An alternative title for this post might be: Not all Blues Go Together. My first
Freesias, a blue variety, began blooming 2 weeks ago. I wanted to use them in a vase and, when I discovered last week that the
Ceanothus at the bottom of my back slope was also in bloom that sealed the deal on putting together a blue-themed vase. The trouble was: I didn't like how the
Ceanothus and the
Freesia looked alongside one another. So, I've got 2 vases - surprise! Yes, I know that's not much of a surprise from me but I'd intended to put together a second vase using red flowers in recognition of Valentine's Day. That plan was scrapped, at least for the time being.
The first vase, featuring
Ceanothus and
Echium, bears some similarity to the
vase I created 2 weeks ago but this one has its own personality.
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| I kept to blue and white flowers this time around |
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| In addition to white flowers, I used the variegated foliage of a Westringia to lighten up the arrangement |
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| As white flowers are in limited supply in my garden at the moment, I used Dianthus again too |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Ageratum houstonianum, Dianthus caryophyllus 'Cut Flower White', Globularia x indubia, Osteospermum '4D Silver', Echium handiense, Westringia 'Morning Light', Westringia fruticosa, and, in the middle, Ceanothus arboreus 'Cliff Schmidt' |
The
Freesia went into a smaller vase, which ended up with a split personality of sorts.
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| Inclusion of the violet-tinged variegated foliage of a Hebe (now classified as Veronica) shifted the arrangement in a pinker direction |
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| The addition of Moroccan daisies and new Narcissus blooms gave the back view an entirely different look |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Freesia, Veronica 'Neprock' (aka Hebe 'Purple Shamrock'), Limonium perezii, Osteospermum 'Berry White', noID Narcissus, and Pyrethropsis hosmarianse (aka Moroccan daisy) |
Last week's vases stood up surprisingly well but I chucked their contents on Sunday anyway. The new arrangements took over the usual spots. For more In a Vase on Monday posts,
visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2019 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Lovely as always! Looks like you've got a little more rain in your forecast. Your plants must be loving this unexpected moisture. I'd be more than happy to send you some of ours.
ReplyDeleteI prefer to see snow in the mountains and from a suitable distance, Peter. We're all complaining about the cold here as it is and our temperatures are just in the low-to-mid 50s.
DeleteThere is something aout blue vases - I love them, possibly because there are not as many blue flowers around. You have used your collection of blues to great effect with ideal companions - both lovely! Thanks Kris!
ReplyDeleteI adore blue flowers and try to grow just about any of them that have a chance of surviving in my climate, Cathy.
DeleteSo pretty!
ReplyDeleteThanks Sue!
DeleteI love the blue arrangement with the white elements. How wonderful it is to such such a variety...you are indeed a gifted gardener and arranger.
ReplyDeleteI just have a more cooperative climate than many people, Noelle.
DeleteNice vases again this week. I like the blues. I also like that frog by the other vase. He is a cutie.
ReplyDeleteI've had that frog longer than I can remember. He's already at the ready to standby and guard my flowers.
DeleteKris, I love your Narcissus included in the second arrangement. The blue and white design is delightful as well. Your Dianthus is very pure and appealing.
ReplyDeleteI thought the Narcissus were late blooms of the same paperwhites I featured earlier until the flowers opened, Susie. These are growing among those paperwhites but the flowers are clearly different, another unknown variety left behind by a prior owner.
DeleteWhat a really lovely selection of flowers Kris! And great to see Echium handiense, a borage flower and a very close relative to a beautiful blue wild flower we call viper's bugloss, Echium vulgare. The bees love them, and that has to be good! Gorgeous vases - thank you! Amanda
ReplyDeleteThe bees DO love that Echium, Amanda. They rode along with me as I walked through the garden looking for other plants to accent my arrangement. I have to be careful when I bring the cut stems in the house to ensure I don't have hitchhikers!
DeleteKris, your USA West Coast garden is clearly amazing, and so different to my little plot here on the east coast of Scotland. We are worlds apart but our two gardens give us the opportunity to swap images of our beloved flowers and I so enjoy our Monday chats! Hooray! A
DeleteIt feels like three arrangements with the two sides of the one pinkish vase. :) I like that idea.
ReplyDeleteThe blue and white arrangement reminds me of all our snow and blue shadows that come with it. Not sure if that is a good thing or not! ;)
I hope you get some sun and warmer temperatures soon, Eliza!
DeleteI love all the blues! I think those shades in your first bouquet are my favorite blues--kind of variations on French blue--although I like them all. All your arrangements are amazing!
ReplyDeleteFrench blue - that's a perfect description of the color, Beth.
DeleteLovely! I'm especially admiring the delicacy of that first vase. :) And the way the purple-tinted Limonium buds blend with the Hebe foliage in the second.
ReplyDeleteI've been waiting more than a month for that Limonium to bloom, Amy. The flower stems appeared with buds but they seemed frozen in time for a longer period than I expected.
DeleteYou are so clever in being able to make the back and front views of your vases look different but still work harmoniously. I love blue so I really love this
ReplyDeleteI wish I could say that the second vase's split personality was intentional, Christina, but it came together that way somewhat by accident.
DeleteBlue flowers are irresistible and it is amazing how many shades of blue there are. And of course so many so-called blues are actually purples. I love your blue arrangement, how amazing to have ceonothus in February. Your second arrangement is adorable too and to me it seems to have a real mix of seasons impossible to achieve here.
ReplyDeleteWe really just have 2 seasons, a long "warm" season and a shorter cool season, encompassing late fall through early spring. I expect that factors into why so many of the plants that flower in late spring and early summer in your climate appear so much earlier here.
DeleteTwo wonderful creations once again Kris! Seeing Narcissus in a vase with Osteospermum is unusual for me, but what a lovely combination!
ReplyDeleteI wasn't quite sure about that particular combination, Cathy, which was why the Narcissus stems featured more prominently in the back view.
DeleteIf one likes blues in the garden, and I do, I think they are the most difficult color to visualize and keep track of while plant shopping. A large dose of white does the trick in or out of a vase I'm thinking.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, Linda - they need a bit of contrast to shine.
DeleteYour arrangements are simply awe-inspiring! I would love to put together an arrangement even half as lovely as those but I'm rather challenged in that area & can't seem to mix more than a couple of flowers in a vase without it looking "strange". Hopefully some of your creativity will rub off on me eventually :)
ReplyDeleteSimpler is often better when it comes to arrangements, Margaret. My problem is that, once I cut stems, I feel compelled to use all of them, resulting in over-cramming.
DeleteBeautiful vases as always Kris :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Anna!
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