Happy Monday sweet friends. I hope all of you enjoyed a wonderful weekend. It was an exciting one for us as we celebrated EM’s birthday and attended her school’s spring musical!
“How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.”
Proverbs 16:16
It is Monday Morning Blooms with my lovely blogging friends!
You can find the beautiful links for Shirley, Mary, and Lidy at the bottom of this post!
Our common theme is a watering can for our container. A couple of months ago I was shopping at Home Goods in Birmingham when I saw this cute watering can. It jumped right into my cart!
After I had arranged my flowers, I realized I had made a boo-boo as my EK likes to say. I couldn’t believe I had left the handle down in the front. Well, I decided I wouldn’t fret about it and I for sure was not going to disassemble the arrangement just to move the handle. For all I know, this is perfectly acceptable and I doubt there are rules concerning the correct placement for the handle. To let you in on a little secret, the handle helped prop up some of the dianthus!
With my peonies all spent, I made a trip to the flower farm for fresh cut flowers from the field. Dianthus, Foxgloves, Dara, and Statice. Are you familiar with “Dara Caucus”? It is a well-behaved cousin of Queen Anne’s Lace. It is actually an ornamental carrot with long, wiry stems. The lacy blooms in varied hues from pastel pink to deep cranberry are excellent and sought after cut flowers. We planted seeds and hope to see these beautiful blooms. Adding to the arrangement, RM cut privet from the woodlands which has a pretty bloom and a sweet fragrance, but terribly invasive!
I was so hopeful that my peonies would bloom at the right time for Monday Morning Blooms, but they didn’t cooperate. They bloomed beautifully for a couple of weeks. I wanted to share in case you missed Peonies & Tea For Two last week.
The table was kept very casual…no plate stacks. Plate stacks are lovely for styling, but they are not practical for dining purposes. Botanic Garden dinner plates by Portmeirion are always perfect for a garden table along with woven placemats. April Cornell pink “forget me not” tablecloth complements the watering can and flowers. I added a pop of yellow with the napkins!
The garden is growing and filling in, just a couple of weeks behind its normal schedule.
Our garden is sunny until late afternoon, I can usually start photographing around six o’clock and at least it is a little cooler. We enjoyed lower humidity last week which is a blessing when living in the South!
A little peek of the Sunshine Cottage porch!
The apricot drift roses are still in bloom and have the loveliest fragrance.
Be sure to visit Shirley, Mary, and Lidy for beautiful flower inspiration! These ladies are so talented!!
Shirley ~ Housepitality Designs
Mary ~ Home Is Where The Boat Is
Lidy – French Garden House
It is with sadness and understanding that we announce that this is Shirley’s last Monday Morning Blooms. She will be spending more time with her almost 97 year old mom!
When I started blogging in 2014, Shirley was one of the first bloggers to welcome and encourage me. She even invited me to do a guest post on her blog. Butch and I met Shirley and Tom for lunch in Birmingham a few years ago and it was just like having lunch with life-time friends. Shirley organized and began what was originally called Floral Friday in March of 2018 and she invited me to join. It is a privilege to be a part of this group. We eventually moved the post to Mondays and called it Monday Morning Blooms. As you know we have been posting on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of every month. Lidy, Mary, and I will continue with Monday Morning Blooms, posting only on the first Monday of the month, including guest bloggers along the way. Shirley has been and will continue to be a precious friend. It is great to know she will not be totally gone! You can find her regular postings on Instagram.
We love you Shirley!
Thank you for your sweet visit and gracious comments. Wishing you a most beautiful week!
Linking with:
Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
Imparting Grace,Life and Linda
And I love you too!…Love you all!!!….Your watering can is beautiful..what a great find. How wonderful it looks with the “Forget Me Not” tablecloth. It must be such fun to visit your flower farm. I am not familiar with Dara Caucus…it’s beautiful! The combination of the flowers you chose are truly perfect for your watering can. Not only is your table always so beautiful along with the prettiest of centerpieces, the background of your gardens are always stunning…I am loving your apricot drift roses. You and my wonderful Bloom friends will have to give me tips on how to keep my roses healthy! I will be following my MMB friends as always and look forward to your most beautiful creations! Have a most beautiful day Pam!
