Monday, July 15, 2019

In a Vase on Monday / Bloom Day Mash-up - July 2019

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens, and In a Vase on Monday, hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden, are once again falling on the same day and, rather than publishing two separate posts, I've merged the two.  They are related.  My affection for flowers is at the heart of my avid participation in both memes.

I'll start the mash-up with this week's vase.  There's just one for a change!

I went with a burgundy and white color mix.  There's burgundy in the blooms of the wild carrot (Daucus carota 'Dara'), the spots on the white foxgloves (Digitalis purpurea 'Dalmatian White'), and the foliage of Leptospermum 'Copper Glow'.  Dangling down the front of the vase are the tiny dark red flowers of Lotus jacobaeus, which look almost black.

Although I added a little dusty pink in the back in the form of an ornamental oregano (Origanum 'Monterey Bay')

Top view


Rather than my usual collage showing a close-up of each component of my arrangement, I'll show you what these plants look like in my garden.

Daucus carota 'Dara' ( wild carrot) is new to my garden.  I'm hoping it'll self-seed.

I planted Digitalis purpurea in my cutting garden this past winter.  It's usually done in by the time summer arrives but we had an unusually cool spring and, thus far, a mild summer.

Leptospermum 'Copper Glow' hit its peak of bloom in late June/early July.  The onset of warmer temperatures during the past week is slowly taking out its pretty white flowers.

Origanum 'Monterey Bay' is a vigorous summer bloomer here.  It flops but I don't mind.


The only element of the arrangement I didn't include in the photos above is the Lotus jabobaeus spilling down the front of the vase.  You can find that later in my post among my final collages.  Now let's focus on the current stars of my July garden.

The yellow flowers woven between the Agaves in this succulent bed are Crassula pubescens ssp radicans

I'd hoped to have more Dahlias in bloom by mid-July as I planted my tubers earlier this year but perhaps the cooler weather slowed their flowering.  I've got buds on lots of plants but only 3 are blooming at the moment.  Dahlia 'Citron du Cap' (left) just produced its first bloom while 'Enchantress' (middle) and 'Labyrinth' (right) have been blooming for weeks now.

Grevillea 'Ned Kelly', shown here with Gaillardia aristata 'Amber Wheels', produces its blooms in flushes

All my Lavandula angustifolia are blooming but this one is making a big splash in my cutting garden

Leonotis leonurus (aka lion's tail) is doing especially well this year.  I credit all the extra rain we had winter into early spring.

The ruffled Shasta daisies (Leucanthemum x superbum) are also blooming heavily this year

Pandorea jasminoides 'Alba' (aka bower vine) came with the garden


Many of the plants that were going strong last month are still doing so this month.

Dozens of clumps of Agapanthus also came with the garden.  They were the stars of my June garden and they're still doing well, although some of the blooms are getting ragged.

The blue lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum) have been blooming for weeks but blooms in other colors have been slow to make an appearance.  The yellow bloom on the right, returning for a second year, is the first to show up.

Grevillea 'Superb' blooms steadily year-round.  It's joined in this bed by Cotyledon orbiculata (aka pig's ear, lower middle) and Cuphea 'Vermillionaire' (lower right).

The Matilija poppies (Romneya coulteri) at the bottom of my back slope are well above my head and thus hard to photograph.  As I had a second run-in with fire ants down there, I haven't been visiting that section of my garden as often as I'd like.

Varieties of Salvia clevelandii are in bloom in different parts of my garden but 'Winnefred Gilman' is the strongest performer

Lagurus ovata (aka bunny tail grass) has been blooming for months and is beginning to wane


In addition to the dahlias, wild carrot and ornamental oregano that took off this month, several other blooms taking the stage.

The Albizia julibrissin (aka mimosa) trees have been in bloom in my area for some time now but the first blooms on my tree appeared late last week

This noID Anigozanthos (aka kangaroo paws) is the only one of the 2 I planted years ago to bloom this year

Aster/Symphyotrichum chilensis 'Purple Haze' produced its first flowers last week too.  Aided by the heavier-than-usual winter rains, the drought-tolerant California native has spread much more vigorously than I'd expected, to the point of becoming pesky.

Hesperaloe parviflora 'Brakelights', planted almost 5 years ago, has been slow to develop

This is the first time I've gotten a bee balm to bloom in my garden.  This is Monarda 'Peter's Purple'.


I'll end the Bloom Day portion of this post as I usually do with an array of collages depicting the best of the rest of what's in bloom now, organized by color. 

