In a Vase on Monday

It’s been a good year for Knautia, if only it didn’t insist on leaning or growing at an angle then I might like it much more. However, its leaning means it’s mingling nicely with the Bird’s Foot Trefoil to create a stark contrast in colours.

Trio of bottles

I added the Geranium because it needed a cut back and a tidy, and I couldn’t let the blooms go to waste.

Flower bottles

Please pop on over to Cathy for more vase posts today.

Tags: bokeh, flower, flowers, garden, july, macro, mill bottle, photo, pink, purple, sheffield, summer, vase, yellow

22 thoughts on “In a Vase on Monday”

Christina on July 21, 2014 at 4:29 pm said:

My Knautia is doing much the same thing, I have staked it now but too late really, it is always better to do it before the plant grows. Even the plant in the garden is doing well this year because of all the rain.

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- Liz on July 21, 2014 at 10:49 pm said:
  
  Hi Christina,
  
  I don’t like stalking things, but sometimes it just has to be done… Although I often find myself just not keeping plants that rely heavily on stalking. This year the Veronicastrum is heavily leaning too, but I suspect it’s a shade/light issue this year because they’ve never really done it before.
  
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Eden on July 21, 2014 at 4:32 pm said:

Lovely images! Great set.

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- Liz on July 21, 2014 at 10:49 pm said:
  
  Hi,
  
  thanks very much, pleased you liked them.
  
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Nguyên-Kan on July 21, 2014 at 5:36 pm said:

so beautiful!

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- Liz on July 21, 2014 at 10:50 pm said:
  
  Hi,
  
  Thanks muchly 🙂
  
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Ronnie@Hurtledto60 on July 21, 2014 at 5:38 pm said:

So pretty! Knautica just does not like growing in my garden despite regularly being given plants from a friend whose garden is over run with it every year…so frustrating.

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- Liz on July 21, 2014 at 10:51 pm said:
  
  Hi Ronnie,
  
  I’m surprised you struggle with Knautia – and I hadn’t realised people have problems with it but you’re not the first to mention. But if you’re able to grow Scabious, then it’s pretty much the same so I wouldn’t worry – plus the insects love Scabious but don’t seem interested in Knautia.
  
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christianekraft on July 21, 2014 at 6:02 pm said:

Really wonderful !!!

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- Liz on July 21, 2014 at 10:51 pm said:
  
  Hi,
  
  Thanks for stopping by; I’m glad you enjoyed my photos.
  
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Donna@GardensEyeView on July 21, 2014 at 7:15 pm said:

Liz I really love the trio of bottles in the basket…and especially the Knautia which I agree is putting on quite a show so I have been using it too. And absolutely I also am using flowers of plants I had to cut back…perfect for a vase.

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- Liz on July 21, 2014 at 10:55 pm said:
  
  Hi Donna,
  
  I think using old milk bottles is quite the ‘in’ thing at the moment (here at least) and they’re quite easily found. I must admit I like the simplicity, and never one for fancy vases as I prefer modern plain glass, they suit me just fine.
  
  Perhaps I should’ve saved some of the Herb Robert that I ripped out today and used them in vases? Lol. Perhaps that’s going too far… or rather HR is going too far. I’m getting what I wished for – I always hoped Herb would seed in my garden – now it’s here it’s bidding for world-domination.
  
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acuriousgal on July 21, 2014 at 7:37 pm said:

Oh so lovely!

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- Liz on July 21, 2014 at 10:56 pm said:
  
  Hi,
  
  Thank you very much!
  
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Cathy on July 21, 2014 at 9:56 pm said:

The knautia and G thurstonium area great combination Liz – I love it. If only I could successfully grow knautia – one day….. Thanks for joining in 🙂

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- Liz on July 21, 2014 at 10:59 pm said:
  
  Hi Cathy,
  
  I hadn’t realised Knautia isn’t so easily grown… Here is grows in a full-sun heavy clay border, I confess to being ignorant of its optimal growing conditions, but to survive my combination I have to assume it’s rather hardy! Seems fine. It’s bloomed every year, but this year it’s really taken off compared to the past couple of years.
  
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  - Cathy on July 22, 2014 at 10:06 pm said:
    
    It’s interesting that other people say it doesn’t do for them either – don’t know if it is fussy or I am just unlucky 😉
    
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cheryl on July 22, 2014 at 3:52 pm said:

Liz, for me, that is the perfect combination. I love the colours together and the difference in the flowers.
One of your best, I think.

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- Liz on July 22, 2014 at 7:57 pm said:
  
  Hi Cheryl,
  
  Thanks; this year I’ve missed my pink meadow clary – lost it over winter – I love combining it with Geranium Wargrave Pink and Harlow Carr. I’d love one day, to have enough abundance of blooms that I can properly fill vases. Although I do also enjoy simplicity – such as a nice little vase of Sweet Peas. I think I need to work on foliage plants to add interest… Such as Nigella and perhaps some grasses and umbellifers.
  
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  - cheryl on July 23, 2014 at 8:52 am said:
    
    Nigella and sweet peas are lovely in a small vase. At least, I think they are 🙂
    
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Janet/Plantaliscious on July 23, 2014 at 9:57 am said:

Really pretty Liz. I was curious to read that insects don’t appear to like your knautia, they love mine, its one of the reasons I grow it! It does flop rather, but is one of those that behaves itself if penned in with suitable companions, sedums work well, assuming that they too aren’t flopping! I wonder why some people have so much trouble with knautia, it grew well for me even in semi shade on heavy clay in my old garden, and here is thriving in full sun on sandy soil. Weird.

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