for this fun meme “In a Vase on Monday”. Won’t you join us? https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com/2015/04/13/in-a-vase-in-monday-more-rug-than-carpet/

Happy Spring!
Dana

In a Vase on Monday: Easter Monday Daffodils & Anemone

Posted on April 6, 2015 by Mominthegarden

up close

Hello there! I would first like to start with an apology. I have not had a chance to reply to the lovely folks who commented on my post last week. I know, I feel terrible. As well as that, I haven’t had a chance to visit the blogs that I so enjoy seeing and reading. It is only because of lack of time, and I’m planning on catching up this week. I hope you’ll forgive me!

a splash of purple from anemone and muscari

The task at hand is posting for “In a Vase on Monday”, a fun meme hosted by Cathy of Rambling in the Garden (https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com/2015/04/06/in-a-vase-on-monday-having-my-cake-and-eating-it/ ) . After reading her lovely post about her Vase, you can then follow the links to others who always have something interesting to see!

How many varieties do I have?

Today I feature two different varieties of daffodils. I wasn’t able to find their names, unfortunately. The white variety came from my father-in-law. He gave me a bunch of bulbs a few years ago. The flowers are quite delicate looking. He is an amazing gardener! Here is a little peek at his daffodils:

Patsy’s Garden

They completely cover the back garden! It is lovely to see.

all yellow, with so many layers

The yellow narcissi are a dwarf variety. I have them planted out by our fence. They are new to us this year, so I know I have their name written down somewhere!

Highland Stoneware from Scotland

My vase this week is a Highland Stoneware jug which I picked up a few years ago on a “get-away” weekend with my husband. We went to Edinburgh to watch Ireland play rugby. Nice romantic weekend away just me, hubby, and 50,000 supporters 😉 It really was a lovely weekend (and thankfully, Ireland won!).

The rooster side of the jug

the hen side of the jug

Perfectly glorious weather

I actually put this arrangement together today (Monday), as opposed to the usual Saturday before. Being Easter Monday, everyone had off of work, and the weather was simply perfect.

beautiful blue skies

We worked in the garden most of the weekend. I’m pretty sure every muscle in my body was used! The garden needed so much work. I am so, so happy with all that we were able to get done. I just might get an actual gardening post in this week (fingers crossed!).

my jug floweth over with daffodils

Too pretty not to photograph

I did manage a number of breaks during the day as I simply felt compelled to take pictures. Everything in spring time is so pretty.

Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you are enjoying lovely spring weather, too!

Peace,
Dana

In a Vase on Monday: Daffodil beauties

Posted on March 30, 2015 by Mominthegarden

Narcissi Blazing Starlet

In all of Ireland, it feels like the flowers in our yard are the very last to bloom! I still have plenty of daffodils that haven’t even thought about blooming yet. But for today’s post of “In a Vase on Monday” I do have enough daffodils for a lovely bouquet of several different varieties (small prayer answered!).

Not quite opened … A rather triangle of a shape, don’t you think?

We’ve lived in our house for almost five years, and it has taken me all of that time to plant enough daffodils to be able to have a substantial bouquet! I was a bit finicky about where to plant them, what kind to plant, and how many to plant. I should have just gone with “everywhere, all kinds, and lots of ’em”!

Side views of Ice King and Blazing Starlet

I’m happy with the few different varieties that I have now. The Ice King is by far my favourite.

the Ice King variety looks like a carnation

a very simple yellow and white variety up close

bouquet of yellows and creams

I caught the very tail end of the sun on the day that I cut the flowers. I hadn’t paid close enough attention to the weather (read: I was deep cleaning the house because Easter is nearly here and God forbid anyone saw the state of what our house usually looks like!). So I desperately tried to find rays of sunshine through the window the following day. Unfortunately not only was the sun in short supply, the wind was too strong to photograph flowers in.

a hue more on the white side

But alas, eventually I found an opportunity to give it a lash. I kept the flowers low to the ground in a protected spot. The last thing I wanted was to have my vase fall over and break!

a hue more on the yellow side

The sun sure does make a difference!

Daffodil bouquet in the garden

prop!

See that poor little ugly duckling candle? That is my only Easter decoration out so far! I came across him while I was cleaning … which prompted me to ask my son to bring the boxes of our actual decorations out of the attic for me.

could win an award for ugliest candle…

He was kind enough to oblige me. Now I just need to get my act together and get those lovely spring items out (and quick!).

on the kitchen table

But for now we just have our cheerful daffodils (and the ugly duckling candle).

on the kitchen counter

Have you grown any different varieties of daffodils that you especially like? Please do share!

I hope you’ve enjoyed my “In a Vase on Monday” post. You will find other lovely arrangements linked to Cathy’s Rambling in the Garden blog https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com/2015/03/30/in-a-vase-on-monday-bluenwhite/ as she hosts this fun meme to see what everyone has in their gardens all throughout the year. Maybe you’d like to join in? Please do!

