First small bouquet of Spring

Signs of Spring abound.....now if it would just warm up a little more! Oh, well. Bring some of those signs of Spring inside, where it is warm and dry, and you'll feel better!

I keep this small, glass, hanging vase in my bathroom as long as there are flowers blooming. I love making petite bouquets! It's a great way to use Pansies and Nasturtiums, among others, which usually can't be put in a regular bouquet because of their short stems.

This one has Columbine, "Cecile Brunner" tea-roses and Daisies. These Daisies bloom really early. They appear to be just a common, Shasta Daisy...but, I have other Daisies that look exactly like these, that won't bloom for another few weeks.

The Cecile Brunner (I've always heard it pronounced with a long "u") is a heritage rose....dates back to the 1880's. My house was built in the 1880's, so it seems that it belongs here. I planted it about three years ago, I believe, and it has already covered up the corner of my picket fence (which was my plan!) and beyond! I'm pretty sure that not all the Cecile Brunner's have a scent... but, mine has a lovely scent! If the little bouquet is entirely roses, you'll smell it when you walk into the bathroom. And, when I'm watering, weeding, mowing, whatever... out near it, while it's blooming, I can smell it from ten feet away! These roses will grow and grow.... I have to keep cutting mine back, because I'm training it to stay on the fence.

I thought this was a perfect specimen of a Shasta Daisy! Look at that center! And, all the petals are perfect. Beautiful.

For some beautiful roses, have a look at Heirloom Roses. If you can go there, even better! I'm lucky enough to live only about thirty minutes from them, so, when I was planning my wedding, over twenty-two years ago, I called them to ask if I could get some miniature/tea roses from them for my wedding cake. They said I could; to stop by. I went over, the day before the "big day". A woman went around with her Felcos (the best cutting tool around!!), and clipped off a ton of these little beauties for me. She'd say, "These?" "How do these look?" Snip, snip...... When we were done and I had a box full, I asked her how much money I owed. I can't remember exactly what she said, but basically it was, "Oh, nothing." They didn't charge me for them! And, they were so beautiful, cascading down and around our wedding cake!

Here's to beautiful flowers and generosity!

Enjoy the day!

~ Teri