WOYWW Week 845 - A Busy Week

Hello WOYWWers, Followers, Everyone

I hope this finds you all well and that you've found the time to be more creative than I have these last few weeks. That's not to say I haven't been busy. I really have. There's just no scrap pages to show for all the busy-ness! Instead, I've forced myself to tackle the black hole that is the shed at the top of the garden. There's boxes in that shed, the contents of which haven't seen the light of day since October 2022. Contents like the file of stencils and box of shimmer mists that can be seen on my desk this morning. I can't tell you how delighted I was to find them again!

I've been tackling the emptying of one box at a time with the aim to clear the shed completely by the end of August. It's been quite the eye-opener too. The shed is leaky, not to mention crawling with spiders, and far from the ideal place to store anything, let alone my lovely crafty stash! The plan is to replace it with a new, clean and dry, shed once everything has been sorted and cleared. 

Rain, rain, go away. 

Come again another day.

Storm Floris and the generally bad weather that followed has meant there's been very little gardening done. Everything got a thorough drenching and was looking bedraggled following the high winds. 

But, now the sun is out again and the garden is getting over the damage, flowers like these sweet peas and cornflowers have perked up again. 

Here's a photo taken from Saltcoats this week.

I'm not sure what the RNLI were doing up our way but it's always concerning to see the lifeboat out. There's been no news report, so I think this time all was well. 

What with storms, fires and the frequent appearance of the rescue services, there's rarely a dull moment here in The Three Towns.

But on a quiet summer's day there's nothing lovelier than the South Beach, Ardrossan.

Silver hated the stormy weather.

She's over it now and off out chasing butterflies. 

And finally, 

This mirrors exactly how we both felt during the horrible weather.

Silver has perfected the above!

That's enough from me today, I'm sure. To see more creative workdesks pop over to Sarah's blog, Sarah's Craft Shed. If you don't already do so, feel free to join in the fun and show us what's on your workdesk this Wednesday. You'll be made most welcome.

Have a great WOYWW day and a fabulous week everyone,

Take care everyone,

Elizabeth

In A Vase On Monday - From the Wild

Hello Everyone,

It's Monday again and I'm back with my offering for Cathy's In A Vase On Monday over on her blog, Rambling in the Garden.

This week it's another pretty bunch of wildflowers gathered on one of my tootles round the neighbourhood. There's red clover (Trifolium pratense), bigleaf periwinkle (Vinca Major), aquilegia, cow parsley (Anthricus sylvestris) and Hawthorn blossom (Crataegus mongyna). 

The little brown vase is a charity shop find. I've tried to make out the name of the pottery but so far none of my attempts to read it has helped. It's a mystery.

The froth of hawthorn blossom is a joy to see at this time of the year. Not that my mother, grannie and nana would approve of me bringing it inside the house. All three generations of women were incredibly superstitious! They considered it was certain to bring bad luck if it is brought into the house. It was believed to invite illness and death. 

Happily, I'm not a believer!

There's no association with the flowers and the wooden bobbins that I can think off. They just happened to be on the mantlepiece where I posed the vase for today's photos. They are a souvenir from a visit to New Lanark Mills - a very picturesque 18th century village popular with tourists to the area. 

As usual, I'll finish by saying that to see many more lovely arrangements, just click on the link to Cathy's blog, Rambling in the Garden.

Take care, everyone,

Elizabeth

In A Vase on Monday - Bluebells and Granny's Bonnets

Hello everyone,

It's lovely to be able to join Cathy over at Rambling in the Garden with my offering for her meme, In A Vase On Monday, once more. 

Unlikely as it seems, I was able to pick this little bunch of bluebells, hyacinthoides hispanica, and granny's bonnets, aquilegia vulgaris, from the garden. My much neglected garden. I don't remember where I found the blue and white jug but they look just perfect in it.  

The aquilegia is a reminder of the garden we left behind. It's a self-seeded bonus that sneaked here in a pot. 

As is the blue bugleweed, ajuga geneversis, found hiding in another pot tucked away in a quiet corner. I had trouble remembering this plant's name, the label has long gone, so consulted PlantNet which soon identified it as one of the many ajugas that can be found growing in gardens around the UK. 

Beside the jug is my collection of small books about walking, flowers and birds. I've been a hill walker most of my life, but now I'm in my seventies I stick to shorter walks on flatter ground. And, for fun, I take the time to photograph the many wild plants and wildflowers spotted along the way. PlantNet comes in very useful for naming those I don't know so well. 

To see the many lovely arrangements of gardeners more dedicated than I have been this last year,  just click on the link to Cathy's blog, Rambling in the Garden.

Take care, everyone,

Elizabeth 

In A Vase on Monday

Good Morning Everyone,

As mentioned in my last post, due to the paucity of material in my garden, I've been foraging up in the nature reserve for today's In A Vase On Monday. I was hoping to find trees in blossom but it's too early just yet. Buds are just forming on the hawthorn trees (crataegus) but otherwise there are no flowers. 

