Monday, March 23, 2015

In a Vase on Monday: Florapalooza

Despite last week's heatwave, there's a lot blooming in my garden at present.  While a few things, like the daffodils, perished in the heat, new blooms are steadily appearing - apparently spring is not going to allow summer to take over the garden quite yet.  I noticed that more Hippeastrum had bloomed in my street-side bed last week and I'd targeted one of those for this week's "In a Vase on Monday," the meme hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden, but it was already past its prime when I went to cut it.  Nonetheless, there were a lot of other flowers to choose from and, because another heatwave is on its way, I cut more than I usually would and ended up with 3 vases.  A florapalooza!

The 3 finished vases


Most of my Alstroemeria are blooming.  They provided the focus of my first vase.


This vase contains:

  • Alstroemeria in varying pink shades (no ID)
  • Argyrantemum frutescens 'Butterfly'
  • Coleonema album 
  • Leucanthemum x superbum, ruffled variety

While some of the pink Alstroemeria, like this one, have blue undertones, others are closer to coral pink, but as all had touches of white and yellow, I used those colors in an effort to harmonize the collection 

This is the first of my Leucanthemum to bloom


My Eustoma grandiflorum 'Blue Borealis' is blooming for its second season and, since I'd already lost a few to the last heatwave, I decided to cut this one as the centerpiece of a purple-hued bouquet.  It turned out a bit too heavy on the purple and I think the Eustoma got lost in the mix.  

I should have substituted more white Coleonema for some of the purple Limonium


In addition to the Eustoma, I used:
  • Anemone coronaria (it didn't respond well to the heat either and the bloom included here is a pale imitation of the earlier flowers
  • Argyranthemum frutescens, pale yellow variety (no ID)
  • Cerinthe major
  • Coleonema album
  • Ixia (aka African corn lilies), yellow and magenta varieties
  • Lavandula multifida (aka fernleaf lavender)
  • Limonium perezii (aka Statice)

The blue Eustoma isn't as large as the blooms the plants produced last year but it still provides a good facsimile of a blue rose

Coleonema album, shown here with fernleaf lavender, is available in profusion this time of year 

I always forget about the Ixia in my garden until they bloom - I pulled them out of the first vase because they got lost but they don't really work in this one either

The paper-like flowers of Limonium perezii are often used in dried flower arrangements


The last vase, just 3 inches tall, contains leftover tidbits of Coleonema, Pelargonium peltatum 'Pink Blizzard' and dwarf Fuchsia 'Windchimes Neon & White.'



The last vase ended up in the guest bathroom.  The first one landed on the dining room table and the purple vase is sitting in the front entryway.

Unfortunately, the fragrance of the Coleonema (aka Breath of Heaven) doesn't quite mask the musty scent of the Leucanthemum but perhaps that will fade 

The Eustoma shows up a bit better here


I thought the purple arrangement looked better in the photo taken in the bright light of the entryway than it did in the photo taken in the kitchen.  Pipig, however, wasn't impressed.

Or perhaps she was just affronted by the attention the flowers were getting when she knows the focus should be on her


Visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to see what she's found for her vase this week.  Link up if you have a vase to share!


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

30 comments:

  1. Bless Pipig! All arrangements are spring parties in a vase Kris!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Pipig thinks she should be the center of attention - always!

      Delete
  2. Wow - they shout 'summer' to us in the UK, let alone spring! And there is your gorgeous eustoma back again - I love to see it. Gorgeous alstroemeria - well, everything is lovely, including the vases themselves. Thanks for sharing them :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, Cathy, our temperatures would probably say summer to you too. We've had a week with temperatures near our old-normal spring levels in the low 70sF but, by Thursday, it appears that we'll be passing the 90F (32C) mark once again. We thought last year's May heatwaves were early - this is ridiculous.

      Delete
  3. These are summer blooms for us too! Your arrangements are gorgeous as always but that last one with the green eyes called Pipig is the fairest of all!

    ReplyDelete
  4. These are summer flowers for central Italy too, mine is not a Mediterranean climate! Each vase is gorgeous. It is lovely to see the Eustoma again, I live the form and the colour. I ought to be able to grow Alstoemerias as yours are always lovely.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Alstroemerias are very useful and adaptable plants, Christina - you should certainly try them. I usually use them as fillers in both vases and the garden but they can make a splash on their own too. I'm currently searching for evergreen varieties, like those I had in my former garden. It's one of the plants I wish I'd dug up to bring with me when we moved as they're harder to find than the dormant varieties.

