It’s easier now to find a good selection of flowers to create an arrangement for In A Vase On Monday (IAVOM). Although our Spring weather has been erratic, we’ve had enough warmth and now plenty of rain to bring roses and other early bloomers into flower. A small bird stands alongside the metal stand holding the arrangement. My father bought it for me years ago, finding it in a vintage shop and knowing I loved old Made-in-Japan figurines. It is precious to me.

Along with a few mini-carnations left from a church arrangement for this past weekend, I have used most of the blooms from my garden beds. New Dawn and Cathedral Bells roses, Catmint (Nepeta), and a few leaf sprigs from False Indigo.

New Dawn is a shade of pink that I call Nonie-Pink. My grandmother loved to wear this shade of pink. I can just see her in my mind’s eye in a pink blouse with a lovely dove gray jumper completing the outfit. I have a soft spot for any flower that blooms in this lovely shade. The name seems perfect for the medium-sized rose.

Although the flowers are not large, the bush is a climber and has become massive in just a few short years. I have climbing hooks attached to the soffits under my porch, and the plant measures at least 10 feet wide and 8 feet high, which is a bit underestimated. Unfortunately, out of all my roses, this one seems to be the most delicious to sawflies and other chewing insects. Since I don’t spray chemical insecticides and only handpick or spray baking soda and soap, the upper branches with soft, new growth really bear the brunt of the attack.

Cathedral Bell roses have beautiful peony-shaped buds. The petal count is immense, and they become so heavy in the rain that they pull their slender branches into an arc facing the ground. They really resemble bells in this instance.

Catmint (Nepeta) is a reliable perennial that displays a cloud of lavender spikes over beautiful bluish foliage.

The leaves of False Indigo are one of my very favorite foliage choices. It becomes so large and bushy that the pruning for arrangements keeps it in check.  My cat loves the pieces of catmint, whether it is fresh or dried for storage.

Thanks to Rambling in the Garden for hosting IAVOM.