Monday, May 8, 2017

In a Vase on Monday: The floral celebration continues

We got rain this weekend!  It doesn't normally rain in May here so this was a locally news-worthy event.  The rain wasn't heavy and it wasn't steady but the forecast of afternoon thunderstorms did send me into the garden early Sunday morning to gather flowers for "In a Vase on Monday," the meme hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.  As usual, I overdid things.

Vase #1 features the last of my sweet peas and the foxgloves that were toppling over in my cutting garden.

Front view: the last time I cut foxglove stems, they straightened up within a day of being cut but these are still flopping

The back view is very similar

Top view

For once, I kept the arrangement simple, just Digitalis purpurea (top row) and two colors of Lathyrus odoratus (bottom row)


Vase #2 was inspired by the Matilija Poppy that recently bloomed for the first time at the bottom of my back slope.  Unfortunately, only one one bloom was even close to being vase-worthy but the noID honeysuckle bequeathed to me, for better or worse, with the slope is also in bloom so I let it dictate the color scheme.

Front view: a simple white and yellow composition

Back view

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left, the vase contains: Romneya coulteri (aka Matilija Poppy), Achillea 'Moonshine', Alstroemeria 'Claire', Jacobaea maritima, noID Lonicera (probably L. japonica), and Trachelospermum jasminoides


Vase #3 was the result of a spur-of-the-moment decision to cut a new bloom on the noID purplish-pink rose I inherited with the garden.  Most of my rose blooms were withered prematurely by the strong winds that blew through here for 2 weeks so I decided to bring this one inside before rain spoiled the flower.

Front view

I didn't bother to fill in the back of the vase as I might of done had I intended to put it where it could be viewed from all sides

Top view

Clockwise from the left, the vase contains: the beautifully scented noID rose, Abelia grandiflora, noID Alstroemeria, Pelargonium peltatum, and Tanacetum niveum


Coincidentally, all three arrangements this week are pumped with scent.  Here are mine in place.

Vase #1 on the dining table; vase #2 in the front entry; and vase #3 on the bedroom fireplace mantle


Visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for more arrangements created from floral and foliage materials garden bloggers have found close at hand.


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

28 comments:

  1. AnonymousMay 8, 2017 at 10:23 AM

    You have greater abundance than I do Kris! I stumble from looking at one of your vases to the next, rarely knowing which I like the best because they inavariably are wonderfully co-ordinated. This time I think I might plump for the foxgloves because it IS such an abundance of blooms but I love the colours of the last one too. Thanks for including the overhead shots which I find are a great way to highlight the contents

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kris PetersonMay 8, 2017 at 5:24 PM

      I think the overhead views sometimes show off my vases better than the front-facing shots, Cathy. My only problem is that I usually have to hold the camera above my head, often while on my tip-toes, which can make getting a good shot a challenge!

      Delete
  2. AnonymousMay 8, 2017 at 12:14 PM

    It interests me that you can grow foxgloves but I can't because it is too hot and dry here; yours look gorgeous and the colours co-ordinate outside but I have succeeded with the new Winter Sunshine strain in the greenhouse. As always I admire the Altstoemerias and wish I had them here. Have a good week Kris, btw we had rain this afternoon which was very welcome.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kris PetersonMay 8, 2017 at 5:27 PM

      This is the first time in years I've tried to grow Digitalis purpurea, Christina. It didn't do particularly well here when I planted it one of my borders but, this time, I planted the plugs in a raised planter in what was formerly my vegetable garden. I give the plants there more water than the rest of the garden, which helps, as no doubt did our particularly heavy winter rains.

      Delete
  3. Eliza WatersMay 8, 2017 at 12:28 PM

    Whatever you're feeding your foxgloves, they're loving it - full and lush!
    I love the dark rich burgundy sweet peas and pelargonium, they compliment the pinks so well. All so beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kris PetersonMay 8, 2017 at 5:32 PM

      I don't feed most of the plants in my garden on a routine basis but I admit that I give all of those in the raised planters in what is now my cutting garden a good organic fertilizer at the time of planting. The foxgloves took their time about blooming but I'm pleased with their performance. My sweet peas are now officially history - I've pulled them all out this afternoon. They bloom early here but they also decline quickly once the temperatures rise and the winds start to blow.

      Delete
  4. AlisonCMay 8, 2017 at 12:29 PM

    I love your overflowing vases, I think they should be like that and scent is a bonus. The yellow and white is beautifully subtle and I adore your foxgloves. My seeds are coming up so hopefully I can have abundance in a year or two. As usual my eye is caught by the dark red flower.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kris PetersonMay 8, 2017 at 5:38 PM

      The yellow and white arrangement is my personal favorite this week, Alison, although the poppy is already on the decline. That burgundy ivy geranium (Pelargonium peltatum) has become one of my favorite plants too - I have it weaving through Plectranthus ciliatus 'Zulu Wonder', which has the same purply-red color in the reverse side of its leaves.

