Today as I was going around the garden to pick some flowers for the vase, I thought about how lucky I am. Not only because of our garden but also because of all the beautiful little things that just happen by themselves. As I get older I find myself being more and more grateful for plants which thrive without me doing anything. I just don’t need fancy plants that need to be pampered 24/7 anymore…ok, maybe with the odd exception 😉. I love the little, dainty flowers which turn up by themselves creating beautiful scenes I couldn’t have done any better. For years I’ve been trying to establish Fritillaria meleagris in the orchard but they just disappeared. Now I have them in a container where they’re happy and they’ve now even sprung up in the gravel around the conservatory! Then there’s the garlic mustard (Alliaria) popping up – a much welcome herb which I use along with sorrel, dandelions and chives in fromage blanc/quark, it’s so delicious! Cerinthe major ‚Purpurascens‘, bluebells (both Hyacinthoides non-scripta and hispanica) and cowslips (Primula veris) are wandering all over the place flirting with herb Robert (Geranium robertianum) and other wildflowers. This winter the main stem of Abutilon x suntense snapped under the weight of heavy snow and lay on the ground for a few days until Monsieur fixed it with a rope. It didn’t die – it’s full of flowers and looking very happy. I’ve been trying to naturalise wild garlic (Allium ursinum) and have finally found a suitable spot. Allium triquetrum is a lot less fussy and presents us with lots of star-shaped flowers. Little gifts which make me smile ☺️.
Heute, als ich durch den Garten ging, um Blumen für die Vase zu pflücken, dachte ich darüber nach, was für ein Glück ich habe. Nicht nur wegen meinem Garten, sondern all der schönen, kleinen Dinge, die einfach so „passieren“. Je älter ich werde, desto dankbarer bin ich für Pflanzen, die ohne mein Zutun gedeihen. Ich brauche Gewächse, die rund um die Uhr verhätschelt werden möchten, nicht mehr…ok, fast nicht 😉. Ich liebe diese spontan auftauchenden kleinen, zierlichen Blüten und Szenerien, welche ich selbst nicht besser hätte planen können. Seit Jahren versuche ich vergeblich, Fritillaria meleagris im Obstgarten anzusiedeln. Nun gedeihen sie in einer Zinkwanne und versamen sich sogar im Kies am Wintergarten! Die Knoblauchrauke (Alliara) hat sich hie und da eingefunden – sie ist mir sehr willkommen, da ich sie mit Sauerampfer, Löwenzahn, Schnittlauch und Quark zu einem feinen Brotaufstrich verarbeite. Cerinthe major ‚Purpurascens‘, Hasenglöckchen (Hyacinthoides non-scripta und hispanica), Schlüsselblumen (Primula veris) wandern durch die Gegend und flirten mit Stink-Storchschnabel (Geranium robertianum) und anderen Wildblumen. Diesen Winter brach der Hauptstamm des Abutilon x suntense unter der Schneelast ab und lag tagelang am Boden, ehe er von Monsieur aufgebunden wurde. Er ist nicht abgestorben, sondern voller Blüten und sieht sehr happy aus. Meine jahrelangen Versuche, Bärlauch zu verwildern, tragen nun zarte Früchte. Allium triquetrum ist weniger anspruchsvoll und verwöhnt uns mit sternförmigen Blüten. Kleine Geschenke, die mir ein Lächeln aufs Gesicht zaubern ☺️.
A mix of serendipity and destiny is the arrival of our new family member – let me introduce you to Tara who from now on will give the head gardener a hand…she’s marvellous at digging 🤣
Eine Mischung aus glücklichem Zufall und Fügung des Schicksals ist unser neues Familienmitglied, das ich euch nun endlich vorstellen möchte. Sie heisst Tara und geht von nun an der Obergärtnerin zur Hand…graben tut sie schon recht ordentlich 🤣
So here is my choice/Hier ist meine Auswahl: Syringa vulgaris, Primula veris and Allium triquetrum (top left to right). Rosa banksiae ‚Alba plena‘, Hyacinthoides hispanica, Vicia sativa (bottom left to right).
After the shooting in the garden, I brought the flowers into my study…hmmm, gorgeous scent! For more vases pop over to Cathy who is hosting ‚In a Vase on a Monday‘.
Nach dem Shooting im Garten habe ich den Strauss in mein Büro mitgenommen…köstlich, dieser Duft! Mehr Vasen findet ihr bei Cathy, die die Montagsvase ins Leben gerufen hat.
Wishing you a great week with lots of serendipity ❣️
Ich wünsche euch eine gute Woche mit vielen glücklichen Zufällen ❣️
Annettes Garten / Annette's Garden 
Beautiful Annette! As always I would love to wander through your peaceful gardens with you and your dogs. Can I bring my Molly with me to meet Tara and help her with the digging? Wishing you weren’t so very far away.
So do I, Cindy! Here’s hoping the digging phase won’t last too long. All the best x
Your flowers are lovely both as botanic art and in a vase, Annette. Our unusually heavy rainfall has resurrected some flowers I thought were long gone so I’m also appreciating serendipity at present. It’s wonderful to meet Tara and to know that the head gardener now has an able assistant.
I’m so happy about your rain, Kris. Missed you at our zoom meeting. Had some rain too and will now mulch the borders. Just read in Merlin’s (bird app) newsletter today how lots of wildlife is actually thriving on forest fires. Knew this is true for plants -so much to learn.
