In a Vase on Monday: No fussing this week

After a bright, sunny start to Sunday morning, the clouds moved in, the sky turned a dingy gray, and it got very muggy.  I usually spend a good amount of time just tidying up my garden while cutting flowers for "In a Vase on Monday"; however, this week I decided to make a quick job of it and get myself back indoors.  Historically, coastal Southern California has been known for its "dry heat" but higher humidity is becoming increasingly common.  It also didn't help that there's also a new wildfire fire burning in Northern Los Angeles County, contributing to both the gloom and the sharp decline in our air quality.

I picked one of my favorite dahlias, 'Labyrinth', as the centerpiece of this week's arrangement.

I paired the 'Labyrinth' dahlias with Lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum) and Grevillea flowers in similar peachy tones.  These colors can lift anyone's spirits, even under the gloomiest conditions. 

The back view of the vase was taken over by splashy stems of Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder'

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left are: Dahlia 'Labyrinth', Eustoma grandflorum 'Apricot', Cuphea 'Honeybells', Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream', and Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder'

Finished arrangement in place

I'll tackle tidying the garden on another, hopefully cooler, day.  How much cooler weather we can reasonably expect this summer and fall with El Nino conditions forming in the Pacific are questionable, though.  While those conditions can mean drought and food shortages in many parts of the world, they can also mean deluges and floods here in California  I generally welcome rain but too much rain too fast can become a significant problem as well. 

For more IAVOM posts, check in with Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.

All material © 2012-2026 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: An imposter?

It warmed up here late last week, and the dahlias finally started getting into gear, which is not to say that all of my tubers are blooming yet. However, two of the largest "dinner plate" dahlias flowered and demanded notice. They were identified at time of purchase as 'Belle of Barmera', which I've grown before, and 'Omega', which is new to me. The flowers of both are huge, even by my standards.

The 'Belle of Barmera' is notably softer in color than the one I previously grew, which made me believe that the tubers were mislabeled by the seller.

The flowers of this 'Belle' are pale pink and yellow in color while online references describe it as a mix of coral, peach, and raspberry-pink.  My plants are pretty but I don't think they're 'Belle of Barmera'.  (You can see what those flowers should look like here.) 

Back view of the vase, showing off the single stem of 'Omega' I included. I couldn't have crammed in a second 'Omega' bloom in that vase if I'd tried. 

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana' (aka peppermint willow), Dahlia 'Belle of Barmera' (or its imposter), D. 'Omega', and Grevillea 'Superb'

The arrangement in place in our front entryway

It's looking likely that I can expect more dahlias in the weeks ahead.  I remain hopeful that I may get more lilies too, although that's not certain if it gets too hot too fast.  A stem of Lilium 'Zelmira' with just two flowers surprised me last Tuesday but I haven't seen any evidence of its sisters in the wings, nor the two other lily varieties I expected to see this season.

Lilium 'Zelmira'

For more IAVOM posts, visit our gracious host, Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.

All material © 2012-2026 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: Some fumbling involved

The dahlias continue to produce buds but remain slow about delivering actual flowers. A couple of dahlia flowers opened very recently; however, there were not enough to make up a single bouquet. Luckily, one of the two stalks of 'Friso' lilies opened to fill the gap, boosted in part by a sudden flurry of wild carrot and other flowers. Hopefully, the dahlias will pick up their pace next week.

While I like the mix of flowers here, the arrangement itself is a little sloppy.  The lily had twisted its stalk around and refused to allow me to bend it into shape.

 

As may be evident from this rear view of the vase

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left, the vase contains: Daucus carota 'Dara' (self-seeded and known as both wild carrot and Queen Anne's lace), Leucanthemum x superbum (aka Shasta daisy, in its ruffled form), Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', Lilium 'Friso', and Pelargonium peltatum 'Dark Pink' (aka ivy geranium)

Vase in the front entry

We didn't get the heat that was predicted last week, at least not in our area.  Our daily temperatures remained in the low to mid-70sF (22 to 24C) and it looks as though we should expect more of the same leading into the holiday weekend.  It's hard to know what to wish for there.  I'd settle for a stretch of relative calm.  For those of you in the US, I wish you the same.

To see more IAVOM posts, check in with Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.

All material © 2012-2026 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: Dahlias make it to the menu

I expected another cluster of lilies this week, but the majority of them are still holding their buds tight, which is also true of most of the dahlias that have produced buds in my garden thus far. I do have two dahlias with flowers, though, one purchased in flower from a local garden center, and one I received as a baby plant from a grower back in early April. I chose to cut flowers of the latter as it's produced blooms at a steady pace for the past two weeks.

As the flowers of Dahlia 'Karma Caroline' are notably smaller than the "dinner plate" varieties I tend to favor, I threw in a stem of a noID Hippeastrum in a similar color similar to that of the dahlia to add weight to the arrangement

The back view of the arrangement provides a better view of the Hippeastrum, as well as a closeup of the pale green Lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum) I added to the mix

Overhead view: I'd characterize this dahlia as a waterlily type, although I don't think the grower did so

Clockwise from the upper left, the vase contains: noID Alstroemeria, Crassula pubescens, Dahlia 'Karma Caroline', Eustoma grandiflorum, noID Hippeastrum, and Leucadendon 'Jester'

Arrangement in place on the front entry table (Note: the vase in this case is a smaller version of the vase I used last week)

Three of the six 'Montego Bay' lilies I used last week were still in good shape, although they'd faded in color since they were originally cut. 

The 3 remaining lilies and 2 glossy stems of Coprosma 'Plum Hussey' were relegated to the kitchen island

The marine layer is still present most mornings but it generally lifts earlier in the day now.  Temperatures have been in the low 70sF (22C) here along the coast.  We've yet to experience blasts of heat like the freak heatwave that hit SoCal back in February.  The question is: how long will that luck hold?

