Sometimes the colours of flowers can be as dazzling as any jewels. This year only two of the Purple Prince tulips I planted the autumn before last have come up and they were looking a bit sorry for themselves in the garden. So I didn’t mind picking them and bringing them inside, where their delicate petals remind me of rich silk.
I have placed them with some of the bluebells from our garden, which following a conversation on an earlier blog I have concluded are a hybrid of Spanish and British bluebells. My mum used to tell me stories when I was a child of going into bluebell woods on the outskirts of Glasgow where she grew up and picking handfuls of them, but inevitably by the time she reached home they would be all crumpled.
I am hoping mine will last a little longer. This week I tried a tip from Richard and Hazel Ramsey from Withypitts dahlia farm in West Sussex. They always cut their blooms under water that is hot to the touch, then place them into a vase of hot water. I will see whether it works with these flowers from my garden. Finally I have added a couple of blooms of a lovely narcissus growing in a pot by our front door. I can’t remember the variety, but although the flowerheads are lovely, they are clearly too heavy for the stalks as they have all flopped – hence my bringing them inside.
For more beautiful vases of homegrown flowers, visit Cathy from Rambling in the Garden, who generously hosts the In A Vase On Monday meme each week.
Finally here is another shot of my vase with the gold plate sitting behind rather than underneath to reflect the second narcissus head at the back. The plate was a gift from my friend June who brought over nibbles on it and said we could keep it – it is actually plastic and great for parties.
Carrots and Calendula 
Love the geometry and colour choice in your arrangement. Have a lovely week.
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That’s an intriguing recommendation for cutting blooms – was the logic behind it explained? Do let us know how you get on. Your bluebells certainly look more Spanish than English – what are the leaves like, I wonder? I was intrigued about your Mum’s bluebell story, as the only bluebells I knew when growing up in Edinburgh were the Scottish bluebells, the harebells, which are different altogether and quite delicate so very squashable indeed! The plate makes a good backdrop to your pretty spring vase
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Such floral finery, regal in it’s silk and satin dress, perfect with the gold background. Stunning!
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A beautifully balanced arrangements, and the colours are so rich and delicate at the same time. I love bluebells and have fond memories of childhood walks in bluebell woods too!
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I love these colours singing together. I have left flowers to drink in warm water (dahlias) but not cut them under it so that is worth trying. Thanks for the tip.
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What a stunning vase of color, and I love where you placed it to accent the colors. Love to know if your cutting tip worked.
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Not sure it did – the blooms look a bit faded already. They were recommending it for dahlias so maybe not right for all flowers.
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I love the color combination.
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Even the mosaic tiles underneath complement the color palette of this arrangement! All are lovely, but the peach narcissus is particularly stunning.
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Thank you – wish I could remember it’s name.
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As gorgeous as those tulips are, the Narcissi blooms make the arrangement for me. All in all, it’s a scrumptious color combination. The gold plate is a nice touch too!
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Thank you!
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Such beautiful flowers. I adore the daffodil.
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I am getting to see a pattern: TULIPS! Now that snowdrops are long gone, and daffodils are finishing, the tulips are taking over.
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Yes we are so predictable on our little island!
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Little island? It is not just there. It is everywhere except here and the Southern Hemisphere.
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True!
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What a deliciously dark tulip Ciar – what a shame that their numbers were not as many as you had hoped for. I have a similar scenario too – a vase where just one tulip out of seven survived. In this case squirrels were to blame. A beautiful cream and egg yolky narcissus too. Is it scented?
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The ‘Purple Prince’ tulips are just lovely. And the narcissi do look lovely with the gold plate behind. That’s a good trick with the water. You’ll have to let us know if it extended the vase life.
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