It hadn’t occurred to me to use violas in my weekly vase until Saturday’s HPS meeting. We have a display table on which more confident members than me display various plants or vases of flowers, foliage, berries etc. These are then used for the morning discussion which is generally led by Bob Brown of Cotswold Garden Flowers and is the best part of the meeting. You certainly learn a lot, the first lesson being that there is more than one way to do or grow most things in the garden. We are very lucky in having a large membership with many excellent plants people and nurserymen which must be a little intimidating for some of our speakers. One of our older but very knowledgeable members had put together a tiny vase with viola and arabis and talked to us briefly about how to keep violas going and what varieties lasted the best.
I have some Viola cornuta ‘Clouded Yellow’ which I bought from Wildegoose Nursery last May and which have really bulked up and flowered well on and off ever since. Like Brenda I also added arabis as well as Primula denticulata, a white bell, some Ajuga, a spring of Epimedium ‘Egret’ and also Epimedium ‘Pink Constellation’. I like the pastel colours and they work well with the vase, which was a £1 find at the local flea market.
As as an aside its amazing what you learn via social media and although I have only joined in this meme for a month or so I have already learnt that tulips grow when they are in water – who would have thought. Compare the following two photos taken a week apart of last week’s vase.
Look at the Tulip Ballerina and how much taller they are against the picture behind. I hadn’t moved the vase as you can see from the drop in water level. I asked about this on Twitter and apparently tulips are known for growing taller even after cutting and they are a nightmare for professional flower arrangers. I am still wondering why and how they grow taller – any ideas?
For more Vases on Monday’s pop over to Cathy’s Rambling in the Garden – this meme is her bright idea and very good it is to.
