Wednesday, May 29, 2013

May Flowers Galore!

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 Why do all my lovely Spring flowers have to bloom at once???

This little arrangement is on my dining room table & I just keep refilling the vintage milkglass vase with fresh flowers.

My lily of the valley beds are pumping out oodles of little white bells on tiny, thin stems.  Ever since Jan from the blog, Bessie Mary,  was bitten by a poisonous snake, while gardening,  I've been VERY careful when gathering these flowers.  

I wear heavy rose thorn protection type gloves to reach deep down inside the clusters to gently pulled them up, one at a time.  I just adore their fragrance & my Mother always had a bouquet beside her Mary statue during the month of May.


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 Our ornamental pear trees were full of beautiful white blooms last week.
And my lilac tree is in full bloom now!  You can smell it while sitting in the gazebo, as it is right outside the door.


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 Judith, (from Lavender Cottage) this shot is for you!  
She loves butterflies & anything lavender.
You might remember she was my Tea Exchange partner last year.  I'm still enjoying some of the delightful items she sent to me.





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Because my lilacs grow in the form of a tree & not a bush, I can't cut armloads of them, but rather have to trim the tree very carefully, to maintain its shape.

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 Even a few sprigs waft their heavenly scent throughout the house.  I created a little vignette in my favorite corner of the kitchen.  I think my teapot, with its spring bunnies, is a Bordallo Pinheiro knock off.  There aren't any markings on it at all, but it certainly looks like that style of pottery. The pretty teacup & saucer set is by Darice.


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The pink peonies & purple Egyptian iris are in full bloom now.
Glorious clusters of heady scented blooms!!
 
I grew up with these flowers & they were dug up & brought to my parents 2nd home when they moved.  My sister now lives there & shared some of the cormes with us when we moved into our new home.  They have flourished!

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I also have some white ones that are on the opposite side of the house & they have yet to open.  Different sun exposures, I guess.

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 My first tip is to try to clip the opened center blooms & leave the other buds on the stems to blossom later.  The short stems work well to create a floating arrangement in my Mother's almost antique wedding gift.
My parents were married in 1936, so this bowl is 77 years young.  There are candlesticks to match it, too.  It won't be a "true" antique until it is 100 years old.

Another tip for you is to always remember to put something UNDER a vase of flowers if you are setting it on glass.  The moisture can actually leave an etched ring on the glass & if someone scoots the vase, glass on glass can scratch.  Ask me how I know this! 







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I hope you've had a blessed month of May, filled with flowers & wonderful scents that remind you of home.

Thanks for stopping by The Gazebo House today.
I'm linking to Cuisine Kathleen's Let's Dish party &
Yvonne at StoneGable for Tutorials, Tips & Tidbits &
The Tablescaper's Seasonal Sundays as well.


24 comments:

  1. Rett, your flowers are lovely. I can smell the Lily's of the Valley right now and they are wonderful. Everything looks so Spring. I can' seem to grow a lilac bush here in Southern CA, they grow but never bloom. Maybe some day they will develop one for our area.
    Have a wonderful weekend.
    Mary

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    1. I bet they need the cold of our winter's to set the buds & make them bloom, Mary. I would send you some, if I could.
      Of course, you have lovely flowers to enjoy all year 'round. I've seen your garden!! LOL

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  2. I do love Lily of the Valley- it's a wonderful scented flower and so cute too! I adore peonies- mine are coming along fast now but not blooming just yet. Lilacs are blooming all over here. I think it's wonderful that your peonies have a family history. Your teapot and teacup look great together in your vignette!

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  3. Beautiful blooms and vignettes! I love the teapot and cup especially,
    Jenna

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  4. Such pretty vignettes, Rett! I love the statue of Mary with the vase of flowers. Your sweet little kitchen vignette would be my favorite spot, too. The bunny teapot is darling with the pretty crocheted doily and the floral teacup. How nice to have treasures from your mom and dad to enjoy. xo

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  5. Rett, so jealous of all your pretty blooms. Ours froze in bud and that was all she wrote this year. Your vignettes are beautiful. xo marlis

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  6. Oh, such glorious blossoms!

    - The Tablescaper

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  7. Oh Rett, your flowers are absolutely breathtaking, and I adore your Mary statue. I am on the lookout for one for myself. I have always wanted to plant lily of the valley. Now I read about the snakes, (shudder). Still thinking! That bowl is beautiful, too and to be cherished. Lovely post. xo

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  8. Just a few short years more, and that beautiful bowl from your parents' wedding will be a bonafide antique!!! That's so cool!!! I'm glad you have been able to keep it and the candlesticks. It's so important to preserve things like this and keep them going in the family!

