I am joining in for the second time with Cathy’s weekly vase challenge and I am loving looking at my garden from a different perspective.
Helianthus, Iris Sibirica and Ruby Chard
We had spent last week walking a small part of the South West Coast Path, in glorious sunshine, arriving back this weekend to a change in the weather a 10 celsius drop, heavy rain on Saturday morning and Autumn was definitely here. Despite the lack of a cutting garden, the long late summer blessed me with lots of choice but the fierce rain bashed the roses I had wanted to use, so decided on some unruly triffid like Helianthus and although the rain had also bashed the Helinathus petals and they look a little windswept, the remaining seed heads were a jolly addition.
Gardeners gift Helianthus, cultivar unknown
They came along in pots of Zebra Grass from a Horticultural college plant sale and now unleashed into a border reach almost 8ft tall. I had briefly thought I had Jerusalem Artickokes, then read about Helianthus giganteus growing to 4m tall. Cultivar unknown and beware gardeners gifts but in the meantime I am enjoying them.
My youngest daughter was home for the weekend, she is a wonderful cook and writes a student food blog Lottie’s Little Kitchen Her visit this weekend to make the 3 generation Christmas puddings with my mum who is another wonderful cook. My talents lie elsewhere, but they allow me to stir the mix. Lottie brought her Kilner jars home to sterilise in the dishwasher too; students do not have such luxuries and she has lots of pickles planned.
The Iris Sibirica tough seed heads are left over winter, I love the frosted seed heads almost as much as the late Spring flowers.
Iris Sibirica, from my garden in May
The last plant in my vase is from my Vegetable garden, the Chard, sown earlier this year is running to seed and waste not want not, I have added a little today.
Please take a look at other vases encouraged by Cathy at Rambling in My Garden or join in, its good fun. I picked my flowers with an umbrella early this morning before todays rain does any more damage and now dried off they bring a little sunshine indoors.