Check in with Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to see what she and other contributors have to share on IAVOM this week.

All material © 2012-2026 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

What's perking up my garden this June?

I was late putting together a Bloom Day post and, as Carol of May Dreams Gardens, the creator of Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, is in the process of retiring the meme anyway, I thought I'd do my own thing this month.  Rather than cover virtually everything I currently have in flower as I've done in the past,  I picked just the plants that drew my eye right now.  It's still a relatively long list!

I'm starting with a few plants I recently acquired.

I lost a significant number of plants due to a February heatwave and my inability to properly care for my garden when medical issues sidelined me for an extended period.  I refilled this pot with a Digiplexis 'Illumination Raspberry' and 2 peachy Osteospermums.

Tired of waiting for my first dahlia tubers to bloom, I bought this Dahlia 'XXL Veracruz' at my local garden center already in flower and potted it up

A small Dahlia 'Karma Carolina' I'd back-ordered in January (and promptly forgotten) was delivered in April.  The plant flowered before any of the bare tubers I planted.

As it's easier to simply present the rest of my selections in alphabetical order, that's what I've done.

Cuphea 'Vermillionaire' is now blooming with abandon

One of several artichokes (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus) are flowering on our back slope, overlooked by 2 neighboring homes

These Gaillardia 'Spintop Copper Sun' returned to bloom more vigorously than ever this year

Hebe ''Grace Kelly' is flowering better than ever this year, although its lost most of its variegation

The Hemerocallis 'Sammy Russell' daylilies originally came with the house

Another noID Hippeastrum flowered this month.  Their schedule is unpredictable.

The noID purple Iris germanica at the bottom of my back slope are the only ones I can depend upon to bloom each year.  They came with the garden.

The 2 tree-like Leptospermum 'Copper Glow' in the front garden are flowering more profusely than they ever have before

The noID Leucanthemum x superbum I received from a friend years ago as a gift have picked up their flower power this month

The last of this year's Lilium 'Orange Planet' are finishing up but luckily other lilies are preparing to make an entrance

The red-orange flowers of the Lotus berthelotii I planted last year are also finally blooming in earnest 

The Phlomis fruticosa (aka Jerusalem sage) I thought had finished up in April seem to be back!

I've been largely avoiding my semi-treacherous back slope but I did notice that the Matilija poppies (Romneya coulteri) are in flower.  Pretty as they are, I tried to remove them again last year and clearly failed. 

This is Rudbeckia 'Juliana', which I didn't expect to last the season summer, much less to be flowering again this year

Salvia 'Mystic Spires' is also back and flowering with greater vigor thus year

That's enough for now, wouldn't you say?  More dahlias are on the heels of those I shared at the top of this post, and there are at least a couple more lilies in the wings.  I have lots of tiny zinnia and sunflower seedlings coming up too but, if they survive, I expect it'll be a couple of months yet before they amount to anything as they got a very late start this year.

Meanwhile, I hope your summer is off to a good start!

All material © 2012-2026 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: Hidden Treasure

I'd thought that my lilies might be something of a loss this year. Only 'Orange Planet' had made an appearance. But it seems that I gave up too soon. I spotted a single flower of 'Montego Bay' last week and, by Sunday, I had six flowers. They were well hidden below and behind 'Orange Planet'. I cut all of them as it made no sense to leave them where they were, where neither I nor anyone else could see them.

I don't recall 'Montego Bay' blooming all at once for me before

Back view, filled in with stems of Alstroemeria 'Third Harmonic'

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left are: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Alstroemeria 'Indian Summer', A. 'Third Harmonic', Crocosmia 'Plum Hussey', Digiplexis 'Illumination Raspberry', and Lilium 'Montego Bay' 

This is the arrangement in place in our front entry

I've also discovered that I have at least one other lily in the wings - 'Friso', I think. 'Pretty Woman', one of my favorite lilies, appears to be producing stalks, although I'm not convinced they're going to amount to anything. I've no idea where either 'Zelmira' or 'Zeba' may be hiding, but maybe they'll surprise me. In the meantime, the dahlias are looking more promising each week.

For more IAVOM posts, check in with Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to discover what she and others have put together this week.

All material © 2012-2026 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: Twisted

None of the dahlia tubers I planted in April and May are blooming yet, but two of the foxgloves I planted late last year have finally produced flowers so they kicked off today's "In a Vase on Monday" creation. They don't account for the title of the post, however. That was prompted by the unusual Pelargonium 'Colocho' I added to the mix, primarily as my foliage accent. It has twisted leaves with a delicious scent. I've had this plant in my garden for many years and I've propagated it from cuttings too but this is the first year it's developed a real presence there. It deserved the distinction of a starring role in this week's post.

The foxgloves and other flowers added rich colors

That included Centranthus ruber (aka red valerian), as shown at the back view of the vase.  It's essentially a weed here.  It was in full bloom earlier in the year but it's fading fast now.
 

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left, the vase contains:  Centranthus ruber, Cuphea 'Starfire Pink', Digitalis purpurea, Leucanthemum x superbum, Pelargonium peltatum 'Lavender Blizzard', and P. 'Colocho'

This is the arrangement in place in the front entry

It looks as though our afternoon temperatures will remain on the mild side (72F/22C) for awhile yet but we may finally get more sun each day starting mid-week as the marine layer backs off.  As I finally sowed some zinnia seeds, I hope that means some summer flowers by July or August!

Check in with Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to see what she and other IAVOM contributors are sharing thus week.

All material © 2012-2026 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party