In a Vase on Monday: My personal challenge

Yesterday I set myself a personal IAVOM challenge to create an arrangement around a flower I couldn't conceive pairing with much of anything.

This is Salvia africana-lutea.  The flower color is a mix of terracotta and reddish-brown.

As it turned out, it wasn't all that difficult.  A spin around my garden and, voila!  I accumulated more plant material than I needed.

Phylica pubescens, aka featherhead, immediately presented itself as a perfect accent plant

and Euphorbia 'Ascot Rainbow' was another natural pairing

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Salvia africana-lutea, Corokia x virgata 'Sunsplash', Euphorbia 'Ascot Rainbow', Phylica pubescens, Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', and Narcissus tazetta 'Geranium'

There's no shortage of flowers for use in creating vases at the moment.  Spring may not have officially arrived yet but it's well underway in my garden, although over a week of rain on and off has some flowers looking worse for the wear.  One plant that was within days of blooming got completely plastered.

More than 80% of this Agrostemma 'Ocean Pearls' snapped off its base when it collapsed during our heaviest rain last week

Not that I'm complaining about the rain!  What we've received has been wonderful and most of it hasn't come down too hard or too fast.  We're still well below "normal" here and, even with more rain expected this week, it's doubtful that we'll reach that level before our short rainy season comes to an end.

In any case, there were plenty of flowers available to cut.  Among others, the Dutch Irises I was watching last week came on strong and were a natural choice for a vase this week.

I created yet another blue and yellow mix, this one featuring not only the Iris but also a Leucospermum flower and stems of Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt', sporting delicate pale yellow flowers for the first time

There are still lots of Freesia blooms even though some have been beaten into the dirt by rain

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt', Anemone 'Mistral Azzurro', yellow Freesia, Iris hollandica 'Sapphire Beauty', Lavandula multifida, Leucospermum 'Goldie', and Scilla peruviana

There's really no color I don't like but I'm not head-over-heels about pink; however, the mauve-pink Anemones in my cutting garden were begging to be picked before they finish their bloom cycle so they kicked off a third vase, which actually may be my personal favorite this week.

Yes, I tucked too much into this one as well

This vase always looks like it holds more than it does

Top view

Clockwise from upper left: noID Alstroemeria, Anemone 'Mistral Rarity', Digitalis purpurea 'Dalmatian White', Gomphrena decumbens 'Itsy Bitsy', Persicaria capitata, Prostanthera ovatifolia 'Variegata', and pink Freesia

With events being cancelled right and left, including the school tours I was scheduled to lead as a docent for our local botanic garden, and officials increasingly encouraging members of the public to minimize the risk of exposure to the pandemic coronavirus, my friends and I are already feeling a little stir crazy but I'm well aware that I'm lucky to have the freedom to stay home.  All those people who are unable to work from home because of the nature of their jobs, the health professionals and care givers doing their best to take care of those who are ill or otherwise need support, and all the delivery people working rigorous schedules to bring goods where they're needed are to be applauded.  And then there are people stuck in quarantine or far away from home without the ability to be home with their families.

Two cruise ships are docked at the Port of Los Angeles while cruises are on an indefinite hold.  Many of those in the crew are presumably marooned here while they wait this out.

I hope you're able to accommodate whatever circumstances you're confronting.  Divert yourself by checking other IAVOM creations.  Visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.

All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party