I've been watching and waiting for my
Coreopsis 'Redshift' to start its bloom cycle. In my garden, these blooms take over as the blooms on the
Agapanthus taper off. I have a total of 8 of these perennial plants in the back yard, 5 of which I added in March of this year. The buds began appearing a month or more ago but, at the time of my July Bloom Day post, only a few buds had opened. A day or two after Bloom Day, the 3 original plants were covered in blooms, making them a suitable choice to use "In a Vase on Monday," the meme sponsored by Cathy of
Rambling in the Garden. As the
Coreopsis are rather wispy, they needed a centerpiece with greater impact, which was provided by
Helianthus annuus 'Valentine,' but the
Coreopsis dictated the overall color scheme.
The bouquet includes:
- 2 stems of Amaranthus cruentus 'Hopi Red Dye'
- 5 stems of Coreopsis 'Big Bang Redshift'
- 1 stem of Gaillardia x grandiflora 'Goblin'
- 2 stems of Helianthus annuus 'Valentine'
- 3 stems of Persicaria microcephala 'Red Dragon'
- 1 stem of Solenostemon scutellarioides 'Coleus Inky Fingers'
As the following picture shows, the color of the
Coreopsis varies. At the start of the bloom cycle in summer, the flowers open with butter yellow petals and a deep red halo around the center. The red streaks at the center gradually radiate to the tips of the petals. The flowers are temperature sensitive and, as the weather cools in the fall, the red color will dominate.
 |
| A fuzzy photo showing some of the color differences in the Coreopsis |
I added the coleus at the last minute in an effort to lighten the heaviness created by the burgundy-colored annual
Amaranthus.
While the daisy-like shape of the
Gaillardia is similar to that of the tickseed and sunflower, the color was just a little off, so it ended up tucked into the back of the bouquet.
Other floral rejects - 2 stems of
Echinacea 'Cheyenne Spirit,' 3 stems of
Bulbine frutescens and a small piece of
Coreopsis - ended up in a small vase consigned to the guest bathroom, where all my rejects seem to end up at present.
And the larger vase ended up in the front entry, as usual.
Go to Cathy's blog at Rambling in the Garden to see her creation this week. You'll also find links to photos of vases created by other participating gardeners.
Kris I really liked both these...and you are right that coreopsis is perfect to offset the burgundy. I do have this coreopsis and I enjoy seeing it change colors as it ages.
ReplyDeleteWhat's funny, Donna, is that I hunted down 5 more of the Coreopsis in spring to coordinate with the unnamed red-orange daylilies that dominate my backyard garden in summer. As it turned out, the daylilies bloomed early this year and are mostly gone now. The addition of the amaranthus was serendipity - I added it to my side garden as a spur-of-the-moment purchase.
DeleteYour guests are lucky to have so pretty an arrangement in their bathroom. Interesting mix of colours and forms today, Kris.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Christina!
DeleteWhat beautiful bouquets you make with your garden flowers. I love the way the coreopsis looks as though someone has taken a paintbrush to them. It is true here that flowers have more color in the fall when the temperatures moderate and air is cleared of the humidity. I would love to have perennial coreopsis instead of just the annual ones. I wonder if it would like Texas weather with no cool off in the evening.
ReplyDeleteThese hybrid coreopsis perform better for me than the more common C. grandiflora, Jenny, but I can't say how they'd handle your unrelenting summer heat. During our sporadic heatwaves (which seem to have become increasingly frequent during summers here), the night-time temperatures remain in the 70s and above but we don't have months of that at a time.
DeleteYou're really good at this Kris, with the Coreopsis nicely tying in the reds, burgundies, and yellows of the other vase residents.
ReplyDeleteI've just been lucky finding flowers that harmonize or complement one another thus far - that may get harder as summer continues.
DeleteThe amaranthus looks quite dramatic and brings out the red in the coreopsis beautifully. I often have leftover bits and bobs too, but yours look really good!
ReplyDeleteThis is the first time I've ever grown amaranthus, Cathy. As flowers go, it's a true drama queen.
DeleteI love how you have picked out different ways to complement the reds and greens (although I quietly growled to see your amaranthus as mine have been a dismal failure!). I particularly love the different shades of the coreopsis - do you you grow them as annuals? Thanks for sharing your lovely vase.
ReplyDeleteThis particular Amaranthus is doing well but those I put in as smaller plants from 6-packs are struggling - I don't think they're getting enough water. This coreopsis is perennial here. The 3 oldest plants have bloomed for 3 summers.
DeleteKris, I like your strong design and striking colors. That is a unique and lovely coreopsis with its red accents.
ReplyDeleteThe "Big Bang" series of coreopsis includes a number of others with shifting color palettes linked to temperature changes, Susie, but I've yet to see any of the others in local garden centers.
DeleteAs usual your flowers are fabulous and such gorgeous colours. I love the colour of the Coreopsis and it goes so well with the Amaranthus.
ReplyDeleteIt was pure coincidence that I had the Amaranthus on hand, as it was a May purchase. I'd originally planned to match the Coreopsis with my red-orange daylilies but their bloom times didn't overlap this year.
DeleteThat looks good. You have imaginative combinations. The Coreopsis lives a few years for you? And I always long to try an Echinacea again, but is it just an expensive annual?
ReplyDeleteThe 3 oldest Coreopsis have flowered for 3 summers now - I hack them back once they finish blooming. The Echinacea were a bit of a surprise. Those I put in last summer died back to the ground in the fall and I'd assumed they were gone, only to have new growth appear in late spring. So, of course, when they became available in the garden centers this year, I bought a few more. However, I still don't have enough of a history to claim success.
DeleteI am torn, I love the large arrangement, but there is a simple elegance to your guest bathroom "rejects" arrangement. I really like the way the Amaranthus picks out the red at the center of the coreopsis.
ReplyDeleteI'm pleased that the Coreopsis could hold its own with that Amaranthus, Janet - I wasn't sure that any flower could stand up to the statement the Amaranthus makes in a vase.
DeleteVery beautiful Kris!
ReplyDelete