Our Santa Ana winds returned this past weekend, humidity levels dropped dramatically, and our daytime temperature reached 80F (26C). While there's a slim chance of light rain later this week, absent a stray tropical storm in late summer, my guess is that we won't see any more rain until October or November. Our long dry season has begun. Of course, the warm weather means that the parade of Spring flowers has stepped up its pace. They're everywhere, all crying for attention. To limit distraction, I picked two colors to focus on even before I stepped into my garden to select plant material for "In a Vase on Monday": blue and pink.
Though I'd planned to limit my first vase to blue and white flowers, yellow crept into the color scheme as well.
 |
| I blame Narcissus 'White Lion' for bringing yellow into the arrangement. 'White Lion', my favorite daffodil, appeared last week. As daffodils don't stand up well to our Santa Ana winds, the window of opportunity to use it in a vase may be limited. |
 |
| Salvia heldreichiana, shown at the back of the vase here, was the impetus for the original blue and white color scheme but its delicate stems were quickly overwhelmed by more flamboyant blooms |
 |
| Top view |
 |
| Clockwise from the upper left: Argyranthemum frutescens 'Mega White', self-seeded Lavandula stoechas, Freesia, Limonium perezii, Phlomis fruticosa, Salvia heldreichiana, Narcissus 'White Lion' and, in the center, Scilla peruviana. The Scilla and Freesia blooms in my garden are fading fast as temperatures rise. |
I didn't stray as much in putting together my pink vase, which was inspired by the
Ranunculus blooming en masse in my cutting garden.
 |
| My Alstroemerias seem late in arriving this year but they're all getting into gear now |
 |
| I added a couple of stems of orange blossoms to this arrangement, which elevated what is otherwise a rather ordinary arrangement |
 |
| Top view: Unlike the salmon-colored Ranunculus I used last week, most of the pink and white Ranunculus are much more densely petaled |
 |
Top row: noID Alstroemeria and Agryranthemum frutescens 'Mega White'
Middle row: white ans pink picotee Ranunculus
Bottom row: Prunus laurocerasus, orange blossoms, and Coleonema pulchellum 'Sunset Gold' |
For more Monday vase creations,
visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2019 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
As always the arrangements are lovely. Something this pretty is never ordinary.
ReplyDeleteThanks l2g!
DeleteI was going to say that too - your vases are always pretty and never ordinary Kris! The pink one with the ranunculus is especially gorgeous - and I was intrigued by the scilla in your first one as that is not a scilla I have come across and I must look it up. Thanks for sharing today
ReplyDeleteI always forget how pretty Ranunculus are - until they bloom!
DeleteAbundantly gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThanks Sandra!
DeleteThe yellow works well with the blue in the first arrangement. I adore the Ranunculus in the second vase. You must be thrilled with all the lovely blooms in your garden.
ReplyDeleteI'm being reminded just how fabulous Spring can be this year, Susie.
DeleteAh! Orange blossom! I can almost smell it from here! Delicious! Your vases are just a visual feast of fabulous flowers Kris. I look forward to seeing them every week. Thank you. Amanda
ReplyDeleteThe warm, dry air carried the scent of the orange blossoms when I passed the tree and I couldn't get it out of my mind. I justified cutting 2 stems because they were sticking out into the pathway.
DeleteJust realized, looking at the Limonium perezii, that the little white florets flecking the tops are the actual blooms, and the purple parts are bracts, presumably persisting well after the blooms have disappeared. How long is the purple color effective?
ReplyDeleteThis Limonium works well in dried arrangements, Nell. I've seen it kept for months, although I've never held on to it for more than a few weeks myself.
DeleteBeautiful bouquets, Kris. I think I love ranunculus so much because they remind me of peonies, one of my favorite flowers. I could stare into those crepe paper petals forever! Between the orange blossoms and freesia, your house must smell deliciously.
ReplyDeleteDo you notice many bees in your garden? I listened to a TEDtalk given by a bee researcher and the surprise he found was that bees are more plentiful, healthy and diversified in cities.
Bees are present most of the year here, Eliza, although they seem more plentiful during the warmer months. Swarms of bees in the process of dividing an overpopulated hive are common here - in fact, a poster on the neighborhood social media site recently reminded people to contact him if they need help managing a swarm. I discovered a swarm in my own garden almost 2 years ago. You can find photos in one of my posts here: https://krispgarden.blogspot.com/2017/05/foliage-follow-up-wednesday-vignette.html
DeleteI need to feed my citrus trees more, those glossy deep green leaves are lovely.
ReplyDeleteI'm past-due in feeding my citrus too, Diana.
DeleteYou always have so many flowers for 'in a vase' that I wonder if you deplete your garden at all by picking so many. Or do you have special beds for cutting flowers for every season. I think that narcissus you call White lion maybe the one I have. The name doesn't ring a bell but looks so much like it. It is my favorite too. I planted ranunculus this year but only 3 appeared. You have so many. All as beautiful as ever.
ReplyDeleteWell, there have been times I've made arrangements out of succulent cuttings, Jenny, but I don't think I resorted to that even once last year. I do have a LOT of flowering plants and a small cutting garden consisting of 3 8x4' raised planters. The Ranunculus grow there. They need too much water to survive in my garden beds but I'm more generous in watering the raised planter boxes.
DeleteAnother double white daffodil similar to Kris' 'White Lion' is 'Cheerfulness'; it blooms fairly late in the daff season, with narrower, darker green foliage than many.
DeleteThat's a beauty too, Nell.
DeleteWow, I want to move to LA..for the flowers in your garden. I guess all your rain is coming here til November.
ReplyDeleteIt's always sad to see the last of the rain here, Amelia. I've already emptied my 2 smaller rain collection tanks and it's not anywhere near as hot and dry as it's going to get as we move into summer. Once what's in my last tank is exhausted, I'll have to get by on my city water budget.
DeleteThe more I see blue and yellow as a combination, the more I like it. That pink ranunculus is simply breathtaking.
ReplyDeleteI generally prefer complementary colors to contrasting ones in floral arrangements but the blue and yellow combination is an exception - it's so darn cheerful!
DeleteBoth so pretty, how could you bear to cut your Scilla peruviana? I get so excited when mine blooms, it doesn't always. You always have such delightful flowers to pick. I love the ranunculus.
ReplyDeleteI justified cutting the Scilla as the flowers are on their last legs, Chloris, with all the tiny florets now open. I decided I'd get more enjoyment from seeing 2 stems close up on my dining room table rather than at a glance as I swung through my back garden.
DeleteYour vases are always spectacular and never 'normal' Kris! I love the Peruvian Scilla, and that Ranunculus is sooo pretty! :)
ReplyDeleteSome people would say the whole state of California isn't "normal," Cathy!
DeleteLove those ranunculus. They look like crepe paper flowers to me. Unreal yet so charming. Happy IAVOM.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lisa. I hope the weather is warming up in your part of the country.
DeleteOh such prettiness and variety Kris. It certainly sounds as if you wet interlude is over :( I read this article a few days ago and thought of you and your recent winged visitors post : https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/stories-47750935
DeleteThanks for the link to the BBC story, Anna. It was spot on with respect to the reactions we had to rain during this winter's rainy season. In fact, a friend I hadn't seen in many months regaled me with her stories of flood and hail when we got together just today. We have a halfway decent chance of light rain this evening but that seems to be all that's on the horizon in the foreseeable future.
Delete