When I stepped into the garden on Sunday morning, I had specific plants in mind to cut, mostly in tones of blue and purple. However, just as not all reds mesh well, I found the same could be said for my blues. After cutting a few stalks of Echium webbii, I found myself veering toward pink flowers. While there's nothing wrong with that combination, it's not my usual palette. After adding some white flowers, it felt a little syrupy sweet to me but I eventually got a mix I could live with.
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| I swapped out the pink snapdragons I'd originally cut for Centranthus ruber, which has a blue undertone |
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| The pink and white flowers dominate the back view |
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| The stamens and base of each Echium flower have tinges of pink, which is what led me in the pink direction |
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The vase contains: 1st column, top to bottom - noID Delphinium and Echium webbii
2nd column - noID Agapanthus (the 1st to bloom this year), noID Ceanothus, and Lavandula multifida
3rd column - Agryranthemum 'Mega White', Centranthus ruber, and Ranunculus asiaticus
4th column - stems of 'Pink Icing' blueberry bush, Coleonema album, and Westringia fruticosa 'Morning Light' |
My second vase couldn't be more different. As my
Lotus bethelotii is rapidly growing to cover the flagstone path in the back garden, I felt I had to cut some of it back and those cuttings became the springboard for vase #2.
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| The fiery color palette here is one I've used a couple of times before, although the elements aren't identical to those in my prior compositions |
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| The back view is dominated by a stem of Leucadendron 'Safari Sunset' |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left, the vase contains: Alstroemeria 'Indian Summer', Abelia x grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope', Bulbine frutescens, Grevillea 'Superb', Leucadendron salignum 'Safari Sunset', and Lotus bethelotii 'Amazon Sunset' |
And I have a third vase this week. As mentioned, I'd cut pink snapdragons when I was collecting material for the first vase but I changed my mind about including them in that arrangement. However, the blooms were in perfect condition and I couldn't bring myself to toss them out so I gathered a couple of other complementary plants to create vase #3.
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| I think the spare collection of blooms fit the somewhat fussy china vase I picked up earlier this year in a thrift shop |
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| Unlike my prior efforts using this vase, this arrangement shows off the manicured nails of the disembodied hands |
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| Top view |
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| The vase contains: Antirrhinum majus, Argyranthemum 'Madeira Pink' and Ranunculus |
Visit our host, Cathy at Rambling in the Garden, to find more Monday vases.
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| Each of the vases sits in its own room so the clashes between them aren't noticable |
All material © 2012-2018 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Your IAVOM posts are such good value, Kris - if you only posted a single vase we would think something was wrong! You are very conscious of the different colour palettes and work hard and sensitively to pull off successful vases. It is interesting seeing echum on a vase,which I don't think I have seen used before. And I am amazed at how often you use that grevillea - how many months does it flower for?! It may be sugary sweet in colour but the third and pink vase is really quite cute in that pair of hands vase. Thanks for sharing it and the other two with us today
ReplyDeleteGrevillea 'Superb' blooms year-round, Cathy. So do my other 2 large-flowered Grevilleas, 'Ned Kelly' and 'Peaches & Cream', but, in my garden at least, 'Superb' is the most floriferous.
DeleteOMG, the hand vase! I love it. My arrangement today is also pink and blue, very simple. I don't have any flowers yet anywhere in my garden in the colors of your second arrangement, so I'm just going to enjoy looking at yours.
ReplyDeleteI imagine when your weather warms up on a more sustained basis, Alison, your gardens in the PNW are going to explode! Meanwhile, I'm sure you're sick and tired of the rain.
DeleteThey are all wonderful. The second is my favourite. I love the hot colours.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ali! I've developed a fondness for hot colors too. They fit our warm, sunny climate.
DeleteThank you Thing, er... Things.
ReplyDeleteIt took me a second to place the "Thing" reference, Eric. Thing was never as personable (pun intended) as Cousin Itt so he (it?) wasn't as deeply implanted in my memory.
DeleteGreat arrangements, Kris! I love that clasped hands vase (it makes me smile every time I see it), the pink blooms match the nail polish!
ReplyDelete#2 vase is terrific with all its fiery colors - love the alstroemeria especially.
I'm amazed at the perfection of the white delphinium, what a specimen!
I'm in moderate shock that I got Delphinium blooms of any kind, Eliza. I gave up on growing them (or, more accurately, trying to grow them) years ago. Planting a few plugs in the raised planters in my cutting garden, which gets more water (and fertilizer), proved to be the trick!