Top row: Artichoke, Catananche caerulea, and Delphinium 'Pacific Giant'
Second row: Limonium perezii, Melaleuca thymifolia, and Osteospermum '4D Silver'
Third row: Osteospermum 'Violet Ice', Plectranthus neochilus, and Polygala fruticosa
Bottom row: Salvia cacaliifolia, Thymus serphyllum, and Wahlenbergia 'Blue Cloud'

Top row: Alstroemeria 'Indian Summer', Calendula 'Zeolights', and Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream'
Middle row: Gallardia 'Arizona Sun', Gazania 'Gold Flame', and Helichrysum 'Icicles'
Bottom row: Lantana camara 'Irene', Lobelia laxiflora, and Tagetes lemmonii 

Top row: Allium sphaerocephalon, Arbutus 'Marina', Bougainvillea, and Centranthus ruber
Second row: Cistus 'Sunset', Gomphreana 'Itsy Bitsy', Hebe 'Wiri Blush', and Leucadendron 'Devil's Blush'
Third row: noId lily, Lotus jacobaeus, Osteospermum 'Berry White', and Pelargonium peltatum
Bottom row: Pelargonium peltatum 'Pink Blizzard, noID Pentas, Rosa 'Pink Meidiland' and Salvia canariensis

Top row: Abelia grandiflora 'Edward Goucher' and Achillea ptarmica 'Peter Cottontail'
Second row: Centranthus ruber 'Albus' and Gaura lindheimeri
Third row: Fuchsia mangellanica 'Hawkshead', Magnolia grandiflora, and self-seeded Osteospermum
Bottom row: Scaevola 'Compact White', Persicaria 'Red Dragon' and Tanacetum parthenium


For more Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day posts, visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens here.  For more IAVOM posts, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden here.

Today's vase in place on the card table serving as our dining table for the duration of our home remodel


All material © 2012-2019 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

44 comments:

  1. WOW! What more can I say Kris! Just wow! Your garden, the view, and the incredible range of plants you are growing is like an horticultural show in its own right! I love wild carrot - I had one last year but I am not sure if it is one of those plants that comes back, or just seeds itself? And your beautiful white foxgloves - just gorgeous! Amanda https://therunningwave.blogspot.com/2019/07/three-vases-on-monday.html

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    1. The nursery I got my plants from claimed that the wild carrot will re-seed but, in my climate with our limited rainfall, my guess is the probability is low. It's pumping out the flowers at this point, though!

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  2. Beautiful vase as always and so many gorgeous blooms! Happy GBBD!

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  3. Thanks for giving me oppurtunity to walk into heaven..Wild carrot flowers are magnetic to the eyes....your choices of flowering annuals is commendable...representation of flowering collages is outstanding...Happy Blooms day.

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    1. It gets a little too warm here in summer to be classified as heaven, Arun, but thanks for the compliment!

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  4. That bicolour daucus is really pretty, Kris, and I am pleased to see that lagurus grows well for you too - I love it! Thanks for sharing the blooms in your garden today as well as your vase - what a lot of colour there is in it!

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    1. I was pleased when the Lagurus came up from seed (and rather carelessly scattered seed at that), Cathy. The Daucus is new for me this year but I plan to grow it again.

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  5. I'd read about colored forms of Queen Anne's lace, but think this is the first I've seen growing. The way 'Dara' echoes the spots inside the foxglove flowers, in both color and shape, really makes the arrangement sing -- and has overcome my skepticism. Pretty sure it'll seed around, so maybe clip the seedheads and distribute them where you want them.

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    1. I know the white form of Queen Anne's lace is considered a weed in some places but it never self-seeded for me the couple of times I tried it. I'm hoping 'Dara' will.

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  6. I love the understated elegance of your arrangement this week, Kris. The sweep of Leptospermum foliage is graceful and I love the spotted throat of the Foxgloves playing off the Wild Carrot.
    And I'm always amazed at the sheer volume of flowers in your Bloomsday posts. Have you ever tallied the number of different Genus/species you have there? It'd read like a nursery catalog. :)

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    1. I'd be afraid to conduct a thorough inventory, Eliza! I've tallied my Grevilleas and Leucadendrons but that's about it.

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  7. Great to hear your native aster is happy; they're so valuable to so many different insects that maybe you can put up with their taking up a bit more space than you'd planned. And speaking of insects, I'm distressed to learn that fire ants are in your vicinity. Triple yikes, and extra thanks for the beauty shot of the Matilija poppy.

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    1. I didn't know there were fire ants in SoCal either, Nell - until I got a couple dozen stings all and once and ran a search to discover which nasty creature was responsible for the painful, itchy pus-filled blisters I got all at once. I've never figured out exactly where I stepped to set them off but I've done it twice now. Both episodes are tied to my back slope. Ugh!

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  8. Wow, beautiful restraint in the vase. I guess the Daucus is Queen Annes Lace but,darker? Love it, as usual, I am too far south for that.The Leptospermum continues to fascinate me! The blooms, fabulous I have a few here - Gallardias, Gazanias...interesting the Asters are early. Plants seem to have minds of their own.

