In my vase this week I have used some Ribes; Flowering Currant, which I have brought into flower in the warmth of the house. There is a variety called ‘White Icicles’ which has pure white flowers, but this is not actually that one, so the title is misleading. If you force pink Flowering Currant into flower in the house, it will always produce white flowers like these. Some people don’t like the smell and so won’t bring it into the house. I quite like it. I have mentioned before that for me, Ribes is like Proust’s madeleine; it takes me straight back to my childhood, in the way that only a smell can do.
I also brought Forsythia into the house to open up early. There are a few hazel catkins and one spray of Coronilla valentina subsp. glauca ‘Citrina’. This lovely shrub has been in bloom for ages.
I picked a spray of Lonicera x purpusii ‘Winter Beauty’ for scent. This lovely shrub is covered in flowers unlike the sparse blooms of the more commonly seen, winter flowering Lonicera fragrantissima.
I finished of with a couple of hellebores. I know they tend to flop in a vase but never mind, they look very nice at the moment.
Thank you Cathy, for hosting this meme where more and more people are prowling round their gardens looking for lovely treasures to put ‘In a Vase on Monday’. Do go over to ramblinginthegarden and have a look.
Chloris
Tee hee! You had me smiling at the thought of us prowling round our gardens – not that I prowled today, as I was able to stride purposely to my chosen material and snip snip snip! 🙂 What an interesting selection of bits and bobs you have in your vase – and what good news it is that L purpusii ‘Winter Beauty’ is more blessed with flowers than its cousin. Something to look forward to… And I remember you mentioning about the ribes before – what makes it open white indoors? Thank you for sharing your lovely vase today – sorry we can’t share in their fragrance too!
And I left a comment on your snowdrop post yesterday but don’t see it – has it gone into spam?
Hello Cathy, thank you for the comment. I don’ t know why the pink Ribes opens up as white in the house, but it always does.
Your comment is not in my spam, it must have disappeared into the ether!
I love white flowers in vases; I think if I was restricted to having only one colour of flowers for cutting it would have to be white (I know white isn’t actually a colour, but you get my drift!). I wish I could smell your love Lonicera.
I agree about white flowers, I love them too and green ones. The Lonicera smells great, but nothing can compare with the scent of Daphne bholua Jacqueline Postill. It is pure heaven.
That’s interesting about the Ribes. I love white combinations and this one is beautiful. I also love that vase with the hummingbirds. The whole thing sings of spring to me.
Thank you Kris. I absolutely love this vase too. I haven’ t had it long; when I saw it I just had to buy it.
That looks rather elegant. xx
Thank you Flighty. White and cream flowers are wonderful for picking.
What a beautiful arrangement, and as usual, I am simply floored at what is flowering in your garden already. Only supermarket bouquets for us during this time of year, so I’m incredibly glad that you’ve shared your lovely arrangement, and that we can enjoy it too! -Beth
Thank you Beth. We are lucky being able to grow so many winter blooming flowers. It certainly helps the winter along.
What a lovely selection of white flowers Chloris – your vase is a real winter beauty. I had no idea that the pink ribes would flower white if forced. I have never grown ribes, but always admire it in other gardens. I must cut some forsythia to force as well – I have brought in two small potted camellia plants which I hope will flower very soon and I will be on the look out for other likely candidates for forcing over the next few weeks.
Some people don’ t grow Ribes sanguineum because it is so common, but to me those pink flowers mean Spring is here. It is wonderful to force in the house. I love to bring branches of Birch and Horse Chestnut in to unfurl inside too.
I -love- white flowers. This year I want to turn our patio area into a kind of moon garden where they can compete with the fireflies.
A moon garden! What a wonderful idea. White flowers look wonderful by moonlight and they are often scented as they are pollinated by moths.
Thanks I love how twilight makes them glow. I have this image in my mind of being completely surrounded: stars overhead, fireflies blinking and white flowers. That could make me like summer again haha
I’ m so jealous of your fireflies. I have always found them magical.
