I was sorry to miss last week's anniversary mini vases. I was away in beautiful North Wales enjoying the autumn colour.
These are Avignon Pink and Tarantula Red.
I love them for late colour and they seem to be easy to grow. Last year I left them in my tunnel and green house until after Christmas, potted them up but left inside then threw them outside when I needed the space. I'm not sure when that was. Probably spring. They stayed in the pots until mid summer when I planted them inside again. Some are outside and have buds on but some have been destroyed by the continuing rain.
I also took cuttings in spring which are very easy.
And now the awful truth about me and vases. Here is jar (Mayonnaise, it's not even a vase) which has been on my kitchen window sill for about 4 weeks, maybe longer. The Phacelia at the back has doubled in size and the Persicaria has grown roots. Aim for this week is to pot it up. It also has very pretty white flowers on it. This is where I pop any odds and ends or broken stems and they just sit there. Are you shocked?
Sometimes I take out the dead flowers! Sometimes not. Sometimes the water runs out.
Oh the vases we don't show, but you have the knack of making even those beautiful. The Tarantula Red looks wonderful paired up with Avignon Pink.
ReplyDeleteSometimes the simplest things are the prettiest.
DeleteLove all your chrysanthemums Alison! I always enjoy the spicy smell of homegrown chrysanthemums and their colours are always dusky and rusty! Re your mayo vase! It's great. I always have an endless collection of jars, tiny vases, this, that and the other, which has flowers in various stages of decomposition, or even drying out. I cannot throw away any flower that has some life left in it! I always think of the unfailing process the plant goes through to produce a bud and a flower, that to chuck it out before it's race is run is just disrespectful to me! Amanda https://therunningwave.blogspot.com/2019/11/a-bouquet-garni-in-vase-on-monday.html
ReplyDeleteOh good, it's not just me then! I agree, we should treasure all these things and there is often beauty in decay.
DeleteOh and me too, I always have a little pot os some sort on the kitchen window sill for offcuts and remnants,not all of which are alive - so we know now we are in good company!! Good to see your chrysanths too and I really like the Tatantula Red one. AS you say, they take up a lot of space but after my expereince I would say it is worth it for such late blooms
ReplyDeleteYes, I think they are worth it. I think many growers take cuttings and then discard the original plants. Last year they flowered until Christmas and then it was mildew which got them.
DeleteThese mums are a beautiful color, Alison. Every fall I see what other bloggers have grown and think I really must order some for the spring, but it seems I never do, as I'm in spring mode and not thinking of fall.
ReplyDeleteYour mayo vase is perfect... I'm pretty lax about my arrangements too. I have several small ones on my windowsill where I pop the pieces too short to make it into bigger vases, evolving week to week. The dead ones get plucked more regularly there as I see them all day long.
You do always need to be thinking ahead with gardens. I have quite a few now which I keep from year to year.
DeleteI'm very envious of the fabulous chrysanthemums both you and Cathy shared this week. Mums like that are pretty much impossible to find in my area for some reason. I popped in at my local garden center just this afternoon for planting mix and noticed that all they had was one relatively ordinary pink chrysanthemum for sale. I suppose I need to hunt down seeds and see if I have any luck coaxing the plants through our miserably dry summers.
ReplyDeleteI buy the plugs mail order and they are delivered in Spring. Perhaps you could find somewhere which will do them. I haven't tried from seed.
DeleteOh, they're absolutely delightful! I had to look twice because they ressemble dahlias so much. Beautiful, simple vase too that sets them off to perfection. :)
ReplyDeleteOh you must have been quite close to us if you were in North Wales Alison. I hope that you had a good break and that it wasn't too wet. I like your chrysanths especially the red one. Not shocked in the least by your confession 😄
ReplyDeleteOh, if I'd known I could have popped in!
DeleteI love the Chrysanths in a simple jug. Very effective. My vases usually go mouldy or dry up before anything starts growing roots, so you are very lucky! ;-)
ReplyDeleteI very much like your chrysanthemums Alison. Beautiful colors and textures.
ReplyDelete