      Delete
  5. AnonymousMay 8, 2017 at 12:45 PM

    As usual, they are all lovely Kris! There is so much in your garden to pick, and this week I especially like the Tanacetum and the second vase full of sunny lemony shades of yellow. Fresh and pretty! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kris PetersonMay 8, 2017 at 5:39 PM

      The yellow and white vase is also the most fragrant of the 3 vases, Cathy, courtesy of the honeysuckle and the star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides).

      Delete
  6. AnonymousMay 8, 2017 at 1:24 PM

    Beautiful, all three. Would love to be able to grow those foxgloves. I have a couple plants that are hanging on for now, but they don't promise such profusion.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kris PetersonMay 8, 2017 at 5:43 PM

      I didn't think my foxgloves were going to amount to much a month ago, Susie. As I recall, I planted the plugs in early winter (safe here as we don't get freezes) but they did nothing for the longest time. I was seriously considering yanking them when all of a sudden they bulked up and started producing bloom spikes. Don't give up on yours yet!

      Delete
  7. Peter/OutlawMay 8, 2017 at 2:49 PM

    When it comes to vases of beautiful flowers, can one really overdo it? All that beauty and scent too? Who could ask for anything more?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kris PetersonMay 8, 2017 at 5:45 PM

      I'd like to say that I planned the scent impact when I put the arrangements together, Peter, but, frankly, I was surprised at just how much scent I got out of them!

      Delete
  8. Diana StuderMay 8, 2017 at 3:18 PM

    Rain?
    Wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kris PetersonMay 8, 2017 at 5:47 PM

      Even though the forecasters predicted rain about a week in advance, no one I knew believed it would actually happen, Diana. We simply don't get rain in May! It wasn't much (only 0.12/inch in my location) but every little bit helps.

      Delete
  9. The Shrub QueenMay 8, 2017 at 4:45 PM

    All three beautiful as always. Glad you got some needed rain. Our rainy season is just starting to crank up.
    i think the Foxglove vase is the most irresistible, wish I had some!
    Amy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kris PetersonMay 8, 2017 at 5:49 PM

      Rain here is generally just a winter phenomenon, Amy, so an off-schedule event like this is a real joy - especially as all my rain barrels were down to almost nothing already.

      Delete
  10. ReneeMay 8, 2017 at 7:20 PM

    Yay for the rain! We got some too, it was very exciting. I think vase #3 is my favorite, but really, who can pick one. Your house must smell amazing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kris PetersonMay 8, 2017 at 9:23 PM

      I'm glad the rain reached you too, Renee. There was a lot of rumbling thunder here and, for a time, I thought that's all we were going to get.

      Delete
  11. danger gardenMay 8, 2017 at 10:12 PM

    Three huge vases, your riches runneth over! I'm so happy you got rain, and even more happy that we did not.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kris PetersonMay 9, 2017 at 10:11 AM

      We will gladly take any and all rain you wish to send our way, Loree!

      Delete
  12. sweetbayMay 10, 2017 at 8:02 AM

    My favorites are vases 1 and 3. Sweetpea and foxglove make a wonderful combination. I can't get over the depth and richness of color in the geranium in the 3rd vase.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kris PetersonMay 10, 2017 at 9:05 AM

      It's an exceptionally pretty ivy geranium, Sweetbay. Unfortunately, Pelargoniums don't hold up well in a vase but then even the dropped petals on these manage to look artistic.

      Delete
  13. Amy@SmallSunnyGardenMay 10, 2017 at 9:32 PM

    Another vote here for the dark-flowered Pelargonium... ;-) And I love the abundant simplicity of your first vase!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kris PetersonMay 11, 2017 at 11:30 AM

      I've been surprised at just how well the foxgloves do in a vase, Amy. Unfortunately, the sweet peas withered all too quickly.

      Delete
  14. ericnpMay 16, 2017 at 11:06 AM

    Darn, I just had about 100 Chrysanthemum coronarium flowers sticking 2'+ out of the green trashcan (yes, they got that tall) but I had to push them down to make room for more. It would have made for an amusing "vase".

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kris PetersonMay 16, 2017 at 3:50 PM

      IaVoM is a weekly meme, Eric. You could link photos of your "vase" on your blog to yesterday's post at Rambling in the Garden.

      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.