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A Colonsay vase on Monday

We are on the Inner Hebridean island of Colonsay for two more days.  A week isn't nearly long enough on this wonderful little island and leaving on Wednesday lunchtime is going to be tough.  But there's always next time to look forward to!

As I don't have material from my garden to use in this Monday's vase, I have found some lovely things from the hedgerow, and a couple of bits from the outer gardens of Colonsay House.  Most notable in my vase is wild fuchsia, Fuchsia magellanica.  My father was a Scotsman, exiled to the south of England when he married my mother and worked in London.  He always said the wild fuchsia reminded him of home.  The wild fuchsia always reminds me of him!  When I am out walking with my youngest grandson, who is two, he loves to burst the bulbous buds of the ballerina flowers on overhanging fuchsia bushes.  They make a pleasing 'pop', which, curiously, reminds me of something I used to do when I was small!

A Colonsay vase on Monday.

Comments

  1. sally evers15 October 2018 at 10:02

    I know them as dancing ballerinas - beautiful Monday vase. xxx

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  2. Stasher15 October 2018 at 10:14

    Wonderful to have a plant associated with a loved one. Your vase and components are beautifully photographed.

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    1. the running wave15 October 2018 at 19:43

      Thank you for your comment! I found photographing the vase outside a lot easier than past efforts indoors! The light always seems to reflect off the table and just makes the whole thing a bit of a nightmare! I think I may learn from this week and photograph all my future Monday vases outside! Amanda

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  3. Sandra15 October 2018 at 10:20

    Pretty! I love the lichen.

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    Replies
    1. the running wave15 October 2018 at 19:40

      Hi Sandra, I love lichen too. On these western isles of Scotland, where the air is as clean and fresh as can be (straight off the Atlantic) there are many, many lichens, and liverworts too. The lichen in the Monday vase is everywhere, all over trees and even on the tops of fence posts! I love the colour! Amanda

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  4. Cindy15 October 2018 at 10:57

    The fuscia are lovely. You only see them here in the states in the spring. They never seem to do that well here.

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    Replies
    1. the running wave15 October 2018 at 19:42

      Thank you Cindy. They do seem to love the west coast of Scotland! And the very pale pink ones too, but they are not so profuse. I love the colour combination within the flower. Very punchy! Amanda

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  5. Susie (pbmgarden)15 October 2018 at 11:03

    Lovely. So nice how flowers can anchor memories of loved ones.

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    1. the running wave15 October 2018 at 19:37

      Hi Susie, welcome to the running wave! I have just been looking at the lovely flowers in past Monday vase arrangements on your blog - and that gorgeous butterfly! It's lovely to see what's growing in gardens at the same time as ours, but on the other side of the pond!! Some of your material is the same, and some is completely different and unseen in British gardens - fascinating! Amanda

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  6. Cathy15 October 2018 at 16:04

    We could almost have waved to wach other as I was at my Mum's till the middle of last week! It amazes how well this fuchsia does in remote parts of Scotland (the pale pink variety too) and doesn't it make a lovely vase? From childhood I remember the popping too, as well as sucking the end of the stigma and tasting the nectar. Love the lichen coated twig too - perfect accessory for a vase. Thanks so much for sharing this, Amelia

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    1. the running wave15 October 2018 at 19:32

      Yes, there's some very pale pink wild fuchsia here too! I do love the combination of deep magenta and purple! I used to do that thing with pulling the stigma out of the flower to get at the nectar with honeysuckle. Still do! Amanda

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  7. Joanna15 October 2018 at 19:24

    So beautiful! I love fuschias. Are the small purple flowers a campion? They look a lot like the
    white campion (Silene latifolia) that grows wild around here.

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    Replies
    1. the running wave15 October 2018 at 19:29

      Hallo Joanna! Yes, that's red campion. I love it and at this time of year that occasional, wonderful pink just pops out of the green verges along the lanes. Welcome to the running wave. I hope you enjoy your visits, and hopefully trawling back through past posts. I don't know where you are but we are on holiday on Colonsay which is just the most brilliant little island, with nothing between us and Newfoundland, except a vast stretch of North Atlantic! Love it! Amanda

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  8. Kris Peterson15 October 2018 at 20:38

    I'm amazed that that beautiful fuchsia can be found growing in the wild. It makes a perfect focus in in your vase. How wonderful to have it as a remembrance of your father too.

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  9. Elizabeth15 October 2018 at 22:45

    It's a beautiful arrangement - a hedgerow in a vase. I love the wild fuchsia - it reminds me of so many country roads and the lichen covered twig is a lovely addition. As a child I really thought the fuchsia flowers were fairies' earrings!

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    Replies
    1. the running wave16 October 2018 at 08:22

      Thank you Elizabeth. I am so glad you enjoyed the mix! I certainly enjoyed looking for all the bits and pieces. I love the idea of fairies wearing fuchsias in their ears! Can't beat the imagination of a child. I used to think the floating seeds of the creeping thistle were fairies! They shine as they waft through the air, so of course they are fairies!! Amanda

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