      Delete
  5. All three are splendid, Kris! You have such a variety of Alstroemeria - I love the way you've pulled them together with the daisies. By the way, do you have any advice on water requirements for Leucanthemum? Things are heating up here too, but not into the 90's yet... Love the Eustoma also, and the mini fuschias make me smile - as does Pipig :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. In my experience, Leucanthemum x superbum, the Shasta daisies, need ample water to get established but once they've had a year or so in the ground, they're good with water once a week during the cool season and twice a week during the warm season.

      Delete
  6. Pipig was looking for some camera time or likes to photo bomb...I adore them all and that is quite a lot of flowers....the first one is my favorite as it reminds me of summer here....I feel like I live on another planet devoid of flowers but yours are perfection.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mother Nature is playing a very tedious game with us on both side of the country, Donna - dumping piles of snow and keeping temperatures too low to get a good melt in the east while withholding precipitation and sending temperatures soaring in the west. I hope that melt starts soon for you!

      Delete
  7. oh my goodness what an amazing array of flowers you have at your fingertips! Gorgeous! I would especially love to grow Alstroemeria and Limonium perezii in my garden - they are on my list! I love that toad, too (and of course the kitty)! :-) Dana

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Both Alstroemeria and Limonium are versatile plants - in the garden and in vases. I hope you can find spots for one or both in your garden, Dana.

      Delete
  8. The rich strong colors of your bouquets are so appealing. The Eustoma is such a beautiful flower. Hope the heat won't be too bad. Seems to have been an odd year there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As this is the second year of early spring heatwaves and the fourth year of serious drought (our so-called rainy season ends in March, having produced little more than 7 inches of rain), I'm afraid this is the new normal, Susie. Some forecasters believe we're in a drought cycle that could last decades.

      Delete
  9. Oooh your furbaby is adorable. And your flowers look like they came from an upscale florist only better because they're yours! I am planting Ixia bulbs. I'm excited to see them bloom. I love the little green vase. Fun post!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Grace and good luck with the Ixia bulbs! Those I planted in spring last year didn't bloom until this year so you may have a wait to enjoy them but they are pretty, especially planted en masse. They come back reliably here.

      Delete
  10. Love that last shot! "Mom stop messing with those flowers AGAIN and pay attention to me!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Your statice is fantastic! And the Coleonema is gorgeous--I have never seen that in person. Too bad it won't grow in my zone 7a, I would love to have some.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Coleonema, especially the taller, white-flowered shrubs, do seem to be a perfect choice for florists - the flowers are long-lasting too.

      Delete
  12. They are all wonderful Kris! Everything is in there - fragrance, colour, texture. Lovely! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Cathy! There are a lot more flowers in the garden but I don't know what'll succumb during this next heatwave.

      Delete
  13. Oh Kris your vases definitely seem to reflect summer rather than spring to my eyes. You are so far ahead of us. We have still to hit 60F and today it's only reaching the dizzy height of 45F. You have some beautiful familiar flowers as well as the unfamiliar. I do so like the look Coleonema album which I've never heard of. Off to find out more about it:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Our winter probably doesn't resemble anything you're used to in the UK either, Anna - our temperatures run higher throughout the year; however, 90F (32C) in March really is pushing things out of bounds, even for us.

      Delete
  14. Wowwy - such bright colors so early in the season! It looks like you have one (or many) very productive garden beds!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We didn't get much of a winter here (little rain either, regrettably!) and spring is already threatening to give way to summer - I think the spring flowers are trying to make a showing before the unseasonable heat knocks them out.

      Delete
  15. Lovely colours and beautiful arrangements. I love the Alstromoeria, and your gorgeous Eustoma. The Coleonema is so effective for a frothy halo.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Unlike the pink-flowered Coleonema, the white variety flowers only for about a month each year before retiring into the foliage background. But, this time of year, it has presence in the garden (as well as the vase).

      Delete

I enjoy receiving your comments and suggestions! Google has turned on reCAPTCHA affecting some commentator IDs so, if you wish to identify yourself, please add your name to your comment.