In a Vase on Monday: Sunshine ahead (I hope)

By the time Memorial Day rolls around, we can usually count on sunny days. After all, it's the unofficial start of the summer season in the U.S. However, that's not been the case this year. It's been gloomy and on the cool side more often than not. The political environment can also be seen as chilling. At least it usually gets sunny by the mid-afternoon most days here. Fortunately, my garden provided its own sunshine this week.

The orange lilies finally came through with their flowers this week.  I think this variety is 'Orange Planet', which I planted in 2021.

Back view, filled out using Alstroemeria 'Claire' and Shasta daisies called 'Sweet Baby Izabel' (Leucanthemum x superbum)

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana',  Alstroemeria 'Claire', A. 'Inca Sundance', Leucanthemum x superbum 'Sweet Baby Izabel, Leucospermum 'Royal Hawaiian Brandi', and Lilium 'Orange Brandi'

View of arrangement in place

Depressing as circumstances have been on many fronts this year, it's time to dig in and slog through the ballot that's currently sitting on my desk.  At the same time, some 50,000 people in Orange County to the near south of us are under evacuation orders due to a serious toxic chemical leak. What a way to spend a holiday weekend!

I hope you've had an opportunity to spend time in your garden - or someone else's - this week.  You can check in with Cathy at Rambling and others who put something "In a Vase on Monday" here.

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

In a Vase on Monday: Seeing purple

I thought I'd have a few lilies in bloom this week but they weren't quite ready to take off yet. So I decided to cut stems of the purple gladiolas I'd been eyeing last week. The trouble was finding other flowers that would show them off. I ended up adding two tall Acanthus mollis stems to balance them out. Combining those and a few other smaller plants were enough to call it an arrangement. I can only hope that the cat won't send the large crystal vase crashing to the floor before the week is over.

It's a very heavy vase but I'm not sure that'd stop a cat prone to pushing her boundaries

Back view: I included stems of the purple-leafed Vitex trifolia but unfortunately it takes a good day for  the stems to recover after they've been cut, hence the droop in these photos

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left: Acanthus mollis, noID Gladious, noID Leucanthemum superbum, Limonium perezi, Nigella papillosa 'African Bride', and Vitex trifolia 'Purpurea'

Arrangement in place in the dining room

It's getting warmer here and the dahlia tubers that are still in temporary pots could use more space to spread out so I think my sweet peas may half to go soon. It's too bad; however, this year's crop was somewhat disappointing. I can already see signs of mildew on the foliage too.

Thanks, as always, to Cathy at at Rambling in the Garden for hosting IAVOM. Best wishes to all for a colorful week!

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

Bloom Day - May 2026

I missed two months of Bloom Day posts while sidelined by medical issues.  I'm still recovering, but I was determined to get a post up this month.  My garden isn't exactly up to snuff as regular therapy sessions take a lot of my time, however I've taken a stab at documenting what I could.

The Agapanthus are blooming heavily as usual this May

Arctotis ‘Large Marge' is more vigorous than 'Pink Sugar'

White and yellow Argyranthemum (aka Marguerite daisies) are at their peak

Cynara scolymus, commonly known as artichokes on the back slope 

Echium 'Pride of Madeira', one of 3 Echiums I currently have in bloom

Globularia x indubia (aka globe daisy), beloved by bees

Hippeastrum flower on an irregular schedule.  I've noID for this one but it's naturalized in my garden.

Leonotis leonurus, aka lion's tail

Leucadendron salignum 'Blush' - not a true flower but it looks likes one

Leucospermum Royal Hawaiian 'Brandi', the flashiest Leucospermum in my garden (so far)

NoID Pelargonium (left) and 2 Pelargonium peltatum (right) aka ivy geranium)

Flamboyant Salvia canariensis var candidissima

The cutting garden still has spring flowers (soon to be replaced with dahlias).

Consolida ajacis, aka larkspur

Lathyrus odoratus, aka sweet peas

NoID Gladiolus

There are also a host of dependable long term bloomers:

Clockwise from upper left: Grevillea 'Superb', 'Peaches & Cream', 'Scarlet Sprite', and G.sericea

Cuphea x ignea 'Starfire Pink' and a noID orange variety

Hemerocallis 'For Pete's Sake' & 'Spanish Harlem'

I've thrown several other flowers into a final collage for final measure:

Top Row: Alstroemeria ‘Claire’, Callistemon viridiflorus, and Lagurus ovatus (aka bunny tail grass)
Middle: Centranthus ruber, Oenothera speciosa, and Felicia aethiopica
Bottom: Chrysocephalum, Gaillardia 'Desert Flame', and Gazania 'Spin Top Copper Sun'

That's it for this month's survey.  Many thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for hosting Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day each month.

