In a Vase on Monday: Flowers shining in the gloom

Note:
As I had plans that would take me away from home all day Sunday, I cut and arranged my vases and prepared the post below on Saturday.  The news reports from Orlando, Florida on Sunday created a sense of desolation that had nothing at all to do with the gray skies that originally inspired the choice of today's title.  I considered scrapping this post altogether but decided to publish it in its original form - hatred and brutality can't be allowed to overshadow the light and beauty offered by those with open hearts.  My thoughts are with the victims of the Orlando attack and their families and friends.

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As I mentioned in an earlier post, we've been enjoying a healthy dose of June Gloom courtesy of the marine layer.  On a few occasions, we've been socked in until late afternoon with the sun making only the briefest appearance before the clouds and fog move back into place.  Our Saturday morning drizzle was heavy enough to register on my rain meter, although not enough to warrant turning off the irrigation.  I credit the cool temperatures and humid conditions for extending the lives of some of my spring blooms and decided to take advantage of the bounty I still have for this week's "In a Vase on Monday" post, hosted by Cathy of Rambling in the Garden.

Achillea 'Moonshine' still rules my backyard borders and was in need of some cutting back so that was the starting point for my first vase.

Front view

Back view, looking substantially similar to the front view

The best top view I could get standing on my toes

As you can see I stuck to a very narrow color palette with this vase.

Clockwise from the left, the vase contains: a ruffled form of Leucanthemum x superbum, Abelia 'Kaleidoscope', Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Jacobaea maritima and Achillea 'Moonshine', and Tanacetum niveum

I cut sweet peas for my second vase.  That may not seem unusual to those of you in cooler climates but, most years, my sweet peas are long gone by June.  This year they got a slow start (courtesy of the raccoons who twice "thinned" my seedlings) but the cooler-than-usual May/June temperatures have thankfully prevented them from frying to a crisp as they usually do in spring.

Most of the sweet peas growing in the raised bed in my vegetable garden are actually blue and most of the sweet peas I cut were blue but, as I put this vase together, I decided I liked the look of it with just the delicate pink and white blooms so the blue sweet peas went into a bouquet to take to a friend.  (I took no photo of that one but, if the sweet peas hold out another week, perhaps I'll replicate the arrangement next week.)  This vase included just three ingredients:

From the left: Abelia x grandiflora (possibly 'Edward Goucher'), Lathyrus odoratus, and Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Silver Magic'

Last week's vase with the lilies is still hanging on so I've left it on our dining room table for now and consigned the yellow and white creation to the front entry where it offers a sunny greeting even in the face of gray skies.

The sweet pea vase sits on the mantle in the master bedroom.

To view more vases, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.


All material © 2012-2016 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party