Happy Monday! It’s the first Monday of the month which means I’m joining my blogging friends for some flower therapy and Monday Morning Blooms.
You can find my flower friends’ links and more floral inspiration at the bottom of this post.
For this week’s edition of Monday Morning Blooms, our theme was ‘anything goes’ with a nod to Mother’s Day.
With flowers harder to come by while we’re sheltering at home, I’ve been photographing garden blooms and hoarding the photos, saving them for future Monday Morning Blooms posts!
I made this casual garden flower arrangement a couple of weeks ago, with the last of the Snowball Viburnum blooms, mindful of the weather as they were a day away from becoming petal confetti from the heavy rain and blustery winds in our forecast.
For a garden arrangement, I used a vintage enamelware pitcher. The snowball blooms were a little past their peak and a bit shabby. . . ideal for the chippy nature of the pitcher. In addition to Snowball Viburnum, I cut some Mother of Pearl Roses and some Bachelor Buttons, free-for-the-picking, growing in the field next to my Potting Shed.
Bachelor Button (also known as Blue Bottle, Blue Bonnet, Cornflower, Boutonniere Flower and Basket Flower), is an easy-to-grow wildflower, native to Europe. In the southeastern United States, it can be found growing in meadows and fields, is drought-tolerant, self-seeding and therefore aggressive.
Here in North Carolina, Bachelor Button is considered a noxious weed and planting is prohibited as it quickly displaces other grasses, crops, and native wildflowers.
Noxious weed or not, it gives me a thrill to see drifts of Bachelor Buttons blooming in spring.
I added some branches of Lady Banks Rose to a watering can for a cheery pop of yellow. . .
Lady Banks is a vigorous climber and prolific bloomer in early spring with deep green foliage on thornless, slender branches. . .
It’s hardy in USDA zones 6 – 9, low maintenance and never fails to provide garden smiles. :)
Mother of Pearl™ is a type of Grandiflora rose, introduced in the United States in 2007. Its winter hardiness and high resistance to black spot make it a popular rose for both cooler and hot and humid climates. The buds open to peachy-pink blooms that are approximately 3.5” in diameter with medium to large, full petals.
Mother of Pearl Rose was planted in 2016 and a gift from friends sent in memory of my dear mother-in-law, Betty, when she passed away.
Betty was an avid gardener who introduced to me Lady Banks Rose and Snowball Viburnum. She loved all white flowers and little white dogs.
We shared a love of pontoon rides, French Fries with Chardonnay and her son.
We miss you Betty. ♥
Visit my talented friends to see their Mother’s Day floral inspiration:
Pam at Everyday Living
Shirley at Housepitality Designs
Lidy at FrenchGardenHouse
Thank you for your visit, sharing with:
Between Naps on the Porch
What an enormous treat for me this morning to see those beautiful, beautiful blooms of your garden and your amazing garden pretties. I saw some Lady Banks roses at the garden center a while ago and hesitated buying them not knowing if they could be deer food. I so love that your friends gave you that beautiful Mother of Pearl rose in her your mother-in-law’s honor. I am sure you have often sat by those roses toasting Betty with a glass of Chardonnay and french fries…she’s was my kind of gal. So happy that you have such wonderful memories of her. I so remember you taking pics of her fur babies. As always, your garden just makes me happy…you inspire me. Have a great day Mary…love being with you on my favorite Mondays!
Good morning!
Absolutely gorgeous!!!!
What a wonderful Monday morning pick me up.
So cheerful.
Great start to our week…..
Thank you
Good morning, Mary. What a lovely post and tribute to your Mother-in -law. Thanks again for bringing beauty to our world!
Mary, what a beautiful arrangement and you are so smart to work ahead, why don’t I do that?!! The Mother of Pearl Rose is exquisite and what a lovely name for a rose, perfect for Mother’s Day. Lady Banks Roses are so pretty with their delicate blooms, mine bloomed longer than ever before. Your mother-in-law must have been one special lady. How much fun she must have been with her glass of Chardonnay and French fries. Like Shirley, I remember your pictures of her fur babies. Mother’s Day can be bittersweet, but the memories fill our hearts with much joy. It is always a pleasure to join you for Monday Morning Blooms ♥️
You four ladies need to published a coffee table book of all the Monday Morning Blooms. In these turbulent times Monday Morning Blooms is so very uplifting and I just know it would be a success. What a sweet MIL you had. And what sweet memories you have of her. Her son most be very proud of this post.
I just lost a long comment!
Mary, your vintage enamelware pitcher on your shabby chair with your garden blooms is beautiful flanked by the Mother of Pearl rose bush. How sweet to gift you with a rose to remember your mother-in-law. My MIL’s name is also Betty but she added an e to the spelling herself.
I just have to tell you I passed up the perfect garden chair similar to yours that a neighbor was throwing away at the beginning of the pandemic. I knew I was going to regret not getting it and have for over a month now.
