...OF SPRING AND SUMMER...: Creative with Flowers - # 7

Here are two blue charming early spring bulbs - Muscari or grape hyacinths as they are also called and Iris reticulata 'Harmony', a stunning little early flowering mini spring iris.

The grape hyacinths are planted in a plastic lined basket. Once they have finished flowering you can plant them in the garden or in a more permanent container.

I tied a ribbon in almost the same colour as the flowers around the middle of the basket to lift the dark colour. The ribbon and the matching blue tags are from Jane Means.

The little iris I also tend to grow in containers - always raised off the ground - or they will otherwise be nibbled by slugs and snails.

Iris is not strictly a bulb - but the reticulata irises are what is called bulbous irises - so you can more or less treat them like a bulb.

After many years of growing these irises I have quite a lot so I often cut a few and use them as cut flowers. Being such a tiny plant it's such a pleasure to have it close up in a little vase or container on a table next to you.

Like I have done here - I have used some small vintage blue ink bottles - perfect for little short stems. You can fit from one to three stems in each and you can display them as single vases or grouped together on a little tray or saucer.