Nevertheless, all the different shades of green found make a fresh and pretty display. Unfortunately, except for the hawthorn, I don't know the names of the other trees I snipped from. 

I'll leave you with this shot of this stunning camelia, smothered in blossoms now, growing in a neighbour's garden. I've been keeping my eye on it for a while wondering how well it would do this year. My patience has been rewarded. It has excelled itself this year.

For many more colourful displays do pop over to Cathy's blog, Rambling in the Garden. Cathy's vase includes tulips that are much more bright and colourful than my all-green offering. 

Take care everyone,

Elizabeth

In A Vase On Monday

 

When we moved home I brought as many of the plant pots from my garden as I was allowed. They've been sadly neglected since so pickings are very slim indeed. 

However, after a deep search I found two tulip buds and one sad little narcissus peaking out of a rose tub. The foliage is from a self-seeded aquilegia and a curry plant (helichrysum italicum).

The photo in the background is one of my favourite shots of my late brother, Douglas. 

Given that there is very little in bloom in my poor neglected garden, next week's vase contents will have to come from elsewhere. Fortunately, there's a nature reserve at the top of my road which I'm thinking could be an ideal source of plant material. 

Please pop over the Rambling in the Garden, where Cathy hosts her very popular Monday meme, to follow links to other beautiful vases today. 

Note: Much as I've tried this week and last, I am unable to leave a comment on Cathy's blog. I've tried everything with no success. Things have clearly changed in the year I've been gone. 

Take care everyone,

Elizabeth

In A Vase This Monday

Hello Again,

From Helen

This lovely vaseful of tulips didn't come from my garden. They are a much appreciated gift from a friend. Currently, I don't have a garden as such. Just some scraggy grass, a few neglected pots and a privet hedge. Much to my regret I had no time since we moved in, or the inclination if truth be told, to concentrate on sorting out the garden here at our new home. That will change this year. With the help of my daughter and son-in-law who have kindly offered to help. We have plans to create an easy care garden for my 'winter' years. We're just waiting for the weather to improve.

In the meantime, here's a couple of photos of flowers that I have received in recent weeks. Sent to cheer me up and much appreciated too. And they amuse Silver too. 

From Annie & Dod

From Alun & Elaine

As you can see, she cannot resist flowers. She sniffs them, licks them, and tries to empty the vase. With the one above, she succeeded. Because of this, I've struggled to find safe places for my vases of flowers. I hoped she'd lose interest as she got older. Not a hope! She recently turned three and there's been no change. Sigh!

That's it from me today. Hopefully, I'll be back on future Monday's with whatever is in a vase, whether it be something picked during nature walks or from what has survived in the various pots brought from the old garden, I'm looking forward to the challenge. 

Take care all,

Elizabeth

In a Vase on May Day Monday

Hello Everyone, 

I hope you've all had a lovely May Day. It's been beautiful here. So nice in fact it got me out into the garden to see what, if anything, is in flower. 

Not a lot but enough to display in a tiny jug. It's been many a month since I last participated in Kathy's meme, In A Vase On Monday, but for good reason. We moved house in October last year and the garden has been very low on my list of priorities. 

I was prompted by the image on the front of my May issue of The Simple Things to create this layout of my finds. I believe this is what is called a flatlay by those in the know. 

I hope to be able to contribute more often but that's rather dependent on what, if any, other plants are hiding in our very neglected garden, or in the few pots brought with us.  

There's weeds and where there are weeds there's hope!

Until next time,

Elizabeth

In a Vase On Monday - Mrs Scott-Elliot

Good Morning,

We're up bright and early this morning, that's Silver and I. She's always an early riser - up with the dawn chorus - no chance, therefore, of a long lie these light mornings. So I thought I'd share what's in my vase today.

Aquilegia caerulea 'Mrs Scott-Elliot looking fabulous massed together in a vase. There are several different colour combinations in this variety but this one of orange and yellow is by far the most striking. 

The Denby vase was chosen for its colour too. Dark green decorated with a not too showy leaf pattern seemed just right to showcase these brilliant blooms. 

As has now become the norm, the vase is displayed on the kitchen windowsill, safely away from the paws of a very curious kitten. The window looks out onto Alan's blue painted shed, where he has his model railway set up, and our back garden. 

If you've filled a vase today and would like to share it, why not join Cathy over on Rambling In The Garden. Leave her a comment and she will be sure to check out your vase. There's a link to her In A Vase On Monday over in the left margin. 

Whatever you have to do and wherever you are, have a lovely day. 

Elizabeth 

In a Vase on Monday - Tulips

Hello Everyone,

Thanks for visiting my blog. I hope you are well and, if in England, enjoying the May bank holiday.

Not just tulips, but there's white honesty, yellow forsythia and the foliage from aquilegia. 