I love your birdhouse on the small table too. I have a thing for birdhouses! I have bluebirds in my house and I am very excited. There are five eggs in the box. I had not seen the birds in almost a week and was so afraid they had abandoned the nest so we looked and were pleased to see the beautiful tiny blue eggs.
Delightful post this morning. Thank you.
You have an incredible knack for roses!! Lovely, franki
Oh Mary, what a delightful post! I teared up at the end when you were talking about Betty and the loves you shared, 😢 It is too bad that Bachelor Buttons are noxtious, they look so pretty!! You would never guess flowers were scarce around your house, so many gorgeous blooms, and roses, swoon! I must warn you I have been pinning away for future paintings, your watering can vignettes are beautiful! I can’t wait to pick up my paint brush today :)
Jenna
Such a touching story about your mother in law and a gorgeous remembrance. the bachelor button field is glorious, shocked it’s noxious 😕Beautiful vignette, I think about playing daily but so overrun in the springtime garden I have yet to have time to sit and admire, much less be creative! My roses are peaking, it takes my breath away, I take hundreds of pics a day but when I come in at near dusk i am to tired to look at them, just empty camera and shoot 100s the next day, rinse and repeat! I keep thinking when it’s 105 degrees I can look at them in the still of the a/c or wait until a stormy winter day, but at least I’m snapping daily! I adore your birdhouse in the table, it’s all picture perfect! Big day for us, home depot deliery, only took two weeks, but with fresh supplies we can get back on track with the kitchen garden.
I went right to your blog before reading the rest of my emails, which says a lot! Although the sun is shining in IL today, I needed your expressions of warmth and beauty. I, too, had a wonderful MIL. She has since passed, but I see her each moment in the love I share with her son. He and I were very blessed to have her be a part of our lives. I regret that my daughter never had a chance to meet her. Thank you for sharing your beautiful garden.
Your roses are beautiful.
Thank you Kaye! I hope you are staying safe and well during these crazy times. ♥
So beautiful Mary! Thanks for the lovely inspiration this morning! 💗
Thank you Barbara!
What a wonderful way to start the day! Your flowers brought joy and serenity into my day. Thank you. I always enjoy reading your blog. As an aside, my Mom loved Bachelor Buttons. I had no idea that they were noxious. Again, your flowers are beautiful!
Oh Mary, I always get teary when you write of Betty and your love of her son and your other loves that you had shared. The Mother of Pearl rose is such a loving tribute to her from your friends. You’ve created such a beautiful arrangement in the enamel pitcher with the snowballs, roses and bachelor buttons. May you have a lovely week 💕
Thank you sweet Kitty. ♥
Well today is a day of tears with lots of love and good memories shinning through. At breakfast I was thinking of my mom and how I miss her, soon to be 4 years on August 18th, and the tears came. How touching to read your post and the love and sense of loss for your mother-in-law, very precious, so more tears. You made me smile and chuckle with the sharing of things you both loved, especially adding your husband /her son, so sweet! I love the deep blue color of the Bachelor’s Buttton, so beautiful in the pasture and the roses are stunning – what a lovely tribute to her memory. Your bird houses are so unique, and this pretty robin’s egg blue one with it’s cute roof, reminds me of something out of The Hobbit. Love it! Thank you for sharing your soul and blessing our lives with such beauty. 😙 ♥️♥️♥️
Thank you Cyndi, I know you miss your sweet mom. My MIL passed away August 20th, two days after our anniversary. ♥
That Mother of Pearl rose is so pretty! I love the peachy color. And the bachelor buttons make a great backdrop in the field. I also love the Lady Banks photo where it’s dangling and the fountain is blurred. Together, it’s an arrangement that doesn’t need anything store bought. It’s beautiful just as it is. A sweet tribute to Betty.
Thank you so much! Love the roses – my Mother would have loved them all. Also love the blue bird house. So pretty with the roses. What a “lift” you give others with your pictures & your flowers!!!
Thank you for your visit and comments Shirley. ♥
What a lovely post and such a tribute to your Mother-in-law and I bet she loved you dearly too. The last few days on the other side of the state have been lovely so I headed out to plant plant plant finally finishing today. We are due for rain tomorrow which makes me think it is probably raining in your region now. I found two small terra-cotta pots in my Garden Shed which orchids came in and I quickly put the orchids in orchid pots from Re Pot Me. I plan to use those for my napkin project. I have wall paint left from the parlor, do you think that would work to coat the pots with first, if not I will check Hobby Lobby. Something to keep me busy during the rainy days. Thanks always for you wonderful suggestions and inspiration.
