In a vase on Monday – dahlias still here!

The weather in Manchester this Autumn has been very odd indeed.  It’s been really very mild (12-15C)  and not alot of rain. I moved these dahalias in their into my porch at the beginning of November and they shouldn’t be flowering still.  So they’re also my #100happydays photo for today.

I picked them on Saturday for my In a Vase on Monday  (and photographed them while the sun was out!) before Storm Clodagh came over.  They are the very last of the flowers in the pot so are a little raggedy but I loved the colour combination. The colours of late summer – beautiful :-).  I don’t know what their names are because my tags have blown away 😦

30 November 2015 – dahlias #100happydays

Dahlia’s are native to Mexico and are now their National Flower.  They were brought over to Europe in the 16th century, about the same time as potatoes! Picking these flowers reminded me to get in touch with our former neighbours who are a Mexican and French couple – the lavender in my garden reminded the husband of his home in Provence.

There are 14 different groups of dahlias and there over 50,000 cultivars.  I’m sure you’ve seen pompom ones; they come in all sorts of sizes, colours and leaf too (many shades of green and brown leaves).  I had a mini red and yellow dahlia in my last In a Vase on Monday in early October, when I started my #100happydays challenge.  It’s been really hectic since then with holidays and changes at work so I’ve missed contributing to the Vase theme. My garden makes me happy every day, even when the weather is wet, cold and windy like today.

I’ll be digging up the tubers next week to store safely for the Winter in paper bags in the garage.  Fingers crossed they survive and grow next year.  I love the peony-style dahlias but they’re a bit of high maintenance flower in my garden, as the slugs love them and they need TLC.  Definitaly not for the beginner gardener, unless you’ve got lots of space and drag the pots into a garage or shed.

The vase is an old sweet jar and it usually has some of my tealight collection in it.  It’s about 6 inches high and has a screwtop lid.  ‘In a vase on Monday’ has definitely had me looking round the house for different potential ‘vases’.  Cathy over at Rambling in the Garden hosts In a Vase on Monday – today she has an absolutely stunning orange rose at the centre of her arrangement.  I enjoy so much everyone’s vases from around the world. Do have a look 🙂

#100happydays dahlias – In a vase on Monday – 30 November 2015

#100happydays challenge

• #100happydays Photos 1-5 – dahlia, vinegar, acorns, mindfulness and Dunham Massey
• #100happydays Photos 6-13 Lovely Lisbon
• #100happydays – Photos 14-20 food, music, Victoria Baths
• #100happydays – Photos 21-28 friends, food, drink, flowers and yoda too
• #100happydays – Photos 29-34 deeds not words, inspiring women, love
• #100happydays – Photos 35-41 love, food, poetry, learning and travel

You can follow my photos for #100happydays challenge on twitter feed everyday (@becinmonton)

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#100happydays challenge is very simple:

• Can you be happy for 100 days in a row?  
• Every day submit a picture of what made you happy!
• It can be about anything or anyone.  
• It’s a way of getting in touch with the moment you’re in
• People can submit photos privately too.

Anyone around the world can get involved in #100happyday or just have a look for the hashtag or on facebook too.                                                              

What has made you happy today?

Carpe Diem

love Bec xx