bulbs – enclos*ure

In a vase on Monday: London

April 2, 2018April 2, 2018 Cindy at enclos*ure23 Comments

Last week, we were in London, and, walking around Whitehall, I discovered the 18th century Blewcoat School building and this beautiful botanical display.

I thought I would share it for today’s “In a vase. . .,” since I haven’t been able to buy flowers, and nothing is blooming in the yard (although I think I will see primroses along the fence by next week).

The building now houses a fancy bridal shop, Ian Stewart.

Why the use of onions, I’m not sure — they do seem to be cooking onions and not ornamental Alliums. There may be a connection to unity and wholeness (round, concentric layers). One website said onions were once given as marriage presents during the Middle Ages.

To see what other bloggers have put in a vase today, please visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.

The flower sellers: Japan

August 22, 2017August 21, 2017 Cindy at enclos*ureLeave a comment

Hanauri (flower vendor), Tokyo, Japan, between ca. 1840 and 1866, a woodcut print attributed to Matsumoto Kōzan, via Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

A chrysanthemum seller in Japan, ca. 1890, photographer unknown, via Photographic Heritage on flickr (under CC license).

In a vase on Monday: Narcissus

January 25, 2016June 27, 2017 Cindy at enclos*ure20 Comments

I got tired of watching the stems — or the whole pot — of my indoor winter bulbs fall over almost as soon as they bloomed, so when I bought these four Narcissus already a few inches tall in a little plastic pot, I lifted them out of the potting mix, shook it off (I also trimmed back some of the root mass), and replanted them in chipped-up seashells at the bottom of a vase.