My usual approach to a Monday vase is to pick whatever is in abundance in the garden (or whatever is flowering) and hope it’ll work together. Sometimes it does; sometimes it doesn’t. Today, there are two jugs of flowers because it was the latter, although I think they work well side by side. In the blue jug there are a few dark purple osteospermum, lovely pale burgundy-tinged Calendula officinalis ‘Sunset Buff’ (self-sown from last year), pink Japanese anemones, red salvia and lavender seed heads. In the flowery jug there’s a tangle of Clematis tangutica ‘Bill McKenzie’. I’d been chopping this back because I thought it was the invasive wild form but will stop hacking it now I know that it’s not! I love the little yellow lanterns, fluffy seed heads and twirling tendrils of foliage.
I’m glad to be joining Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for her weekly gathering of Monday vases. She has a lovely sky blue arrangement today, so do click on the link to see it and find links to many others from around the world.
A little flower faff is just what I needed today. Along with hundreds of other parents all over the land (we passed several on the M25), we drove our son to university on Saturday. It was pouring with rain when we arrived, there were families huddled under umbrellas trying to keep piles of bedding dry, scurrying from cars to halls as fast as possible without dropping anything. We helped our boy unpack and find a place for all his stuff in his very small room; he put his pictures up on the wall and logged into the wifi (essentials first). We popped out to buy him the groceries we’d accidentally left at home in the fridge… Then we said our goodbyes and headed out into the gloom. I’m sure you know exactly how that feels if you’ve been there. If you haven’t, I can’t really describe it yet. I’m still a bit dazed. I know he’ll be fine, he’ll work things out and, hopefully, he will enjoy the whole experience and come out with a degree at the end of it. As for us, we will get used to him not being here all the time – there will be lower food bills, less laundry, fewer missing glasses and mugs, it’ll be quieter – but in the meantime, the dog is doing her mournful small whine (she knows something isn’t quite right) and I am trying to not think about it.
Wishing you a good week.
PS If you love ballet (even if you don’t), you might like to click here to read the latest Agnes Q&A with Royal Ballet Principal Francesca Hayward – she’s an inspiration.
acoastalplot 
When we left Alex at uni for the first time, I cried along the A3 as my youngest son patted my shoulder and said, somewhat awkwardly, “oh, Mum…” And I cried when he, too, went to uni. In fact, I sniffle and feel sad each time but I know they’re happy to go back each term and I also know they love coming home. You get used to it, to a certain extent, but the first time is indeed the toughest. Best wishes to you – and to him! X
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Oh, that’s got to be a huge life change. I’m sure it’ll bring a lot of positives to both your futures, though. In the meantime, pretty flowers are a comfort. I love that clematis.
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Just back from 2 weeks in France and really enjoying a catch up on your blog. Your flower photos are always so….luminous. I guess you do have more light down there than we do up in the far north. Every time I read your In a Vase on Monday I resolve to “buy more small jugs and vases”. In fact I must verbalise this too, because my husband, who is driving back later than me with our stash of Brexit-busting wine, has just sent me a photo of a wee jug from a French hypermarket with the message “will I get this?”
Hope you’re feeling a bit less dazed. It is indeed the strangest feeling, like being homesick while at home.
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I feel for you, I can’t quite imagine what it’s like, I was talking to a friend whose son also went to Uni at the weekend. A huge adjustment for all. It was the first time I’d properly considered it, and I am not looking forward to it at all. Sending a cyber hug. CJ xx
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I especially like the flowery vase with the clematis, Sam, and had been wondering whether to introduce one of the yellow ones into the garden here – are you implying they can be a bit thuggish though? Both vases look really summery especially witth the hint of sunshine in the photos – we had o/n temps of about one degree last night so summer will soon be just a memory! End of an era for you with one son moving on – these are the markers in our lives, aren’t they?
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Hope you are feeling a bit better, it takes time to adjust, but it does happen, getting to like it, well never! Lovely flowers I’m amazed how the gardens are flourishing despite the strange year. I still have no flowers on my Cosmos! Lots of love Joy x
Sent from my iPad
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I never gave it any thought when I did it, but when my baby sister did it two decades later, I was worried about my Pa. She is his last baby! It was understandably difficult, but he did not want her to think about it, just like he did not want to trouble me with it two decades earlier.
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This is something I’ve done with our two boys and it isn’t easy. In the meantime, I really like that yellow Clematis!
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