Any flowers I bring into the house now are like a magnet for the kitten. She can't resist examining the vase and nibbles at flowers. And she tries to drink the water which can end in an upturned vase. So, for the time being, my little displays are kept in the kitchen, out of harm's way. 

The eggs in the basket are from a free range source and delivered by our milkman. This very odd looking egg was in this week's delivery.  

To see more lovely floral arrangements pop over to Rambling in the Garden where Cathy hosts In a Vase on Monday every week. 

Have a good week everyone. 

In A Vase On Monday - Amazing Amaryllis

Hello Everyone,

I don't have a vase to share today ... there's not a lot blooming in the garden at the moment ... so I thought I'd share my amazing Amaryllis instead.

What makes it amazing for me is that it's the first time I've ever saved a bulb from a previous year and it's survived to flower again. 

Not that I did anything special. It's only been stored in the cold frame all the way through spring and summer but it must have provided the bulb just the right conditions to bring it on and bloom again. It's early so I.m thinking it will be over by the time we get to Christmas but I'm happy to enjoy it's beauty right now. And, of course, I will do exactly as I did once flowering is over and pop it back into the cold frame in the hope she will amaze me again next year. 

If my amazing Amaryllis has impressed you do pop over to Cathy's blog, Rambling in the Garden to see even more lovely floral offerings. 

In A Vase On Monday - Last Roses

Hello Everyone,

It's been a moment or two since I last joined in with Cathy's meme, In A Vase On Monday but it's also a long time since I spent any time in my poor neglected garden.

Not that there's many flowers in bloom now we're in October. These roses are probably the last of the year, although there's still a few hopeful buds on some of the bushes. 

The cream rose at the back is 'Patricia Kent', next to it is 'L'aiment' and the two to the front are 'Simply the Best'. There's a couple of sprigs of Viburnum 'Eve Price' tucked amongst the roses and foliage which consists of frothy fennel, pineapple sage, berried cotoneaster and a sprig from this little tree, 'Amelanchier Lamarckii

It was only planted a couple of years ago so it's still got a lot of growing to do. You can see how small it is compared with the old rowan growing behind it. The rowans have done incredibly well this year, so much so the branches are drooping with clusters of berries, said to be the sign of a bad winter to come. 

As you can see the garden has gone a bit wild over the last year and a half while we've been unable to look after it. We've had 'gardeners' in, only to see one pulling up prized plants so, for now, it's being left to it;s own devices. Although my husband is no longer able to garden, I'm hoping I will be able to get out there in the spring and sort the mess out. Well, that's the plan. 

So to see even more lovely floral offerings, from well-tended gardens, do pop over to Cathy's blog, Rambling in the Garden.

In A Vase On Monday - The Thistle and The Rose

Hello Everyone,

I hope you have all had a very enjoyable weekend. Mine was spent trying, but failing, to bring some sort of order to our much neglected garden. Deadheading and cutting back the too, too exuberant growth that's sprung up in all the borders gave me the ideal opportunity to check out what there was to cut for today's vase. 

As you can see there was a lot and I was spoiled choice. Particularly among the roses but it was the peach roses growing just below the dining room window that really caught my eye. 

When first picked, on Saturday, they were still to open fully. Today they have opened and the colours are stunning. Unfortunately, I can't tell you the name of the rose, they were already well established long before we moved into this house. 

Also making it to the vase are buddleia, a self-seeded gift from the old shrub which grows at the bottom end of the front garden, hypericum 'Magical Red Flame' grown more for the bright red berries than its small yellow flowers and my husband's 'thistle', eryngium 'Big Blue'. 

I could have picked more but both the thistle and the roses were so prickly, too prickly, they forced me to carry them indoors as fast as possible. And that reminded me of the old poem entitled The Thistle and The Rose by William Dunbar written to mark the wedding, in August 1503, of King James IV of Scotland to Princess Margaret Tudor of England - James being represented by the thistle, the flower of Scotland, and Margaret by the rose of England. 

I'm not always fit enough to work in the garden but I do when I can in the hope of taming the too boisterous growth of shrubs, plants and, of course, the weeds that have tried to completely take over every border. My son tells me not to worry - the overgrown garden is a perfect haven for wildlife!  

To see yet more lovely floral offerings in a vase pop over to Cathy's blog, Rambling in the Garden. 

Have a lovely day. 

In A Vase On Monday - Sunny Sunflowers

 Hello Everyone,

It's Monday again. The day I often show a vase full of flowers and foliage from the garden but today's different. 

These sunflowers are all that's left from a beautiful bouquet I received from my husband on our 25th wedding anniversary which was last Tuesday. 

I seem to be on a bit of a blogging roll at the moment - nice - let's see how long it lasts! 

Finally, it's kitten time.

That's it from me today.

Thanks for visiting and, as always, any comments are much appreciated. 

Take care. 

Bye for now. 

Elizabeth