Oh, it is a glorious day out there today – blue sky, barely any wind, sparkling sea and there’s that soft, autumnal light. And it is warm, almost hot, in the most sheltered spots in the early afternoon sunhine. I thought I wouldn’t find much material for a vase today but the sunshine beckoned, so I nipped outside earlier with my coffee and scissors just in case. Cathy, who hosts this weekly gathering of vases, encourages us to get outside and see what we can find to bring indoors. As she says, there’s always something…
I try not to use the same flowers for weeks on end but the Japanese anemones are still on the rampage and I’m happy to snip off more flowers. I also cut three little stems from a large clump of a sedum that appeared out of new topsoil that we bought last year and a couple of stems of a lovely pink aster (can’t remember it’s name…). This didn’t flower last autumn but it’s grown well this year and is now flowering away. For greenery, there are some tendrils of Clematis tangutica and a few seedheads of one of my favourite grasses, Stipa tenuissima.
Finally, there are two stalks cut from an old fuchsia that is in full bloom at the bottom of the garden. Now, I do not like fuchsias. They’re down there with rhododendrons, azaleas, kniphofias, and ornamental lilies on my list of least favourite plants. But when you look at the flowers close-up, I’ll admit there is a certain charm to them. They have pretty little ballerina-like shapes and the colour of this one does add a richness to the vase. Bees don’t care what plants look like and there are plenty buzzing around the bush, making the most of the late nectar, so that’s a big tick in its favour. It can stay a while longer.
Do visit Cathy’s Rambling in the Garden blog to have a look at what’s made the cut for her vase this week and find links to other vases around the world.
Have a lovely week.
acoastalplot 
Cheerful, sunny arrangement.
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That’s a really uplifting sight, and I love your Botanic Garden tea pot on the windowsill, too.
Margaret P
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Your arrangement is airy, bright and encouraging. The sun and teapot are just the things for this cold October morning. Thank you for warming my day!
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Thank you, Peter 🙂
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Very pretty. I love pink, red and white together. It’s true that there’s always something you can put in a vase. Maybe not in the dead of winter where I live, but most of the year, anyway. I’ve been known to put some unlikely things in a vase. 🙂
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There’s always something…
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A surprisingly colourful arrangement for October. I’m not sure I could find much in my garden other than seedheads at the moment.
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Seedheads can be beautiful though.
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It’s interesting to discover what an attractive proposition some of our less favourite plants can become when snipped for a vase – I can think of several things that are barely tolerated here but made an impact in a Monday vase, spotty laurel and mahonia for a start off! I keep manging NOT to pick my jap. anemones and yet they are so pretty, as are the seedheads too. Yours certainly lovely with the fuchsia and the fluffy stipa – thanks for sharing
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Your Monday meme has probably been responsible for many a reprieve!
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Hurrah for reprieves!!
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I love the wispy grass and the bold white Japanese anemone, and though you may not like fuchsia, I find them quite charming!
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You have collected some pretties for you vase. The grass is lovely. I like the fuchsia too. They always remind me of being a child and what fun it was to pop the buds.
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Well, I love the fuchsias and the Anemones. I am over the other plants you mentioned as well!
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A very pretty combination, I love the Anemone so I don’t mind seeing it every week while it is in flower. I read that you lost all your Dahlias to slugs and snails last year . do you leave them in the ground over winter, that seems to produce tougher new foliage that isn’t so attractive to the beasts! Otherwise you could grow them on in pots until that have reached a size that can take some damage.
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We planted new tubers into pots and tended them well, then they were feasted on overnight when we’d put them outside to harden off… It’s a constant battle here. Perhaps we should buy mature plants and leave them in the ground, as you suggest. Could be worth one last try. Thank you.
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You are good collecting flowers and greenery each week. The vase looks lovely filled with this week’s offerings. I’ve reverted to buying them in :o(. How’s the running going? xx
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Running a bit slack these past few days (cold brewing) but I am planning to follow a plan… x
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Fuchsia always reminds me of happy summers in West Cork. It was ablaze in the ditches for our September wedding. I love it!
I wish we could have a dose of your sunshine!
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Hope sun is shining for you now.
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Thanks Sam. Blustery but lovely here.
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That sunshiny vase is lovely Sam! I am also not a great fan of fuchsias, but putting them in a vase is a great idea. Love the white Anemone… They just go on and on, don’t they! 🙂
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We are having a run of warm October days here too, really beautiful weather. I love autumn x
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You seem to have very much the same flowers as us at the moment. I love the Japanese anemones, they last such a long time. What would we do without the fuchsia . It will still be flowering at Christmas. Beautiful photos. B X
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That’s a lovely collection. I always don’t like cutting many of the flowers in the borders but instead pick most of the flowers from the cutting patch. I’m sure a few flowers taken doesn’t affect the look of the borders! Sarah x
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Growing flowers for cutting is such a pleasure, isn’t it?
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Lovely flowers, teapot and window.
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Thank you!
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I find I’m often distracted from your lovely arrangements by your gorgeous teapots, lanterns, vases, and the like. I know the common wisdom is that things do not make you happy, but surrounding yourself with touches of beauty all around certainly contributes to a sense of well-being and happiness.
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I completely agree, Brenda. Thank you for your lovely comment x
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I do like the effect that the grass has on this delightful and upbeat collection of late summer flowers.
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It is amazing how much is still flowering, isn’t it? It is a gorgeous Wednesday evening here and I am enjoying it very much. x
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Nice! I like combining the Japanese Anemone with the NE Aster.
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I really like your vase as a reflection of your garden this week and apart from the aster (a plant I should try again as I understand you can get mildew-proof ones nowadays) I could have picked the same from my garden. Oh and thanks Sam for the reminder about Joan-J, it’s great to know it has your recommendation. The book of pears looks absolutely sumptuous. I’m going to look out for it at Wisley library and no doubt it will find its way onto my Christmas list too! Sarah x
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We’re going to the Brogdale Apple Festival this weekend coming to see their pear varieties (and the apples). There’s a culinary variety that I’ve been searching for for years.
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I am with you on reactions to fuchsias, but they pack a punch in your arrangement, with their bold red drops. The stipa has the opposite effect and I love the nebulous halo it adds.
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