Flowers in my garden are left to bloom in the glorious outdoors but flowers which have been grown to be picked and offered for indoor enjoyment are cheerfully purchased.
Initially I put all five of the daffodils in their pencil state (blossom tightly furled, not even a hint of yellow) in the large square vase and cut one down to a shorter length to bloom inside the vase. The handful of leaves were about to be scattered across the garden to return to the earth but they were so green and so abundant that I put them in another clear container.
A few days later the four long daffs had opened their trumpets but the one inside the vase was still sleeping. And a day or so after that. I wondered if it was a non-bloomer, or if I had somehow ‘smothered’ it in the vase. Maybe it was shy. Or pouting! I put it in with the leaves where it had star status and the next day – as you can see – it began to open.
I found my gaze resting quite often on the two side-by-side bouquets and had a few thoughts as to why the more frequent perusal; the unexpected, I suppose – leaves and flowers are usually kept together; and the delay, again unexpected, of the final flower. It is of interest what captures and keeps us in the moment…