I've whined about the shortage of flowers in my garden quite a bit of late. Last week, thinking ahead about what I could use to create a vase for the Monday meme sponsored by Cathy at
Rambling in the Garden, I was at a loss. Although some plants in my garden have begun a second bloom cycle, there was nothing that I hadn't used more than once already this summer. Then I visited my local garden center, looking for
Sedum, and came home with a dozen 4-inch pots of
Rudbeckia. On a second tour of another nursery with a friend, I picked up 3 more
Rudbeckia. So, this week's vase features - you guessed it -
Rudbeckia.
This particular Rudbeckia was labeled
R. 'Zahara' but I believe it's actually
Rudbeckia hirta 'Sahara.' The 3 plants I brought home went into a pot, filling in a hole in the border around our fountain. The semi-double flowers range in color from pink to burgundy to caramel.
Here's what went into the vase:
- 1 stem of Pennisetum glaucum 'Purple Majesty' (reused from last week's vase)
- 5 stems of Rudbeckia hirta 'Sahara' in a range of colors
- 2 stems of Solenostemon scuttellarioides 'Fire Fingers Coleus'
- 2 stems of Solenostemon scuttellarioides 'Honey Crisp Coleus' (reused from last week's vase)
- 3 sprigs of Thymus serpyllum
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| The beautiful Rudbeckias, photographed from above |
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| Close-up of Coleus 'Fire Fingers' |
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| Photo of the back of the vase, highlighting the leftover Coleus 'Honey Crisp' |
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| Close-up of thyme |
The colors in this vase, which echo those I used last week, have an autumn feel. I know many gardeners are still holding onto summer, so here's a second vase with a more summer-like disposition, although it also features one of my new
Rudbeckias,
R. hirta 'Prairie Sun':
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| Broken stem of R. 'Prairie Sun' in a bud vase with Abelia 'Kaleidoscope' and more leftover Coleus 'Honey Crisp' |
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| Close-up of R. 'Prairie Sun' |
And here are the vases in their final positions:
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| Back in the foyer yet again |
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| Adding sunshine to the living room |
What have you brought inside to brighten your household space?
Please visit Cathy, the sponsor of the "In a Vase on Monday" meme to see what she's created. You'll also find links to other gardeners' creations.
All material
© 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
As always, you've made gorgeous arrangements! I like to think of the first one as having late summer colors. I'm not quite ready for fall yet although it's close.
ReplyDeleteThanks Peter! I'm anxiously awaiting autumn and our peak planting season myself - there are all too many holes in my garden looking for occupants.
DeleteWith your ever fab combinations it's almost hard to believe that you do struggle sometimes to find materials to create something with :)
ReplyDeleteI keep telling myself I should buy any new plants until October but you can probably lay odds that this recent Rudbeckia buying spree is just the start of my "fall" purchases.
DeleteVery autumnal Kris, I like your new acquisitions and they work well in the vases too. Someone else used Coleus today - I need some foliage for my vases and at present there isn't much I can use. I'm surprised your thyme is flowering now, just shows how our different climates are sometimes the same and sometimes very different.
ReplyDeleteI have no shortage of foliage material at the moment - in fact, before my Rudbeckia shopping spree, I'd contemplated a vase full of nothing but foliage.
DeleteKris I adore those unusual rudbeckias...they work well with the foliage and other colors in the vase...really lovely and fall feeling. And your sunny second vase is right up my alley now with the yellow!
ReplyDeleteWhat's funny is that the Rudbeckias that initially sucked me in during my nursery visit was R. 'Cherry Brandy,' the only one of the 3 varieties I bought that I've grown before. All are classified as R. hirta, however, so I hope both 'Sahara' and 'Prairie Sun' perform as well as 'Cherry Brandy' has in the past.