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

In a Vase on Monday: A new color palette to work with

I had a hard time getting excited about my flower choices this week. I'd just about settled on a flashy purple gladiola, when I noticed new blooms on my Grevillea 'Moonlight'. 'Moonlight' hasn't flowered often since the shrub was planted several years ago, and I can't recall ever using it for an 'In a Vase on Monday' post. However, once I settled on that choice, I was off and running with an entirely different color scheme.

Although 'Moonglow' got me started, it was one member of an ensemble cast that included Alstroemeria, Leucadendrons, and even a Leucospermum among other plants

Back view

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left are: Alstroemeria 'Claire', Corokia x virgata 'Sunsplash', noID Leucanthemum superbum, Grevillea 'Moonlight', Leucadendron 'Jubilee Crown', L. 'Wilson's Wonder', Leucospermum 'California Sunshine', and Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream'

Arrangement in place

I may make use of the gladiolas next week when there are more of them in full bloom.  Then again, the lilies may be ready to take off by then so there could be a tug of war.  The dahlia tubers are moving forward, but slowly, so there's plenty of time left to enjoy the current season without dashing into summer.

For posts from other IAVOM contributors, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.

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

In a Vase on Monday: The blues

It's been an odd spring.  It started off early as usual here in late February.  I posted photos of my first Dutch Iris on March 1st.  Unfortunately, as I ended up in the hospital, most of the Iris were gone by the time I got home later that month.  I only recently got back to doing any gardening.  My dahlia bulbs have gotten started in pots but it'll be a while before I see any flowers from them.  In the meantime, I'm making use of my blue flowers in the form of agapanthus and larkspur.  Here's this week's vase.

Too much?  Most of the noID Agapanthus came with house.  The flowers return reliably each year.

Back view: The larkspur (Consolida ajacis) flowered better this year than last but still not as well as in previous years.

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left: 'Abelia 'Hopley's Variegated, noID blue and white Agapanthus, Centranthus ruber 'Alba', noID Consolida ajacis, and Echium 'Star of Madeira'

After an extended heatwave in March, April was comfortable but it's been on the cool side for the past week.  I'm hoping for sunnier skies and warmer temperatures in the low 70s (22C) later this week.

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: Missing in action

I've been missing in action for several weeks due to medical issues but I'm on the road to recovery.  Many thanks for the good wishes and support I've received from the garden blogging community.  My blog posts are likely to remain short and few in number for a time yet but as always I enjoy reading what others have posted.

Here's one simple In a Vase on Monday post I managed to put together yesterday.

My yellow Leucospermums are still relatively abundant

Back view

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left: Abelia 'Kaleidoscope', Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Alstroemeria 'Indian Summer', Leonotis leonurus, and Leucospermum 'High Gold'

Arrangement in place

I look forward to joining Cathy at Rambling in the Garden and the rest of the IAVOM crowd sharing a post now and again.

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

IAVOM: Everything Everywhere All at Once

I haven't actually seen anything but clips of the movie, 'Everything Everywhere All at Once', but that was my reaction when I stepped into my own garden yesterday morning.  It'd be easier to list what isn't blooming than what is at the moment.  Even the new species tulip bulbs I planted in December, Tulipa linifolia 'Honky Tonk', have burst into bloom, although I didn't end up including any of them in the two vases I created this week.  However, I did stop myself from putting together more than two arrangements.

This is Tulipa 'Honky Tonk'.  It's cute and, by my count, the majority of the 25 bulbs I planted are already blooming or in bud but the stems are still relatively short for inclusion in a vase.

My first arrangement stars the blue Dutch Irises that appeared last week.  Two other Dutch Iris cultivars are also already in bloom.

The 'Sapphire Beauty' Iris are fewer in number this year, probably because many of the bulbs surrounding our backyard fountain were damaged or consumed by gophers along with the yellow Freesia in the same area

Back view

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left: Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt', Ageratina adenophora, Anemone coronaria 'Lord Lieutenant', Iris x hollandica 'Sapphire Beauty', white and yellow Freesias, white Ranunculus, and Leucospermum 'High Gold'

I used another Leucospermum as the centerpiece of my second arrangement.

'Royal Hawaiian Brandi' is the most flamboyant of my Leucospermums

 

Back view

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Leucadendron 'Jester', yellow Freesia, Alstroemeria 'Indian Summer', A. 'Inca Sundance', Gladiolus nanus 'Las Vegas, and Leucospermum 'Royal Hawaiian Brandi'

Our temperatures steadily climbed last week, peaking at 90F/32C on Friday before coming slowly down to the low 80sF/28C yesterday.  I suspect that the warmer conditions may be responsible for the floral explosion.  The marine layer is expected to bring temperatures down a bit further during the next few days before they creep up again as we head into the weekend.  I'm laying odds that my sweet peas will bloom sometime in March this year, as opposed to May, which is when they showed up last year.

For more 'In a Vase on Monday' posts, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.

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