When I asked my husband what he thought of today's vases, he said, neutrally, "red and blue." Not much of a comment, is it? But as he's severely red-green color blind, perhaps he was just pleased that he recognized that one vase contained red flowers. The red "flowers" are actually bracts but that's besides the point. Red color does indeed dominate the first vase.
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| And the red bracts of Leucadendron 'Safari Sunset' and 'Blush' do a good job of imitating rose buds |
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| The rear view shows off Leucadendron 'Blush' |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left, the vase contains: Leucadendron 'Safari Sunset', L. salignum 'Blush', L. salignum 'Chief', flowers of Arbutus 'Marina', Coprosma repens 'Fireburst', and Correa 'Wyn's Wonder' |
The second vase made use of the bush violets I currently have in abundance.
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| I didn't even make a dent in the mass of Barleria obtusa currently in bloom |
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| I'd have liked to add more white to this vase but I'm short on white flowers at the moment and the gray foliage of Artemisia ludoviciana, which I've just hacked back to prevent it from self-seeding everywhere, works almost as well |
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| Top view |
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| The vase contains: Barleria obtusa (top row), Artemisia ludoviciana (bottom, left), Solanum valerianum 'Navidad, Jalisco' and Eustoma grandiflorum (both bottom, right). The last 2 are stray blooms. |
I couldn't bring myself to toss or plant the
Graptoveria cutting I used in one of last week's vases so I bent its wire stem and shoved it into a small stone vase without water.
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| Graptoveria 'Fred Ives' will keep me company at my desk a while longer until I replant it in one of my succulent beds |
The other 2 vases ended up in the usual places. For more vases,
visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
I wrote this post before I heard the news of yet another mass shooting in the US. Now the red of the first vase makes me think of the innocent blood shed yet again because US politicians are afraid to stand up for reasonable controls on gun purchases. The blue reflects my mood as I fear there will never be an end to the routine of these shootings in my lifetime.
All material © 2012-2017 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
So sad to hear of yet another act of violence. Glorious arrangements as always, my friend. Hugs.
ReplyDeleteThanks Peter. I gardened into the early evening darkness today just trying to avoid thinking about the seemingly endless pattern of gun violence.
DeleteYour vases are as beautiful as always. But I love that little cutting in its vase. The plant and container colors are so similar it looks like it's a flowering bulb!
ReplyDeleteIt's a particularly attractive - and locally very popular - succulent, Linda. The vase was a lucky happenstance - I've had it and a larger version forever.
DeleteSo many colours and textures!Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThanks Anca!
DeleteMy husband doesn't notice most of my arrangements until they are pointed out to him, it's so good to share here with people who do notice. (It's not that he doesn't care, they are just not on his radar). Brachts? Flowers? they are a lovely splash of elegant colour and the blue and silver are great together.
ReplyDeleteMy husband recently paid me an unsolicited compliment on the garden, Alison - you could have knocked me over with a feather!
DeleteI just came from a celebration in honor of our veterans today. As one speaker put it - to honor the warrior, not the war. When I saw red, white, and blue, my immediate thought was of them. Your arrangements are always so lovely!
ReplyDeleteThanks Deb! I've great respect for our military service people. They don't receive enough credit for all they do, or enough support when they leave service.
DeleteKris I always adore the pop of your vases...so full all the way around with so much texture and color...these are gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThanks Donna! I get enjoyment out of preparing them each week.
DeleteThe leucadendron does look like rosebuds, doesn't it? I like the arbutus and correra flowers too, they're like jewelry. Barleria must be something en masse, and looks great with the silver. With a name like 'Fred,' that little succulent could become a pet plant!
ReplyDelete'Fred' feels a little like a pet at the moment, seated as he is right next to my computer monitor. The Barleria is impressive, and only just a little opportunistic.
DeleteI have to take any comments the Golfer might make about colours with a pinch of salt, for the same reason ;) Anyway, your 'red and blue' vases are ably assisted by the foliage you have used which readily makes up for the reduced number of blooms that many of us are having to work with at this time of year
ReplyDeleteSometimes I forget just how severe my husband's color blindness is, Cathy. Many years ago, not thinking, I bought him the same shirt in green and red - the combinations he put together quickly impressed the situation on me. I dread to think how he manages with those color-coded electrical wires when I'm not around to verify which is which.
DeleteKris, Lovely vases, as always - I thought you had some funky red Proteas in the first one!! Not. The second reminded me to try to find Barleria.
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you for the political comment. I agree wholeheartedly-Having read social media today I think women are reallly pissed which is good cuz maybe something positive will happen!
My husband, while not color blind, offers similar comments.
With every incident - Sandy Hook, Las Vegas and now Sutherland Springs - I think something may happen but then politicians fritter the issue away with meaningless disclaimers. Realistically, we can't diagnose nor act on all cases of mental illness, the majority of which doesn't lead to violence in the first place, but we can establish reasonable controls on access to guns, particularly these military-style assault weapons.
DeleteI love the Leucadendron but of course the only place I can see it is at Whole Foods! Yes, terrible terrible news. Almost every day it seems.
ReplyDeleteThe incidents are all too frequent and becoming more so, Libby.
DeleteKris, I share your views and sadness that we continue to have these shootings with no attempt to stop them. The vases themselves are remarkable and I especially love that rich red Leucadendron. Have a good week.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes to you too, Susie.
DeleteI share your views about the shooting and like you, I'm pretty sure it will never stop in my lifetime, if ever. The red Leucadendron foliage is spectacular!
ReplyDeleteFor some reason, the Leucadendron "flowers" always surprise me. They don't look like something these plants would produce.
DeleteI love the contrast between the hot red in one vase, and the cool blues in the other. I have that Graptoveria in a container, didn't know what it was called. It seems quite indestructible, but I guess it's not an air plant so it won't last forever in that vase.
ReplyDeleteThe cutting will develop air roots at its base in fairly short order and I can pop it back into the ground, although the truth be told, it should do fine even if planted now, without a head start on the roots. If handled too roughly, the leaves have a tendency to break off but even those can be set on top of soil to produce baby plants so, in a way, it is indestructible, at least in this climate.
DeleteYour vases are both glorious; my mood continues to dip lower and lower with the world situation for that reason I didn't arrange the flowered I had picked on Sunday. I may not be commenting for a while but you can be sure I'll be reading your posts.
ReplyDeleteAfter this week's shooting in Texas, on the heels of the one in Las Vegas, my mood has plummeted too, Christina. I referred to those feelings again in my latest post as well. I'm trying to find solace and energy in what's beautiful, kind, and right with the world, while keeping an eye on where I can exercise influence on the poisonous elements. Take care.
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