Thank you, Shirley. I hope the dara will grow in my garden. Wishing you a lovely week!
What a charming watering can. I love your arrangement and table setting. I am sorry to hear that Shirley will no longer be blogging. I will miss her posts.
Thanks so much, Penny. We will all miss Shirley!
What a cheerful arrangement, Pam! It’s just perfect with the blooms you chose and the beautiful tablecloth, too! I bet people just LOVE to be invited to your table! Happy week!
Thank you, Jeanie! Wishing you a most beautiful week!
Pam, Your flowers are beautiful and perfectly paired with your watering can and table! The Dianthus in your arrangement looks like the flower in the can’s floral design. I’m not familiar with Dara Caucus, I’ve probably seen it and assumed it was QA’s Lace. I’ll look forward to seeing how it grows for you. I do love using the invasive privet for filler. It’s impossible to eradicate so cutting the flowers helps prevent future seeding. Your AC pink tablecloth is so pretty with the pop of cheery yellow from your napkins with your Portmeirion Botanic Garden. We’re heating up to the 90s this week with a rise in humidity, I’m sad to see these cooler spring days go! Thank you for the blooms this morning, Happy Monday ♥
Thank you, Mary. I hope I will have luck with the Dara, it is a great flower with a long and strong stem. We are having hot weather this week, I think summer has arrived!
Pam I have known Shirley for many years in blogland and will miss her. My husband and I had the wonderful opportunity to meet and visit with Tom and Shirley too. I agree it was like being with long time friends. I love the Monday morning blooms and will continue to come by and visit all of you. xoxo Kris
Thanks so much, Kris. Shirley is a sweetheart and will definitely be missed.
Pam, your garden table and floral arrangement are delightful! I have not heard of Dara Caucus but it’s a very interesting looking flower. Good luck with your attempts in growing it! Apricot drift roses are what are in my little landscape garden too! Everything looks so good in your garden, but I certainly know all the work you & Butch have put into it to make it that way! Be sure to tell him another aerial shot while things are in spring bloom has been requested by a top fan! 😉
I’m really sad Shirley is leaving blogging, but understand completely. I’m glad you gals will continue the theme. It is a welcome post I look forward to from each of you!
Thank you, Rita. You will enjoy the apricot drift roses. I told Butch you had a request. Shirley will be missed, she is a sweetheart!
Pam, I love your watering can and your tablecloth is perfect! The colors of both are such happy uplifting colors. Your arrangement is so pretty. Your peonies were gorgeous and prolific. Happy Monday! Clara❤️
Thanks so much, Clara. Wishing you lovely week♥️
Dearest Pam, I was so saddened to read that Shirley will be stepping down from Monday Morning Blooms and blogging. She is such a sweetheart. I understand wholeheartedly the desire to spend more time with her dear mother. Time is so precious, and the older I get the more I understand that. On a happier note, I am so glad to read that you girls will still continue MMB. It is one of my favorites, and I always look forward to it. Your watering can bouquet is gorgeous! The wonderful colors in this setting make me smile. I love the AC tablecloth. The sweet chintz print is perfect! Wishing you a most lovely day, sweet friend!
Thank you, Shannon. We will miss Shirley!
I love this so much! I am obsessed with pink this year and made it a primary color in my garden. That tablecloth is wonderful and the florals are too. Such a beautiful table set in a beautiful yard. Will miss Shirley, I guess I need to get more onboard with instagram.
Liz, I am also loving pink. Thank you and we will miss Shirley!
Pink and yellow is such a happy combination and your new watering can is definitely the star of this show! I find I have to stay out of HomeGoods, too many things always jump in my cart! I would not have noticed your “boo boo” if you hadn’t pointed it out, my philosophy is if you are the artist/designer, there are no wrongs, you are being creative! The flower selection is lovely, you always find so many pretty blooms at your flower farm. Your garden table and setting is once again so inviting and beautiful, I love the photo with the lights along the fence in the background. Shirley will be missed, but I know she will love spending time with her amazing mother and her beautiful new home 💕
Jenna
Thank you, Jenna. I agree the artist/designer is just being creative. Happy week to you!
