Monday, March 16, 2015

In a Vase on Monday: No Fuss Bouquet

Despite our current unseasonable heat (or maybe because of it), there's a lot in bloom in my garden at the moment.  But heat makes me cranky and, this week, I didn't want to spend a lot of time futzing with my creation for "In a Vase on Monday," the meme hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.  On the theory that the beautiful blooms of 'Grevillea 'Peaches and Cream' wouldn't last long with dry Santa Ana winds blowing and temperatures above 90F (32C), I cut one of those blooms for my vase, the first time I've ever done so.  As there were a lot of blooms on G. 'Superb', I cut one of those too.  Then I grabbed stems of a few other plants and, plopping them in a vase, called it done.



I could have added Narcissus perhaps, or yellow Freesia or orange Bulbine or peach Gaillardia but I stood pat with the following plants, collected during a 5-minute spin outside (in the miserable heat):

  • Anagallis 'Wildcat Mandarin'
  • Gaillardia x grandiflora 'Goblin' (or maybe 'Arizona Sun' - they look the same to me)
  • Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream'
  • Grevillea 'Superb'
  • Phlomis fruticosa
  • Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata'


Anagallis 'Wildcat Mandarin', planted last spring is perennial here

Gaillardia 'Goblin' is a trifle bedraggled but the stem has a few buds I hope will open to follow this one

The mature bloom of Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream' is on the left and the less mature bloom of G. 'Superb' is on the right

Phlomis fruticosa, a very Seussian flower, is just coming into bloom throughout the garden

Prostanthera ovalifolia was the first foliage plant to catch my eye


I didn't spend time fussing with the arrangement and I didn't create any secondary arrangements with cast-off stems because there weren't any.  A sunny creation, sent by my subconscious to put me in a less cranky mood perhaps, it sits on the dining room table as my breakfast companion.



Please visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to see what she's put together this week.  Link up and share your vase if you've put together something with makings from your own garden.


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

18 comments:

  1. I call it well done! I love the feel of this one, light, and loose, and colorful. Relaxed.

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    1. It's good the flowers look relaxed, even when I don't feel that way!

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  2. Yes, relaxed and colourful is what I'd call it! Your colours are always lovely and bright to reflect the sunshine, they always look very happy.

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    1. It's all the yellow in my garden I think - it's a happy color.

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  3. Beautiful colours and so many shapes of flowers, some of them do not grow where I live. Thanks for sharing, Kris!

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  4. 32 degrees in March... I think I am quite content with our more temperature climate, Kris! Your vase may have been hastily constructed but it shows what an artistic touch you have as it is beautifully balanced and stylish. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. The heat has been miserable, breaking all kinds of records for temperatures in March. Thankfully, the heatwave appears to have broken today.

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  5. Looks summery to me Kris, and another new flower, Anagallis 'Wildcat Mandarin'. Love it with the Grevillea. I will keep my cool start to spring as I love the flowers that bloom in spring....wow 90 is too hot for March.

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    1. Each climate has its pluses and minuses. The increasing frequency of these heatwaves, especially the early ones, is worrying, though.

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  6. Beautiful bouquet!
    I like Prostanthera ovalifolia, it's a plant in a pot? or do you have it in the garden?
    Mariana

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    1. The Prostanthera, also know as mint bush, is planted in the garden. It's a pretty shrub but it does get rangy over time.

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  7. I love this wispy, open and round design. Your always choose great color companions.

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    1. There's a lot in bloom now, a by-product of our increasingly warm temperatures. The extreme heat of the last few days may cause some flowers to retreat, though - it appears to have already killed off my Dutch Iris and anemones.

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  8. You managed to pick a great bunch in that 5 minutes! I looked for G. 'Peaches and Cream' on the weekend at the native nursery but they didn't have it in stock. Everytime I see it I want it!

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    1. The flowers of 'Peaches anf Cream' are larger than those on any other Grevillea I've seen, even 'Superb.' I hope you find it, Amy.

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  9. Beautiful, and despite the hot colours it looks cool and airy. :) I bet those flowers were glad to get out of the heat! I have never seen a yellow Phlomis, only pink ones. Very nice. And that foliage plant is a really pretty filler. Hope it cools down a bit for you soon!

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    1. It's supposed to be 10 or 11 degrees cooler (Fahrenheit) today and to drop another 5 degrees tomorrow. It feels great by comparison to the last 4 days!

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