When I firstly expressed an interest in joining Cathy’s In a Vase for Monday meme, the Garden Rambler understood my dilemma of only being able to find flowers in the cottage garden for a few months and encouraged me to “think outside the box”. So while wandering around the garden and looking at early dwarf narcissi, muscari and scillas which were past their best, I spotted a magnificent flower spike in the corner of the herb garden.
I had a vision of a large rustic earthenware jug full of sprays of creamy white and pale pink flowers surrounded by crinkly vibrant leaves. That was a mere apparition, reality proved more difficult to achieve for this novice, ham-fisted, posy maker. The stems were too bent and thick to stand in the jug and leaned at very drunken angles. Not at all elegant and I very rapidly became impatient and grumpy, so it was back to the “stick it a jug style” again.
Flowers still interest me more than the arranging and I was fascinated by the contrasts in texture between the flowers and the leaves. Perhaps not a success but an interesting experiment? In fact the more I look at it, the more of a clumsy disaster it becomes – nice jug though.
I do not have the temperament or the time to become a flower arranger and I’m far too impatient to fiddle about with the arrangers paraphernalia. The vision is there in abundance alas the skill is absent. However, I will stick with it (unless Cathy tactfully suggests that I try something else) and there is a faint possibility that I may improve. I like having garden flowers in the house and participating in the meme has encouraged me to look at the flowers I grow in more detail and from a different perspective. It also gives me a opportunity to practice my photography, where there is also room for improvement.
Very nice Christine, and the jug is lovely too!
Thnak you – the jug is a family favourite, bought in Alsace many year ago.
Thank you so much for ‘thinking out of the box’ like this as hopefully it will encourage others to do the same, although I am still hoping you will come up with a tasteful(ish) collection of pebbles or driftwood one of these Mondays. Coincidentally, I cut the first of my forced rhubarb yesterday and was admiring the beautifully crinkled leaves as I chopped them off and thinking how good they would look in a vase – but those flowers are something else, aren’t they? I am sure one wouldn’t notice these details without spending time choosing and photographing and editing – as you say, the meme is encouraging us to notice details like this, as well as looking at our gardens in yet another way. Any ‘arranging’ that takes place is a minor consideration – and not essential, so you can forgo being grumpy and impatient and plonk flowers in a vase whenever you want ps nice jug though!
I have something tasteful with driftwood and stones in preparation, but I’m so busy that I’m shamefully behind with writing, reading and commenting on my favourite blogs. However, the arranging has to improves, as it’s time to put the posies in the holiday cottage for the visitors to enjoy.
And I’m sure the posies will be in a vase, so…. 😉 ps look forward to the driftwood and stones sometime, when you are able to work down your list a bit!
The weather is looking rainy (Bank Holiday of course) so I may tackle the “pending” mountain
Sometimes I think I could do with a day of rain to catch up on inside things!! 🙂
You, my dear are much too hard on yourself! I simply ADORE this presentation! Good eye! D.
How original. I’ ve never really looked at rhubarb flowers properly. They look great inthat vase.
Sorry to be late commenting. My WordPress reader is unreliable; it gives me multiple copies of some posts and then drops some others and I suddenly realise someone appears to have gone silent. Glad you haven’ t.
I always enjoy your contributions so don’t worry about being late. I am perpetually behind with reading my favourite blogs and contributing. The timing of my posts is frequently erratic but I usually reappear with some eclectic nonsense or other.
I think I should have a go at this in a vase on monday. Like you I am not a natural flower arranger but I love flowers and do enjoy having them in the house. Maybe a commitment to putting something in a vase every week would help me to look properly. I am also quite keen on jugs and despite not ever having set out to collect jugs do seem to have acquired quite a few. Putting flowers in them would be a justification! Quite covet your jug to be honest…
Sorry for the tardiness you were languishing in the spam and I’m guilty of blog neglect. I am a closet jug collector and every so often another just appears. Do have a go at Cathy’s meme, it is fun and really can alter perspectives.
Like you I have enjoyed having flowers in the house because of Cathy’s meme (you could say almost life changing). I think your blooms look fun and very interesting to see them close up.
I do enjoy this meme, it is fun but very challenging.