Happy Spring!
Dana

In a Vase on Monday: In like a Lion and out like a Lamb

Posted on March 23, 2015 by Mominthegarden

A Lion & a Lamb & a Spring Bouquet

Are you smiling? I hope so! I had a little fun with this “In a Vase on Monday” post. I came across these cute puppets last week when I was deep cleaning our playroom (read: went through all of the toys to get rid of what wasn’t played with anymore). I’m hopeless though, and only a few things were actually taken away. Items like these cute puppets were just squished into higher-up cabinets to have on hand for little visitors. (Did ya like that pun?) Somehow, thankfully, the room did end up tidied and I found some props for my post!

full view

I really can’t believe it is nearing the end of March. The weather was true to the expression: it was crazy at the beginning of the month and it has thankfully calmed down (enough to garden at least!).

Daffodil season in full swing (Ice King & Tresamble). These large daffodils have since turned a creamy white. the Ice King variety resembles a carnation.

We have collected quite a few different varieties of daffodils over the past few years and I am really liking all of them!

The small daffodils (Velocity) I bought from Mr. Middleton’s Garden Shop in Dublin. The catalogue describes them perfectly: early dwarf daffodil with deep yellow strongly reflexed petals and an orange red corona. So true!

pink anemone: Anemone coronaria ‘Sylphide’

I have only one pink anemone, but I thought it was stunning so I had to add it. It is my favourite colour of pink! Just one little bloom for the vase. This little guy is planted in a container. He did really well last year, and I’m delighted to see flowers again this year. I’ve read that the anemone will do better after several years. Lovely news!

Paperwhites were forced inside (and the family don't enjoy their scent!)

Paperwhites (Narcissus papyraceus) were forced inside (and my family do not enjoy their scent!)

stacking the flowers on top of each other

We have been so lucky to have good weather on the weekends. I have so enjoyed working in the garden! The sunny days help to inspire creating an arrangement.

Anemones blooming all winter long

I was rather surprised to have enough for an arrangement. If you looked at the yard you’d wonder where the flowers came from, they are spread all around, not really making an impact just yet (except for the purple anemones as they have been making an impact all winter.)

Anemone clump

Anemone beauty on a frosty morning

The Mr Fokker Anemone fade to a light purple as they age. They start a lovely deep, dark purple.

Belleek vase seemed fitting for March (think St. Patrick’s Day)

I missed quite a few ‘In a Vase on Monday’ postings this winter. I have to say it is nice to be back at it again. I hope you will also join us! Cathy at Rambling in the Garden https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com/2015/03/23/in-a-vase-on-monday-between-sweet-williams-two-lips/ hosts this fun (read: addictive) meme. You will see some lovely arrangements when you stop by!

Happy Spring!
Dana

my favourite picture of the group

In a Vase on Monday: Yellow and Blues from the Garden

Posted on March 16, 2015 by Mominthegarden

a few Tete-a-tetes transplanted from my friend’s garden (accidentally came with other gifted flowers!)

It has been quite a while since I’ve joined the meme “In a Vase on Monday” with Cathy at Rambling in the Garden https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com . This weekend just allowed me the time/energy/ability to gather together a small vase of sweet flowers, so I thought I’d humbly join back into the group. Feel free to join in, or just go and have a look at what others have in their vases. There is always something nice to see!

the vase in among my allium greens

We live in what we describe as a “wind belt”. It is always windy. Really windy. So I feared my wee little vase wouldn’t stand a chance and would be knocked over before I could even take a picture. My solution was to partially push it into the soil of the garden. I think that provided rather nice surroundings, too. 🙂

lovely colours together

My friend Susan also gave me a Pulmonaria plant and suggested they look well with daffodils. I couldn’t agree more. I have them planted in among my daffodils, but my daffodils come up so late! So I’ve cut some of the Pulmonaria and thrown them in a vase with my early blooming tete-a-tetes to enjoy that lovely colour combination.

a bit of sunshine

The sun came out for a total of five minutes (after I had taken loads of pictures, of course). I’m used to how this works, so I grabbed the vase and ran outside and took a load more photos!

full size & tiny size

You can really see the size difference in this photo. I should have put the full size daffodils in a separate vase, but I only had two to work with.

Tete-a-tetes with Pulmonaria in a Vase

so tiny!

enjoying them inside

I hope you enjoyed my arrangement. Thanks for stopping by!
Dana

Mom in the Garden

Enjoying life. In Ireland. With my family.

Category Archives: In a Vase on Monday

In a Vase on Monday: Sweet Pea Sweetness on a Pot

In a Vase on Monday: Pink, White & Blue

In a Vase on Monday (or Tuesday?): Friendship, Fellowship, and Food

In a Vase on Monday: Peony Pause

In a Vase on Monday: Parrot Tulips and a vase of misfits

In a Vase on Monday: Confessions from Mom (and One final week of Daffodils)

In a Vase on Monday: Easter Monday Daffodils & Anemone

In a Vase on Monday: Daffodil beauties

In a Vase on Monday: In like a Lion and out like a Lamb

In a Vase on Monday: Yellow and Blues from the Garden