In a vase on Monday: Fussy but fragrant

Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden encourages us to share a vase highlighting what is growing in our gardens.

Today's vase is fussy but fragrant and contains three each of flowering blackcurrant, Bowles mauve, Viburnum with foliage of trusty Abelia and Hebes with old perfume bottles, which I collect, in the forefront.



Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting and giving us an opportunity to share flower-filled vases across the world. Visit her to discover what she and others found to place In A Vase On Monday.

Six on Saturday - Do remember they can't cancel Spring

In these days of worry and uncertainly, how lucky are we who have gardens?  As Hockney says, “Do remember they can’t cancel Spring”.

Here are my Six on Saturday:

1.  The great performer Bowles Mauve

2.      Marsh Marigolds ready to pop by the pond

3.      Cheerful display of Polyanthus down the drive, which I raised from seed many, many years ago

4.      Jaunty Pansies which were planted in  October

5.      Daffodils Thalia which once won me a prize at my gardening club’s Mini Flower Show, which had to be cancelled this week

6.  Ajuga with its shiny dark red leaves

The Propagator generously hosts Six on Saturday.  Click on the link to his blog to see what he and his followers are growing and doing in their gardens this week.  Perhaps you feel you could add your own six too.

Stay well everyone.

Leeds Litfest: 4 – 8 March 2020

The second Leeds Litest offered over 100 events in 35 venues across the city including libraries, churches, pubs, community centres, theatres and parks.

As a volunteer, it was impossible to choose what to attend, so I went for the easiest venues for me to reach.  The schedule of events to steward was not always what I have picked out for myself but I thoroughly enjoyed every one of them as well as meeting the writers and members of the audience.

Invisible Women; a discussion of the fetishisation of sex crime in novels with Ali Harper and Danuta Kot.  This was held at a local library and explored whether it is possible to empower women and subvert the sexual stereotypes in novels.  The authors explained how they portrayed women and the interaction with the audience was invigorating.

https://www.theleedslibrary.org.uk/

The Hidden; an immersive library literary adventure.  A woman has gone missing and, using clues left by her around the library, the mystery has to be solved.  We worked in teams to crack the codes and discover why the woman disappeared.  The task was engrossing and the fact that it took place in the Leeds Library, the oldest private library in the UK, was as added bonus but also a distraction for me.

Long Division; a sound installation by IOU Theatre at Mill Hill Unitarian Chapel.  As the clock chimed, whispered voices are heard which gather in intensity and reverberate around the church where it takes place. 


Duncan Hamilton; award winning writer and sports journalist in conversation with Anthony Clavane.  This also took place at https://www.theleedslibrary.org.uk/.  Whilst not a cricket or football fan, I did enjoy listening to the anecdotes, as did the audience.


It was a privilege and I fully intend to volunteer again next year.

In a vase on Monday

In a vase on Monday

Bit of a rush job trying to get some gardening done before the rain so just some prunings to show off my Poundshop vase (which is actually \cheerful sunshine yellow).  I turned some foliage backwards to get a silver tinge.  The blue flower is courtesy of variegated Vinca Major, in the forefront is Euonymus, Abelia and Winter Jasmine twigs at the back and some Viburnum at the side.

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting and giving us an opportunity to share flower-filled vases across the world. Visit her to discover what she and others found to place In A Vase On Monday.