In a vase on Monday - Twigs bearing hope.

A sparse but fluffy vase today. 
I think this is Salix daphnoides but it is dark now I can't run out and check. We've planted a few mixed willows in a row as a windbreak. I've pruned the tips off to encourage bushy growth. I also need to go out and clear weeds around them and add cardboard and compost to suppress the new weed growth to give them more of a chance. Today is very wet, the dry spell seems to be over but I must get out and do it. 
These were soggy when I brought them in but now are dry and fluffy.

 
 The internet is so slow i don't have the patience for any more. I hope it speeds up so I can visit some other blogs.
For creative vases from around the world vist In a vase on Monday hosted by Cathy. 


 

I've surprised myself! - In a vase on Monday

I really didn't think I'd have anything worth showing off in a vase this week. However  a little thinking outside the box and here I am:

It's an edible vase. 

From the garden:
Flat leaf parsley
Rosemary
From my poly tunnel:
Chervil
Mustard leaves - very peppery, they clear your sinuses too. 
Rocket -now gone to seed but I've discovered that if you leave it you can pick the small leaves which grow up the stems.  
 

A quick look at the rocket flower. So very pretty.  





I often do this in the summer if a particular herb is doing well. I'm more likely to use it in the kitchen if it's under my nose. Though I'm very happy to wander out and pick things in good weather (many meals have been burnt that way, though neglect), I'm less inclined to do so when it's wet, dark or worse.  
I feel Rosemary and garlic potatoes coming one day this week. Toss potatoes cubes in oil, chopped garlic,rosemary and salt and roast until tender.  Delicious.

This vase has replaced the crab apple in my kitchen window which went so far that I thought it was going to flower and then shrivelled. See here for the original post. The beech leaves from last week still look very good. 


 


While pretending to help lay bathroom vinyl today, I sorted out my seeds. I need to do this before ordering so I know what I have. I've found plenty I forgot I had so that has saved some duplication. They are now in alphabetical order separated into vegetables and flower. 

You can see I cheated and bought some tulips!

These are only the flower seeds, vegetables are separate, and, yes, I will sow at least half of these. 

I've thrown out things I know I'll never sow, loose unknown seeds from the bottom of the boxes and empty packets. I found some odd things - one labelled 'unknown seed head' but only two things with no names. I save lots from the garden (and other people's) and aim always to name them. Even though I'm always sure I'll remember what they are.

I then sort roughly into times for sowing and store them in a box divided by cards into months, and also one slot for successional sowing. 
So now it's back to the seed catalogues knowing I don't need very much but there is always something tempting. 

For inspiring and creative vases from all over the world visit In a Vase on Monday hosted by Cathy from Rambling in the Garden. 

In a vase on Monday - Whatever we can find.

This is what we have been looking out at pretty much all weekend:

It is very mild though, that's about the best you can say about it apart from the fact it is quite atmospheric! Two days is enough though.

I have created two vases though. This is the first:

I pruned these off a smallish beech tree which is near our front gate. Some bits were pushing their way through the gate so needed a trim. I used my favourite vase and glass beads as suggested by Cathy. Thank you.

Then I remembered that there is one thing flowering so I should take advantage of that:

Mahonia flowers, I don't know what variety. Shown here with Heuchera 'Midnight Bayou'. For some reason doing fantastically well when others are a soggy mess. It's a little bit too much like a begonia for my liking but such wonderful colours and patterns on the leaves. Also a grass. I call it Hilda's Grass. I collected the seed when I used to look after her garden for her and have grown it ever since. Hilda has now sadly passed away but her memory lives on in my garden. It's a lovely bronze and green grass which gets quite big, falls gracefully and is perennial but I don't know what it is.

Now does anybody recognise this:

These are my plant labels, I've been collecting them in my shed for a year and a half. Last week I wrote all the names in this beautiful book which my daughter gave me last Christmas.

 
 

 I earmarked it for this job but have never got round to actually doing it. The labels are now stored away in a box too. I wrote the names of the plants and where I have planted them. 
How do you organise yours? Do you keep them in a box, with the plant or throw them?

For more colourful and creative vases visit Rambling in the Garden - In a vase on Monday - hosted by Cathy. It will make you look again at what you grow.

In a vase on Monday - green shoots and withered apples.

Welcome to 2017 and Happy New Year. The first day of the year was pouring rain all day and so miserable I didn't even want to venture out. Today is much better, dry and sunny but a very cold wind. The frost hasn't really melted all day. 

It's slim pickings here in the garden as far as flowers go just now but there are buds and shoots coming!

A few weeks ago - maybe a month - I picked this branch of crab apple to go on the kitchen windowsill. The window frames it very well. 

It's been there ever since but last week my son noticed that it is shooting. The little apples are very withered but look at the buds on the end...

So now we'll be leaving it to see how far it goes on developing. I love how things are determined to grow.

A few beacons of hope in the garden:

I'm not sure if this Hellebore is named, I think probably not. I must look through my labels. Organising them and listing  is a job I have planned for a cold wet day.

I'm so excited to have this Lonicera fragrantissima. I've never had one before. It's planted under my bedroom window and already putting on good growth. The fragrance is heaven.

Finally a new moon for a new year. Wishing you a happy and healthy 2017. 

 For colourful and inventive vases from around the world visit Cathy - In a Vase on Monday at  Rambling in the Garden.