Lovely to appreciate these simple yet important gifts all around us. Thanks for the reminder. Your vase flowers and photographs are particularly beautiful.
Thank you for your appreciation. 🙏I don’t think you do need a reminder, you’re a very mindful and sensitive person. Have a good week
What an elegant vase of flower treasures….
thank you, Donna 🙂
I love the pastel colors together and am in complete agreement on serendipity in the garden. Mine takes a much different form! How wonderful to have lilacs. Tara is beautiful, I hope you can direct her digging in a positive direction. What breed are your dogs?
I love pastel colours too, same for the deer which always go for the pastel roses. They’re Rhodesian Ridgebacks which are usually not into digging so I’m hopeful that she’ll stop soon.
Oh, I love sighthounds. I have never had enough room for a RR. It is hard to tell how big they are in pictures.
They’re actually bloodhounds, excellent nose. My husband trained his first one for hunting. They’re the size of a Labrador. Not an easy breed but when you understand them they’re the best companions you can get.
That’s interesting, the AKC here classifies them as sighthounds along with greyhounds for lure coursing I think. I have met a few bigger than my greyhounds but they are fairly rare here. There is a lot to learn about hounds lurchers being the most recent new dog to me. I love the hounds!
Oh, didn’t know you have greyhounds! I’d love to see them sometime – next to a vase perhaps? 🙂
We had two for years. Now down to one, Fiona, who is a princess and loves being the only dog. I will post a picture.
What a lovely post, Annette, and what a good idea to focus on these serendipitous good-doers – nothing contrived about your vase at all, and isn’t it lovely? I am not a ‚dog person‘ but I can tell that your new apprentice will bring the family a lot of pleasure, despite the digging! ps love the tableau too
Thanks, Cathy, and yes, contrived vases are definitely not my style. Tara keeps us all on our toes, we’re flat out each night 😅
What a gorgeous post Annette! All your photos are full of spring sunlight and the joy it brings! I really love the way you have laid out the ingredients of your vase first. The wild flowers you find in your garden are ones I love too – garlic mustard, wild garlic… I am still trying out different spots for wild garlic with limited success though! They grew so well in the area we used to live in but the soil and woodlands are different here. Tara looks quite cute in the photo. I bet she has Nahia running in circles! 🤗
She has us all running in circles, I can assure you 🤣 So glad the wild garlic is finally settling. In my old garden they’ve covered a bank in no time. I’m also thrilled about how the cyclamen have spread, thanks to the ants no doubt.
Wunder-wunderschöne Bilder zum Träumen ❣️ Das neue Familienmitglied ist zum Knuddeln
Danke 🙂
A warm welcome to Tara, she’s so pretty. Stunning images as always and I love the vase. Lilac reminds me of my childhood like no other flower.
Thank you, Maureen, I agree – the perfume of lilac and the call of the cuckoo ☺️
Perfection 🙏
So schön ! Nun hat es die Schnecke bis auf die Fensterbank geschafft !
Hoffe, sie knabbert nicht am frischen Grün.
Wunderschön arrangiert, danke!
Wir sind gerade an einem wirklich scheinbar abgestorbenen, vermoosten, blattlosen Kirschbaum vorbeigegangen. Er Blüht !!! Ein nachdenklich stimmendes Bild, sehr skurril .
Herzliche, liebe Grüße ,
Angela
Sie ist schon die ganze Zeit dort und dein Engel hängt am Fenster vor meinem Schreibtisch. Da kann nix mehr schiefgehen 🤗 Den Kirschbaum sehe ich als Omen – er zeigt den Zustand unserer Welt und dass nicht alles verloren ist. Liebe Grüße
hallo Annette,
I am so happy that you, as a specialist in plants, love the natural small ones in your own garden.
I adore them. Still more after reading the results of a test at a university:
During two years tests of to hot, to dry, extreme wind, to much rain, … on different seeded square meters:
with only 1 sort of seed: nothing stayed a life.
with two different seeds which bares different extreme circumstances: often one could survive.
with a lot of different seeds: the ground stayed always covered by plants-flowers.
I’m dreaming farward: places where there is no bare ground and always green growing: there are drops of water under it, also when its very dry in the morning, followed by evaporation …
maybe that means that all those sqare meters of gazon grass can make rain if we let grow all the small flowers between the grass and when we don’t cut it too short.
greetings
Hilde Schepens
Hi Hilde, you’re so right. Bare soil is what we absolutely must avoid. It’s prone to erosion, drought and „weeds“. We should study nature and embrace the little plants which happily thrive all by themselves. In nature ground is covered by all sorts of plants. It’s such an inspiration. My lawn is full of wildflowers and thus insects, a joy to behold. Wishing you a happy gardening year
Those plants that just get on with things and don’t need pampering are indeed the best ones Annette 😀 Pleased to meet Tara who has a lovely quizical look on here face. Is that a little wooly snail lurking at the side your vase 🤔 😂
Yes, it’s a snail a blogger friend sent me. The place is currently being taken over by wildflowers, it’s that time of year. But in a few weeks it’ll all come to a halt so I enjoy it while it lasts. 😁
Aren’t those flowers just lovely! It’s so nice to see some of your garden too! Hello dear Tara .. bug hugs Annette xx
Good to hear from you, Julie. My favourite time of year, everything’s growing like mad without me doing anything. Hope all is well and you’re enjoying a relaxing autumn xx