Pam, this makes my heart happy! Those colors, they just shout “happy, sunny, joyful” don’t they?! I actually like your boo-boo! It’s really fun to see the white handle. Your flowers are stunning, the table is gorgeous, and your garden is always the most lovely in any season. xoxo Lidy
Lidy, your comments warm my heart. Enjoy your trip!
Hello, dear Pam. This post is simply lovely in every detail. I enjoy the many shades of pink. Your garden is so pretty and I know you are enjoying your time spent there. Things are rather behind here as well, however, I find that I am fond of how it is coming along slowly. Sorry to hear about Shirley, here post were always beautiful.
Have a wonderful week, my friend.
Thank you, Sandra. I love pink. Shirley will be missed!
So fresh, sunshiny, and beautiful!!! I love how you used a lot of flowers that aren’t “run of the mill.” There’s a wonderful amount of texture goin’ on in this arrangement!!!
Thank you, Alycia. You are a sweetheart!
Pam, another beautiful post on this Monday morning. I love your new watering can. It goes perfectly with your AC cloth. Your apricot drift roses are amazing. Your gardens and cottage are beautiful backdrops for your outdoor tables. I will miss Shirley’s beautiful blog but am in total agreement with her priorities. I will continue to keep up with you, Lidy and Mary on the first Monday of the month. Blessings my dear friend.
Dianne, thank you always for your sweet comments. You are a blessing!
What a beautiful arrangement! Happy and elegant at the same time. I will miss Shirley, but what a blessing to be able to be with her mother. Summer has definitely arrived! We had our first meal under the new porch roof while it rained…I’ve waited 30 years for that moment!
Thank you, Roxanne. How fabulous, I am so glad you enjoyed that meal under the roof!
WOW, I was shocked how quickly MMB came up.Seems like you just had it. Time passes so quickly. We got back from the beach tired and all the unpacking to do and I had an appointment today. So here I am late again.
Your pretty watering can is so cheerful and looks amazing on the AC tablecloth with your flower choices. I love your pop of yellow with the napkins. Portmeirion Botanic Garden plates were the perfect dish choice. And how lovely your background of apricot drift roses are.
I am sad also that Shirley is retiring from blogging but I totally understand. I am glad she will still be on IG. She will be missed on MMB.
Have a wonderful week. I think summer has arrived.
Thank you, Bonnie. It seems two weeks fly by. I know you had a wonderful vacation!
That watering can is the perfect, color-coordinated container for your drift roses and other spring flowers. I’m glad it jumped into your cart!
Thank you, Nancy. I thought it was cute!
Pam, your garden settings are always a treat. The watering can was a fun find, and your flower selection is perfection. The drift roses are lovely. I’m going to plant some of the popcorn drift roses in a bed where we removed my knock out bushes that had stopped performing.
I will miss Shirley’s blog. I was a follower early on. It’s heartwarming how our blogs have spawned such amazing friendships through the years. Shirley’s IG account is a favorite, so it will be special to have that continued connection. I adore her darling mom and know that this time together will be very dear and special to both of them.
Thank you, dear Sarah! Shirley will be missed, but her IG account is fabulous!
A beautiful setting Pam, so bright & cheery ,😄
And exciting to see EM’s school musical!
Blessings sweet friend,
Jennifer
Thank you, Jennifer!
This is such a gorgeous table! Blessings on you and your mom in this next season…
Thanks so much!
Lovely table Pam! I love your new watering can and the flowers you chose – they are perfect on the AC tablecloth! Love the pop of yellow in the napkins too and you are right – those lovely plates do not need anything else on top of them. Simple and elegant and perfect for summer! Happy Thursday!
That is sad news to know Shirley won’t be able to participate anymore. Life surely does hold many seasons, and looking back can bring up so many memories. It isn’t easy, that’s for sure. Your flowers are so beautiful as always! God bless you all.
Thank you, Cheryl. We will miss Shirley!