An important moment this weekend; on Easter Sunday we had our tea in the garden for the first time this year – on our small table down at the bottom of the garden on decking my chap built (Where I sit – Part 1). My chap loves to eat outside and frankly, if he had his way, we’d be eating out all year round (I’d be in a bubble coat and gloves next to the fire pit obviously). It was a lovely day on Easter Sunday; sunny, warm and we got plenty of gardening done too.
I decided to celebrate this auspicious day (and Easter, of course) using a teacup and hellebores for my ‘In a vase on Monday. Please have a look at Cathy’s website who hosts the meme Rambling in the Garden – to see what other people have done too. Her display looks good enough to eat 🙂
I love hellebores – this one was a present from my mum so I don’t know the variety but it’s one commonly available in the garden centres. I’ve just planted a white one called ‘Ellen White’ and I’d love a dark purple one. A lot of my garden is shady, because it’s north facing with high fences, so I think I can justify another one even though space is tight.
Hellebores are known as ‘Lenten roses’ because they flower from February to April so it seems appropriate to mark Easter with my vase too. They aren’t part of the rose family though. Mine didn’t flower here in Manchester until first week of March, so I’m hoping for a few more weeks yet.
The tea cup is part of set from Royal Worcester called ‘the language of flowers’. The idea that flowers and plants represented certain attributes has been around for centuries, especially in paintings. The Victorian’s expanded this idea substantially especially for roses, every colour had meaning and also the location in the bouquet too.
The yellow flower on my teacup is agrimony which in the language of flowers means ‘thankfulness’. The plant agrimony is a herbaceous perennial, which used to be common in hedgerows, and was used by the Roman’s to treat many ailments including stomach upset. It is part of the rose family. I’m going to look for it when I’m out in the countryside this year.
The teacup set was given to me by my boss who I worked with for about 12 years. She was a truly inspirational person; I learnt so much from her. She was exceptionally clever but very kind too; always helped people in their careers and was genuinely thrilled when we did well. She’s retired now – happily gardening.
I am very thankful she was a part of my life.
I am very thankful I get to enjoy my garden, especially sharing food with the people I love.
Happy Easter everyone.
Carpe Diem
love Bec xxx
I love this idea of hellebores in the tea cup….I have an old tea set I was planning to use for the Vase meme once my flowers bloom. Our hellebores bloom here from April into May and into early June due to our cold weather so late. And I adore the Language of Flowers and would love that tea cup.
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Thank you – I read about floating hellebores in bowls on another lady’s vase on a monday a couple of weeks ago. Yes I think i’ll write again about the meaning of flowrts. I like your vase alot – but I cant comment for sone reason – far too early for roses here – ive only got one – its orange so I must look that meaning up. Have a lovely day
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What a lovely tea cup and what a lovely present from your previous boss who clearly thought you (and presumably everybody) were a ‘very important person’ as this is what I see it says on the inside of the cup. Floating a single hellebore is a lovely idea – we could have one in each room of the house… Thanks so much for sharing ps I ‘made’ myself sit down for a little while in the garden yesterday, not something I do very often or for very long!!
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Oh that’s another lovely idea. I’m with your chap, I make my lot eat outside as much as possible and yes there is often a bubble coat and firepit involved too ha! x
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Thank you 🙂 had tea outside everday this week – I decided to count how many times we eat in the garden this year.
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You’ll see from my blog that I’m a big fan of Hellebores too, and they look really pretty in your beauiful cup!
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