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    1. Yes, 'Dara' is a burgundy form of Queen Anne's lace. I'm glad you appreciate my restraint in preparing this week's floral arrangement, Amelia. I'm trying to channel a "less is more" vibe ;)

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  9. That carrot is sweet. I like your vase. Your garden is always a plethora of plants in bloom. It is amazing.

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  10. Gorgeous! Nothing like a little rain to bring out the lushness in everything. An unusually wet summer here too has many plants twice their normal size. Hence, I echo your sentiment about a little pruning to bring things back into scale.

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    1. Last year's terrible drought had re-set my expectations on plant growth - and weeds! This year, I seem to be spending all my time on garden maintenance.

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  11. Love your mimosa tree and purple bee balm. We had mimosa trees in Maryland, but Ohio's winters are too cold. And that is such a love color or bee balm. I'll have to look for that. I'm trying to create a big patch of multicolored bee balms all growing together, kind of like my echinacea.
    As always, your bouquets are lovely, but with such an exceptional array of flowers as you have, one would expect nothing less.

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    1. I've been watching that mimosa tree carefully since we removed half its limbs last year to address a serious problem with shot-hole borers. It was slow to leaf out and it seems it's also taking its time to bloom but the first few flowers provided affirmation that it still has life in it.

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  12. Dara looks lovely in your vase. I grew that last year, but it didn't self sow at all. Wonderful to see all your other blooms on Bloom Day.

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    1. It's hit and miss for me on the plants than Annie's (my source for 'Dara') says will self-seed, Alison. Fingers are crossed this one will surprise me.

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  13. Beautiful! In the garden and in the vase!
    Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!

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  14. You don't seem to have a shortage of flowers Kris ! I planted Dara this yewar in spring and so far no blooms. I've almost purchased Lagurus ovata multiple times over the last few years. Do you see any drawbacks ? How does the foliage look when it's blooming? Happy BloomDay !

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    1. In response to your comment, I checked my record to see when I planted 'Dara'. It went in mid-April but just started blooming during the last few weeks as our temperatures warmed. Maybe yours will come through yet. I planted the Lagurus from seed last year. It took its time to produce foliage and longer still to bloom but I like it. I've no sign that it'll become a pest. The foliage looks fine and the "bunny tails" last forever.

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  15. I love your collages and your garden is beautiful! We purchased some kangaroo paws and they are slowly petering out to nothing. Total bummer. Yours are looking good. That is for taking the time to share your garden with us.

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    1. I've heard that kangaroo paws need more water than we'd been led to expect. The one in the drier bed not only failed to bloom but looks half-dead. The one featured in bloom in today's post got more supplemental water last year during the height of our drought.

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  16. Fabulous garden, Kris! A real comfort with the construction chaos in your house.

    The subtle colors in the arrangement are just right.

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    1. Thanks HB. I'd like to tackle my bromeliad bed now that I've got all that stone from the demolished indoor bbq to work with but, other than early morning, it's a little warm to haul around huge rocks. We're socked in again this morning but I've got places to go and people to see.

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  17. Amazing! It's like a tour through a botanical garden--truly! I wish I had more luck with Foxgloves. I think the chipmunks digging around them prevents them from getting established here.

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    1. I have to treat foxgloves as annuals here, Beth. Beaten down by summer's heat, they inevitably fall prey to mealy bugs. I buy the plants in 6-packs each winter, planting them in my cutting garden, and they're usually in decline by late spring. As our weather's been unusually mild, they've held on longer this year.

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  18. So many beautiful flowers! I’m especially coveting your Leonotis leonurus however, as mine is still just foliage...

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    1. It's a good year for the Leonotis here, Loree.

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  19. Such a feast of garden delights.
    That Wild Carrot looks good, hope it does seed itself.

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  20. Oooh, the amazing bounty of your garden...it's breathtaking, Kris! I love the Leptospermum 'Copper Glow' in the garden and in the vase - it's a gorgeous texture in a restrained palette. I admire your design discipline - it would be very difficult not to go creative-crazy in your fabulous garden with so many choices! It's very easy to see why - when your house is not under construction - you make so many beautiful arrangements.

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    1. My only complaint about Leptospermum 'Copper Glow' is that it's grown well beyond the projected height on its tag (5-6 feet). I clip it 2-3 times a year but it's still threatening to swallow the house.

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  21. Wow!!! You have so many beautiful blooms in your garden and the collages arranged by color are wonderful. While all your photos are spectacular, I think my favorite is of the succulent garden. Happy Bloom Day!

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    1. Thanks Lee! Succulents are perhaps the best fit to the climate here, which is probably why those plants are creeping into more and more areas of my garden.

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  22. Wow seems like such an underrated word to describe your garden but also fitting! It is so stunning. I don't know how you ever leave your home because I would be in the garden all the time. :) Thank you for sharing your beautiful spaces.

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