It has now been eleven years since Cathy at Rambling in the Garden decided to post a vase of flowers from her garden and invite other bloggers from around the world to join her. And they did, growing into a lovely little well-rooted community of avid gardeners. Friendships have blossomed, seeds have been exchanged, and for those not near enough to meet in person there have even been zoom get-togethers of vase makers. In all those years (is it really eleven?!) Cathy has never let us down and has hosted this meme regularly, including a ‘prop’ and often a witty title to boot.

So, first of all a big congratulations to Cathy, and a huge thank you! 🤗

In the depths of winter in particular, this meme has been an inspiration and has kept my own blog going while the garden hibernates. There is always something to find out there, even if it is simply a mossy twig or a dried seedhead.

To celebrate this special anniversary, we have been given the challenge to use the theme eleven for our vases today. Hmmmm…. tricky in November, but this is what I have come up with…

Eleven hoorays for Cathy’s In a Vase on Monday meme

1. Searching the garden for suitable materials has opened my eyes to the times of year when there are gaps. I have tried to fill those gaps.

2. Looking for flowers or grasses that do well in vases has also meant experimenting and trying out new plants that might otherwise have been disdained. (e.g. Zinnias! 😉)

3. Arranging and photographing flowers has a relaxing and therapeutic effect on me and is a pleasant way to spend an hour or so every week.

4. This meme encourages me to be creative and think out of the box sometimes. Good exercise for the little grey cells.

5. Having flowers or some other kind of garden material in an arrangement in the house – usually on my dining table – is uplifting.

6. Other vases shared by fellow bloggers are simply fabulous to see – I am constantly learning about new plants from other parts of the world as well as getting an insight into gardening in other climates. And the beauty in their vases is inspiring.

7. So many lovely blogging connections and friendships have developed from sharing our vases. ❣️

8. Mondays used to be the day for catching up after the weekend and doing mundane chores. Now they are brightened by colourful flowers.

9. It’s quite simply a lot of fun! 😁

10. It is an excellent excuse for expanding my collection of vases.

11. It forces me to go out on a damp grey November day to see just what I can find, and to be surprised time and time again and to be incredibly thankful for that. Here is what I found today! (All the other photos above are previous vases made for this meme 🌷.)

The Geraniums are the real stars, as we have had a few frosts recently and yet there are still a few unspoilt flowers here and there.

The pink daisy at the front is Chrysanthemum ‘Anastasia’, then the purple ones are Aster ageratoides ‘Ezo Murasaki’.

I also found some yellow Tansy, pink and purple Salvia viridis, some Persicaria and mixed grasses.

Many many thanks to Cathy, and to all those who contribute and brighten our Mondays, as well as to those who regularly comment on the vases too. Have a great week! 😘