DeleteGreat range of flowers. The second arrangement is beautifully balanced.
ReplyDeleteThanks Noelle!
DeleteKris these are fabulous...where to begin. The first is stunning with the flower choices and colors....then you took my breath away with those oranges in the second. And oh my heart went pitter, patter with the last one...those pinks in that fabulous vase are a winner....and I love snaps. I especially adore that hands vase.
ReplyDeleteThe snaps I grew from seed are the best I've ever grown. I was pretty pleased with how well they fit the clasped hands vase too.
DeleteSo gorgeous, I love spikes or any sort or color. The hands vase is so cool but the second arrangement is my favorite.Hands down,ha! I have been a designer for decades and love the thought process,you see a lot of color tones and then syrupy sweet-what makes things go together for you? I see arrangements the same way I see planting design, which is weird.I think.
ReplyDeleteAll the arrangements I put together come down to how the colors blend - or contrast, but I'm more into complementary colors than sharp contrasts. I pay a lot of attention to undertones in colors. Meanwhile my husband is oblivious to all of this - he's so color-blind he couldn't tell you whether my eyes are green or pink.
DeleteThanks the thought process always intrigues me. Your floral design sense revolves around completmentary color combinations. I totally buy that! it works.
DeleteThese are all gorgeous. You have so much to work with. I like the hands as vase the best. A cool vase.
ReplyDeleteThat vase was a great find. I think I picked it up for about $10!
DeleteI like all the pinks together. That vase is a hoot.
ReplyDeleteI can't decide whether that hands vase is freaky or artsy...
DeleteWow! Love the spiky coolness of the first arrangement and the bright warmth of the second. That third vase sure came in handy (groan) to hold the extra pinks!
ReplyDeletePeter - the pun-master!
DeleteAmazing and wonderful combinations Kris. Fun to see your variety of colors.
ReplyDeleteThe arrangements clash quite a bit this week, Susie, but luckily I could spread them out.
DeleteThree vases! OMG, and I LOVE the vases, themselves. I've never seen one like the hands vase. That's awesome! And the flowers you chose for each one are stunning! Echiums are one of my favorite plants that I can't grow here. I remember seeing them when I traveled out your way and falling in love with their form, colors, and delicate-yet-sturdy beauty.
ReplyDeleteI've fallen in love with Echiums since acquiring my current garden. They needed more space and sun than my former postage stamp sized garden could provide but this garden is made for them. The plants are common here and seem to self-seed readily.
DeleteYour hot and “on fire” vase number two is amazing! That said I also love how your 3rd arrangement compliments that great vase.
ReplyDeleteThat Alstroemeria is perfect for pulling the hot colors in my garden together, Loree.
DeleteI really love all three of these! With the Centranthus, what could have been fussy becomes quite elegant - to my mind anyway! And I love what the 'Indian Summer' Alstroemeria does with the warm tones of your second vase.
ReplyDeleteThe Centranthus blooms are very useful, Amy. I'm hoping the white form flowers as strongly as the pink this year.
DeleteWhile I am usually drawn to blues or purples I have to admit that my favourite this week is the rich warm colour of the second vase. The pink scheme also works very well even if it isn't your usual style. I want to apologise for often being late to comment on your always interesting posts. To leave a comment I have to use my laptop rather than my phone or iPad; I'm not always logged on, especially in these busy days in the garden.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad your weather has improved to the extent that it supports work in your garden, Christina. Our weather has been very annoying and not at all supportive of late - last week we were ridiculously hot and this week we've had ferocious winds.
DeleteEach vase and arrangement is stunning in its own right, but the last has got my vote. What a great vase for such lovely pink blooms!!
ReplyDeleteIt's an unusual vase to be sure! The trick to making the best use of it seems to be keeping the arrangement simple, which isn't usual for me.
DeleteOh yes, two very different vases Kris. That delphinium is simply beautiful and your pink flowers are all delightful, even if a little sugary. Love the Ranunculus. :)
ReplyDeleteI was pretty excited about the Delphinium, Cathy. That's a plant I haven't even tried growing in years.
DeleteI prefer the back of the pink blue and white - fresh spring charm.
ReplyDeleteThe handful of pink flowers is fun too.
That third vase is fun all on its own. The key to using it is to keep the flowers spare and simple.
Delete