Hi Virginia, We’ve had some beautiful weather with rain moving in tomorrow. I think your wall paint will work fine, you just want to seal the terra cotta since it’s so porous before you Mod Podge ♥
4:30 p.m. just got Buzzed ! By a hummingbird! 😁 While cleaning the deck, he went zipping by looking for his food. I hurried in and made him some and put out the Oriole feeder as well with their favorite grape jelly. My morning weepy-ness has turned to joy! P.s. Can you share where you purchased that lovely robin’s egg blue birdhouse? It’s too perfect! ♥️
Hi Cyndi, How fun! I haven’t seen any hummers yet, I usually hear them before I see them. The birdhouse was a gift, but I found it available here: https://www.antiquefarmhouse.com/large-metal-victorian-birdhouse.html
Oh, thank you Mary! So kind of you to share the source. I may just have to “gift myself” or drop strong “I would like for our anniversary” suggestions to hubby! 😉 Lastly, the silver oval engraved tribute marker in memory of your mother-in-law is totally the height of perfection. I was so impressed!
So pretty Mary! I’m lovin’ that field of blue:@)
Just beautiful! A wonderful Monday delight!! I love Bachelor Buttons as well. I grew up in England where the meadows were filled with wild bluebells, cowslips and Bachelor Buttons.
That sounds beautiful Jane! ♥
Bachelor buttons are one of my favorite flowers. Love the color.
What a beautiful arrangement and staging. I will look for the Mother of Pearl rose; it is so pretty and soft in color. Really like your tribute to your MIL. Did your friend also send the metal sign or did you have that made…lovely. I have a Lady Banks in white that got out of control when I did not take care of it. It grew over my clothesline. Finally my sons tore it out and the trunk and limbs were large enough to burn in our wood stove. I thought it dead, but it has risen and I am carefully keeping it trimmed . . .
Hi Kathleen, The ‘in loving memory’ stake came with the roses. My MIL had a white Lady Banks too, it outgrew her yellow one. I can remember my FIL cutting it to the ground and it still rallied and was huge!
Mary, this is a beautiful post in honor of your mother-in-law. I’m going to find a mother of pearl rose to plant here. It sounds like a hearty variety, which is what I need. The bloom is gorgeous. Happy Month of May!
Mary, What a beautiful tribute to Betty! MILs are so special & mine taught me a different perspective on many things which I appreciate to this day even though she’s been gone 25 years this month. Your arrangement is beautiful. I love the setting. It’s so relaxing! Wishing you a very happy Mother’s day! Clara♥️
Thank you Clara! I so appreciate your visits and sweet comments. Happy Mother’s Day ♥
Mary, what a sweet post to honor your mother-in-law. The women in our lives makes such an impression, and oh how we miss them when they are no longer here with us. How much fun Betty must have been with her glass of Chardonnay and French fries! She knew how to enjoy the good things in life, it sounds like. : )
Those memories are locked in your heart forever, I know. Mother’s Day is filled with emotions, but in the end I know we all smile at all the love and good times we were blessed to share with our moms.
The Mother of Pearl is spectacular! We just trimmed back but kept our Lady Banks in the garden during our garden re-do..it’s a white one. I can’t wait until it blooms again. It is always a pleasure to join you for Monday Morning Blooms, dear friend. xo Lidy
You have such a nice way with flowers! Love them in that vintage pitcher! I planted bachelors buttons years ago and loved them. They’re pretty much an annual up here. What a lovely field loaded with them! That Mother of Pearl Rose is such a pretty color. What a great way to remember your mother in-law!
Dear Mary, it is 4am and I can’t seem to ever sleep anymore – nothing new – and I am tired because your post made me cry. I cried because it is so pretty. I cried because of Betty. And because of my mom being gone so long, and because I won’t be able to spend Mother’s Day with my children. Just tears. You know what I mean?
I think your blog is amazing. Not sure I ever really told you that before. It is eye candy and just wow. You are an incredibly talented florist and photographer. Thank you for that. It is a special treat to visit your blog.
Hi Michele, I’ve been having a hard time sleeping these days and feeling a little weepy too. Thank you for your generous and sweet comment. Take care and keep the faith that this will all be behind of us soon. Happy Mother’s Day ♥
Those bachelor buttons growing in the fields were a sight to see! Your special rose is gorgeous and Betty sounded like such a treat.
Thanks for your beautiful posts!
Others have expressed my exact feelings about this blog, Mary. This one is sentimentally sweet and no doubt Mrs. Betty is blushing with pride. Your arrangement is so inspiring and I would go nursery shopping today, except I am in the “at risk category”…I’ll have to wait until that glorious day comes when we can all enjoy a shopping trip. Hopefully there will be a Mother of Pearl waiting for me…heartfelt thanks again for your uplifting posts…
What a nice tribute to your MIL! I love the Mother of Pearl rose and Lady banks have always been one of my favorites.
I always learn something from you too!
Thank you and have a nice week!
Theresa
Mother of pearl rose is.lovely. I love the name oo
Always enjoy the Monday flower extravaganza!!
Lovely flowers and sentiments. Am wondering on this Mothers Day about how beautiful you must be. I would love to see a photo of you along side your beautiful potting shed. Happy Mothers Day to you Mary !