In a Vase on Monday: Stuffed to the Gills (Again)

When I walked into the garden to select flowers for "In a Vase on Monday," the popular meme hosted by Cathy of Rambling in the Garden, I'd already selected 2 plants I wanted to use.  The first was Prostanthera ovalifolia (aka purple mint bush), which I'd discovered in full bloom last week.  The plant sits on my 45-degree front slope behind several Limonium perezii and, as the 2 plants are similar in color, it was almost hidden.

The Prostanthera is in the background here, blending in all too well with the Limonium in the foreground

I thought including a stem in one of my vases would at least give the plant its moment to shine; however, cutting it without tumbling head first or tromping on the surrounding plants was more difficult than I'd anticipated.  When I had my stem, I realized I had no idea what I should use to accent it, yet, by the time I completed a stroll around the garden, I had too much material (again).  Spring is bursting out all over!

Front view with the poor Prostanthera once again in the background while sweet peas occupy the front and center of the vase

The back view gives the Prostanthera greater prominence but it shares the stage with the fluffy Ageratum corymbosum

Top view showing the contents as an ensemble cast

The vase contains: Top row - Ageratum corymbosum, the Ageratum's pretty purple leaf, and Coriandrum sativum
Middle row - blue and lavender forms of Lathyrus odoratus and Matthiola incana
Bottom row - Polygala myrtifolia 'Mariposa', Prostanthera ovalifolia, and Westringia fruticosa 'Mundi'

The second flower I planned to use this week was the noID Alstroemeria that's blooming profusely underneath the still leafless mimosa tree (Albizia julibrissin).  This pink Alstroemeria, a variety that goes dormant in summer, came with the garden, as did the noID orange daylilies that grow in the same location.  The Alstroemeria and the Hemerocallis look awful together so I'm not at all hesitant to use the former in vases once the foliage of the latter shows up.  However, not wanting to repeat myself, I wasn't at all sure what I should use to accent the flowers.  As before, the garden provided too many options (all of which I found impossible to resist).

At least the Alstroemeria can claim to have a prominent place in this vase, although the maroon sweet peas are perhaps too assertive

Back view: Those Pelargonium peltatum stems look more dark pink than red in person!

Top view, showing off the New Zealand tea tree stems that surprised me with another heavy flush of blooms

Clockwise from the upper left, the vase contains: noID Alstoemeria, more Coriandrum sativum, maroon Lathyrus odoratus, Leptospermum scoparium 'Pink Pearl', Papaver nudicaule with tiny stems of Pelargonium 'White Lady', and noID reddish-pink Pelargonium peltatum

The well-packed vases found their places.

The first vase is in the front entryway and the second is on the dining room table

Visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to see what spring has wrought elsewhere in the northern hemisphere and which fall beauties are delighting bloggers in the southern hemisphere.


All material © 2012-2017 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party