DeleteOh, good idea to use Coleus for vase foliage. I like the Rudbeckia 'Sahara'. I can be counted as one who wishes to cling to summer, even though the signs of autumn are rolling on in! --Kimberley
ReplyDeleteIf we experienced the winter cold that you get in Pennsylvania, I expect I'd cling to summer too, Kimberly!
DeleteHi Kris - are these perennial rudbeckias? How long will they last in your garden? They don't seem to do well here at all and have never lasted more than a season or so which is a shame. I am intrigued at how well the coleus has lasted from last week - it's such a good accompaniment to the rudbeckias, and the abelia was an inspired addition too. Thanks for joining in, as usual!
ReplyDeleteThey're considered short-lived perennials here, Cathy, although they're often treated as annuals. R. hirta 'Cherry Brandy' (which I also purchased) hung on about a year and a half (through 2 very hot summers) here when I grew it before. I'm hopeful that 'Sahara' and 'Prairie sun' will be as resilient. Perhaps they're more heat tolerant than cold tolerant.
DeleteYour vases always manage to be unusual Kris - I love the foliage that you add. Will some of your garden flowers give another flush as the season starts to cool down?
ReplyDeleteWe've had cooler than usual temperatures here recently (i.e. in the low 90sF/32C), Julie, which has brought back some flowers, most notably the re-blooming daylilies. The Eustoma (Lisianthus) is also producing new blooms. Few of the usual fall bloomers have shown up yet, however.
DeleteBeautiful arrangements. Love that first rudbeckia. Coleus are always so pretty in all combinations either in the garden or in arrangements like this.
ReplyDeleteThe coleus are still going strong - thank goodness!
DeleteSuch beautiful arrangements! The Rudbeckias are amazing......they will go on my wish list. I'm partial to Coleus and yours are lovely. Thanks for sharing. Happy Gardening!
ReplyDeleteRudbeckia 'Sahara' is new to me but I'm officially in love. Thanks for visiting!
DeleteHi Kris, have never seen such beautiful colors of Rudbeckia. Of course you had to bring them home!
ReplyDeleteThe friend I was shopping with hated the Rudbeckia 'Sahara.' I couldn't understand her reaction but then, she doesn't like yellow either and it's my favorite color so clearly we have differences.
DeleteYou're a pro! The Thyme adds lovely draping structure, and the Rudbeckias are such luscious colors. I have lots of Coleus in my garden but I don't usually think to cut it for arrangements. How does it hold up in a vase? Great arrangements!
ReplyDeleteMost of the coleus hold up very well in the vase - in fact, they tend to produce roots. The 'Honey Crisp' coleus included in both vases was recycled from last week's vase.
DeleteWhat lovely colours! I love rudbeckias. Your new Sahara is lovely.
ReplyDeleteI love the 'Sahara' too, Chloris. I can't seem to grow Dahlia 'Cafe Au Lait' but these are a worthy substitute.
DeleteBeautiful colors in the bouquet!
ReplyDeleteGlad you kunnde see and photograph the giant duck in the harbor! have heard of the duck.
Have a nice week
Mariana
I got another photo of the giant duck leaving the harbor Monday morning, Mariana. He was a nice change from the cruise ships.
DeleteHi Kris, my name is Jennifer I live in Temecula Ca. I have enjoyed learning about your garden for many months. Thank you for sharing. I love the little toad sculpture featured In a Vase on Monday. In fact I covet the little thing. I have even shared it with my family who understand my weakness for toads. where did you acquire it and what is it made from?
ReplyDeleteHi Jennifer. I've had the toad for many, many years and can't recall where I got it. It's actually a box - the top and head left off to reveal a small space. It's made of some type of ceramic material. I checked it for the maker's name but couldn't find one. Sorry! I hope you can find something similar.
DeleteI absolutely adore coleus. My mum grew it from seeds this year and it looked stunning. It is a shame that we can grow it only as annual. It would meke the garden look really special. It looks lovely in the bouquet and I guess this is one of the ideas to appreciate the patterns on leaves.
ReplyDelete