I’ve been prowling around the garden checking for consequences of our being away and for the most part things have done perfectly well without us (kind neighbours watered the greenhouse). The exceptions are the things that I planted in the ground a few days before leaving, thinking that they would do best there, but the continuing lack of rain has left a few shrivelled beyond redemption. Fortunately, the pots of beautiful caramelised-orange tulips: Brown Sugar, Cairo and Ballerina are looking wonderful. Too good to cut in fact, so today’s vase contains odd purples and pinks from around the place: Formosa, Black Parrot, Queen of the Night and Negrita.
I am a big fan of Black Parrot tulips, although they take a while to reveal themselves in all their dark feathered glory (they stay largely green on the outside until they completely open).
Tulip ‘Black Parrot’ on a foam of cow parsley
Each year I promise to throw away our pots of Tulip Formosa because sometimes that pink is quite horrid, but this year they seem more muted and I like them against the Persicaria ‘Red Dragon’ leaves and ‘Queen of the Night’. (I’ll probably forget again in any case).
Tulipa ‘Formosa’
In my head I had the idea of the dark tulips floating on a turbulent sea of cow parsley, centaurea, forget-me-not and erysimum, but in reality I’ve managed to bunch everything again! Ah well, think tossed in the waves.
There’s also some spirea ‘Bridal Wreath’ in the arrangement to add a bit more sea foam, plus I couldn’t resist picking the first aquilegia to show colour. It adds a touch of dusty pink, dancing overhead as it catches the breeze.
So here is my stormy seas vase on our pebble patio:
I am joining in with Cathy’s ever expanding IAVOM meme. There are plenty of lovely vases to browse there today so do click through. It seems that there is a strong purple/blue theme running through the offerings!
Frogend dweller's Blog 
I’m not purple (or particularly blue!) but I enjoyed your vase. So pretty – I haven’t managed with the Black Parrot tulips, but yours are lovely and I must try again. I’m imagining that cow parsley is only in your mind’s eye at the moment?
In fact our lanes and alleys are bursting with cow parsley now. Not quite in full swing, but nearly. The hawthorn has started too, but that looks to be sparser this year than of late.
Blue, purple and pink makes a great combination – those dark tulips add drama! The Aquilegia caught my eye too. Sadly, I have no tulips and even Aquilegia struggles here, although my one remaining plant has finally produced a few blooms (which I can’t bring myself to cut).
Aquilegias used to love our front shady garden, but over the last couple of years fewer and fewer are coming back. 😦 So I am very happy to have any to display. Dark tulips are certainly eye grabbing, but I am particularly pleased with T. ‘Cairo’ this year which is just coming out now.
What a great idea – and it definitely gives the effect of being tossed on the waves, or perhaps even shipwrecked…? 😉 But surely ‘Tulip ‘Black Parrot’ on a foam of cow parsley’ is more like something culinary from Masterchef…?! Your cenaurea and aquilegia are ahead of mine although many are in bud so there will be no stopping them soon – which means spring really is well and truly established. Thanks for sharing today, Allison
Well I do like to grow veg in the borders! Foam seems like the best way to describe the way the cow parsley is busting out all over the place. In the next village over they have cut the green, but left a ribbon of cow parsley along the edge and stream. It looks quite dramatic.
Oh I am glad to hear there was a ribbon of cow parsley left on the green after the green was cut
Love that dark parrot tulip! Great title – I see a sea-tossed bouquet, thrown to a newly launched ship!
That would be a great thing to do wouldn’t it? Sadly, we live about as far away from the sea as is possible in England.
Interesting colour combination, the dusky pink of the tulips is a perfect addition.
Thanks. I do like my purples!
Nice bouquet ; well done
Thank you!
Purple-blue loveliness. Particularly like the look of that tulip Formosa…
I do love lily-shaped tulips, but I find that pink/green combo a bit strong some times.
A lovely vase full of froth and stormy sky colours. I love that pink tulip! Also nice to see Aquilegias. I am still waiting for mine to form buds.
I am forever meaning to grow specific forms of aquilegia (like A. canadensis), but I love the cheerful purple/pink mixture that self-seeds too.
Very nice!
Thanks