In a Vase on Monday: Which Came First?

Last week I chose random blooms for my Monday vase, blooms that had missed out on being featured; this week I am choosing (mostly) blooms with shorter stems, blooms that have missed out to others such as dahlias, which could otherwise easily dominate vases from June to October.

Having decided to pick blooms that had not been included in a vase this year, not because they were not vase-worthy but more due to the seasonal abundance, I toyed for a while with different titles – Waifs and Strays? Pigs Ear? – but the ease of finding a prop meant that Random Selection, like the blooms, made the cut.

Camellias (Camellia spp. and cvs., Zones 6–10) are mostly thought of as shade shrubs, and common camellia (Camellia japonica, Zones 7–9) varieties do look best in the shade. The foliage stays a dark glossy green instead of the sunburned yellow it would be with more sun. However, there are some camellias that do fine in sunny conditions, even here in the hot South. Mostly sasanqua camellia (Camellia sasanqua, Zones 7–9) varieties and crosses can tolerate sun; they can grow in most landscape situations except for wet or high pH soil. As long as they have good drainage, they will thrive. Here are a few camellias that are sun and heat tolerant.

I may have been critical of Symphyotrichum ‘Little Carlow’ yesterday, bemoaning its height and slowness to flower, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like the flowers – because I do. It’s as if all the buds have opened at once, the froth of small lavender blooms creating an appealing haze of colour, accentuated by the addition of miscanthus plumes. Grasses seemed to be the ideal choice to complement the single stem of aster, and inspecting the two or three miscanthus in the garden I was pleased to find at least three flowering stems on Miscanthus ‘Kleine Silberspinne’ (Little Silver Spider).

With contestants from 15 nations all battling it out to win the Interflora World Cup, it’s easy to say that this year was a nail-biter. But before the winner was announced, our team headed over to Manchester’s Central Convention Complex to see what it was all about.

The starting point for today’s Monday vase was the tall spires of Sanguisorba canadensis. I am rather puzzled by them and can’t remember where and when I got the original plant, which was in the main blue & white border. It must have been over five years ago and I recall it flowering just once, but not leaving me impressed, especially as it began to spread without earning its keep. Last autumn, when I lifted all the contents of the border, I composted most of it, but planted a small section in an adjacent border, where it is now flowering generously. I have no idea why I wasn’t impressed before, because the flowers are gorgeous, six inches (15cms) plus of greenish-white fluffiness on each spike; the plant is exceedingly tall, I know,  more than its supposed five feet (1.5m), and thereby taller than me. I am not intimidated by tall people these days, but I do avoid the tallest of plants in my garden. However, I will overlook this failing on the strength of its blooms, albeit not literally!

If you look up garden ruins or follies in the dictionary, you will be told that they are ‘costly ornamental buildings with no practical purpose.’

How to Identify and Treat Common Camellia Diseases

Gardens can be a hotbed of activity for local wildlife, but much of this activity happens out of sight. Whether it’s nocturnal creatures such as badgers, foxes or hedgehogs, or elusive creatures like rabbits, we often miss a lot of the goings on in our outdoor spaces.

I am probably doing the Duchess a great injustice by implying she is a floozy, as I don’t know her well enough, but when you are such a lovely shade of deep purply blue that you become the focus of a vase on Monday, then perhaps you need to be big enough to allow people to take liberties with your reputation.

How to Identify and Control 5 Camellia Pests

Growing tea at home can be rewarding and fun. The best part is, you can also grow it in your balcony or patio! There’s nothing like watching a tea plant grow and sipping a piping hot tea made from the homegrown, organic tea leaves! Here’s everything about Growing Tea Leaves at Home!