    Your flowers are all so pretty!!! Those lily of the valley are just precious!!! I love them! Your peonies look SO LUSH!!!!!! Wow! And your lilacs...I THOUGHT lilacs grew on trees as well as bushes! Thank you for verifying that. Our neighbor has what I'm pretty sure is a lilac tree in her front landscape as well as a big, healthy lilac bush on the west side of the house. They both produce lots of blooms each year. I envy her out there cutting away. Me? I have nothing! :-( You created a beautiful vignette with them. I hope you are able to enjoy them for a bit longer.

    It IS a shame that the flowers come up all at once instead of in waves so that you can enjoy a few at a time. That's nature for you!

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  9. Your spring flowers are just lovely, Rett. Yes, it does seem as though the flowers come all at once. Feast or famine, I guess. Our lilacs finished a week or so ago, and our peonies are still tight buds. What lovely arrangements you've created with your flowers. Enjoy them to the full!

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  10. How nice that you can bring all those gorgeous flowers in your home to enjoy. I used to be able to do that before this darn asthma. Now the smell just about puts me over the edge! Tulips are about all I can stand in the house......! Your flowers are marvelous. You really have a green thumb and well as marvelous sewing fingers! lol

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  11. Rett, your garden is overflowing with beauty. How I'd love to have these growing here in TX. But Lily of the Valley, lilacs, and peonies can take the harsh conditions here in TX. I'll just have to admire them from afar. '-)

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  12. What beautiful blossoms. I love the spring blossoms too and Mother always had lily of the valley and lilacs. They make me think of her. What a fabulous bowl - those feet are just incredible. Such a lovely and thoughtful post!

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  13. Such gorgeous blooms Rett and I can just imagine the fragrance from the lilacs, peonies and lily of the valley! I so wish we could grow lilacs here, but it's too hot. I know what you mean about everything blooming at the same time. My peonies are almost done, so short-lived but I look forward to them every year!

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  14. I love your lillies of the valley next to your statue of the Blessed Mother, so lovely. And the peonies floating in a bowl, TDF!

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  15. Beautiful flowers...I do love the lily of the valley. I am not even sure if they would grow here, may be too hot. Your peonies are stunning...wish they had a longer blooming season.
    Have a wonderful week, Rett...

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  16. I am so jealous! You have two of my favorite flowers Lily of the Valley and Lilac. I had the Lily at my old house and they did very well, but we haven't planted them here yet. I do have a lilac, but it's just a baby and didn't bloom at all this year. Your peonies are a fabulous color. I really like the darker colors. Thanks for your visit and inviting me to see your stunning bouquets! Dianne

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  17. Hello Rett
    The whole post is after my own heart - lavender, butterfly (thanks so much for thinking of me and the shout out) and then the tea vignette. The next thing to fill our home will be the peonies but for now I can enjoy yours which are a lovely shade of pink. I'm a big fan of the doubles too, I use sturdy peony rings and they never touch the ground after a rain.
    Hugs,
    Judith

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  18. Your peonies and lilacs are stunning! Love the photo of the butterfly on your lilacs. I have only seen one butterfly so far this year, and I look forward to their return. Going to read the post about the poisonous snake now - that is scary!

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  19. It seems impossible that tomorrow is the first of June. Your spring flowers are so beautiful, Rett. They are always my favorites, especially Lily of the Valley. I have a huge bed of calla lilies and when I was picking a bouquet something big and black ran out from under the leaves and scared me to death. It was either a mouse a huge spider. I think twice about going even close to those lilies now. I hate spiders.

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  20. I think it is so pretty when the yard explodes in flowers. My peonies have been (are still) taken a real beating from all the rain we are having. They flatten and don't bounce back. My rose bushes seem to love all this moisture...they are covered in blooms. A snake would do me in...I am glad I didn't read the blog about being bitten!

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  21. This is just the best time of year! What beautiful blooms you have. I don't think we have any poisonous snakes around here but never thought of anything else hiding under all of those Lily of the Valley leaves when I was picking! Yikes!!

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  22. Rett, these are gorgeous, and they perfect with Mary. The other flowers are equally lovely, and how wonderful that some of them are heirloom plants. That makes it even better.

    XO,

    Sheila

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  23. Love the lilies of the valley with the statue of Mary. So pretty. You have so many pretty blooms Rett.
    Sam

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Thank you so much for leaving a comment. I read them all & each one is so very special to me & I try really hard to return the visit!

fondly,
~Rett~