I never saw them before I moved here and yes: so magical. If I had to list reasons why we should care for this planet they would be way up on the list. Certainly in the top 5.
Funny how we all have different tastes in smells as well as foods. Most swoon over Sarcacocca, while I find it mildly offensive. Your vase is a breath of spring, and it looks like the many stems could keep the hellebore blossoms from flopping.
I love the scent of Sarcococca but I understand why some people don’ t like it. It has a musky undertone to the sweetness.
Actually the hellebores have flopped but I have replaced them with a cream Hyacinth and I think it looks better.
What a beautiful almost spring arrangement…and such a lovely vase.
Thank you Donna, I love the vase too.
It’s beautiful. Graceful in its simplicity! I especially LOVE that vase. I’ve never seen anything like it. Very romantic.
Thank you. I love the vase too Beth.
I didn’t know there was Ribes species with white flowers. I grow Ribes odoratum which is called Buffalo Currant or Clove Currant. It has very early yellow flowers with a strong clove scent.
I grow Ribes odoratum too. I love its spicey smell.
Your title is perfect for this pretty vase Chloris. I had no idea that pink ribes would flower white if forced. I am tempted to try, but am not keen on the smell…. I have seen a white variety in a catalogue recently and wonder if they are just as attractive to the bees?
I grew White Icicles in a previous garden and it is very pretty. I used to keep bees and they enjoyed it.
I have a pink one here which is nice for picking. I love the way the flowers come out white. It doesn’t t smell very strong probably because I have the Lonicera in there too . The hellebores have drooped now so I have a cream hyacinth in the vase with the Ribes. The hyacinth is all I can smell.
This is really lovely Chloris, I love a white and yellow colour combination, in a vase and in a border. This is the first year I’ve tried to bring stems inside to force, it makes me feel quite triumphant when blossoms unfurl indoors, a yehaa moment. Ribes reminds me of childhood too, its wonderful how a smell can rewind 30 – 40 years in an instance.
I love it too. I first tried it to have branches of fresh new leaves and flowers for Easter for the children to hang little eggs on. Then I realised I could do it in the depths of winter when there is nothing much else to enjoy.
A very pretty vase, Chloris. It must smell gorgeous, too. You’ve given us some great ideas for vases in the near future, with plants starting to burst into life soon. Or, if you’re impatient, force indoors – a cunning plan! I, too, have a “Proust’s Madeleine” plant. Southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum) is a plant I remember always growing in my Granny’s gardens and, although I’m not keen on the smell, I couldn’t resist planting one in the garden for old times sake.
Thank you Ali. You can force all sorts of flowering shrubs and trees and I love to see leaves unfolding in a vaxe too.
I agree about Southernwood.I don’ t particularly like it but it always makes me feel nostalgic.
So lovely, Chloris, I visit my Lonicera regularly these days to have a sniff. The Ribes has fat buds and looks very promising. I love cutting chaenomeles for the vase and it’s quite funny how the colour differs when you have them in the house.
This is a great time of the year for bringing plants into the house to enjoy them early. I love to have flowers and leaves opening indoors but I also like to have pots of Muscari and other little bulbs to enjoy close up.
What a charming combination, and in February too! So delicate. I loved the little hummers on your vase, my, what a great collection of vases you have!
I didn’t know that the Flowering currant could be white when forced indoors, I shall certainly give that a go now!xxx
Thank you Dina. I think the Flowering Currant looks prettier when it is white. I usually pick some so that it is looking good in a vase for Easter.
I love vases and jugs. I have an absolute thing about jugs, I just can’ t resist them.The Pianist thinks it’ s a bit weird having a thing about jugs. But then we all have our eccentricities.
I’m surprised to learn that pink ribes opens as white Chloris. The plant world never ceases to amaze. Anyway it looks more attractive in a vase as do its companions.
Pink Ribes is worth growing to force in winter so that you get pure white flowers. It is also such a cheery sight in Spring.
So many lovelies and so early in your garden
I do love winter flowering plants. Winter is such a long gloomy time to be without flowers and we don’ t need to be.
Pingback: Special Flowers | Words and Herbs