I thought I had all my choices made before I stepped into the garden on Sunday to select blooms for "In a Vase on Monday," the popular meme hosted by Cathy at
Rambling in the Garden. But, facing another forecast of toasty temperatures by mid-week, the garden persuaded me to focus on the flowers most likely to respond negatively when the heat's turned up. They moved to the front of the line while others (pardon the pun) were put on the back burner.
The larkspur (Consolida ajacis) that only recently started blooming was uppermost among the plants I was concerned with, as they'd already taken a hit in late April when our temperatures suddenly soared into the upper 80s, reaching 95F at one point. The fact that the grayish-purple larkspur complemented the bearded Iris that had just started blooming down at the bottom of my back slope was pure serendipity.
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| Unlike the dwarf bearded Iris I featured earlier this spring, this one grows very tall so I couldn't miss it when I made a brief trip to the bottom of the slope on Saturday. I think it's an old-fashioned variety but I've no idea of its name. |
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| I used a few stems of Abelia to dress up the base of the arrangement and stems of an ornamental grass as a filler |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: noID Iris germanica, Abelia grandiflora 'Edward Goucher', Consolida ajacis 'Earl Grey' and noID white form, and Lagurus ovatus (aka bunny tails grass) |
The second vase features larkspur in a different color and a few Dutch Iris that recently made a late appearance in my front garden.
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| Dutch Iris 'Silvery Beauty' grows in a semi-shaded area of the garden and has never bloomed as early or as vigorously as those grown in full sun |
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| I used a narrow-necked vase given to me by a friend last Christmas and dressed up the back of the vase with the first globe daisies (Globularia x indubia) to bloom this season |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Iris hollandica 'Silvery Beauty', Consolida ajacis 'Summer Skies Mix', Globularia x indubia, Achillea 'Moonshine' (shown with Anagallis monelli), Prunus caroliniana, and Trichostema 'Midnight Magic' |
I hadn't expected to create a third vase but I decided the pink Alstroemeria in a sunny section of the garden might also benefit from seeking cover in the house. I selected an odd little vase I think I've used only once before to hold those flowers and their companions.
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| A close-up of the vase, which has a random assortment of irregularly shaped holes on top to hold flowers in place |
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| I added an assortment of pink and while flowers to complement the Alstroemeria |
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| Back view |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: noID pink Alstroemeria, Argyranthemum frutescens 'Everest', Pelargonium 'Lady Plymouth', Orlaya grandiflora, and Osteospermum 'Berry White' |
All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Lovely vases Kris! All of them, and I especially love the first one with its, what my Grandmother would have called, artistic colours. The iris is amazing! I am wondering if your pelargonium in the third vase has scented leaves? It looks as though it might! Thank you for all your beautiful flowers! Amanda https://therunningwave.blogspot.com/2020/05/in-vase-on-monday.html
ReplyDeleteThe Pelargonium IS scented, Amanda, or at least the leaves release scent when rubbed. It's been described as a rose scent with a touch of lemon.
DeleteI love rose geranium - my favourite! I've got lots! Have a good week. A
DeleteThanks Amanda. You too!
DeleteMy goodness, Kris, if the heat was threatening to damage all these blooms I can imagine the urgency in your vase making! They, however, all look as fresh as the proverbial daisies and all three are delightful. I especially like the lavender larkspur and am kicking myself for forgetting to grow some this year. Some years I have sown it but it hasn't done very well, but I am determined to succeed one of these years! That's one gorgeous alstroemeria too
ReplyDeleteThe first heatwave in April damaged more foliage than flowers, Cathy, but there are more new blooms facing the furnace this go-round. I've done more watering in advance of the coming heatwave in the hope of stemming its impact. We shall see if that helps. The worst of the heat is expected Wednesday and Thursday.
DeleteNice array of irises. Love all the summer colors. And your vases. I especially like the face vase. I like to see those friendly faces peeking out from under pretty flowers. Happy IAVOM.
ReplyDeleteI picked up that vase on a whim, Lisa, as much for the holes at the top to help hold stems upright as for the face. It was offered at a very reasonable price as I recall.
DeleteThe flowers and vases all match up well but oh my gosh, I love the face on the vase on the bottom. I'm so glad you did a close up of it.
ReplyDeleteIf I'd thought ahead, Barbara, I'd have photographed the empty vase so you could have also seen the irregular cut-outs on top.
DeleteAll are pretty, but the pink arrangement wins my vote. I love the odd container as it adds personality and fun to the arrangement.
ReplyDeleteI like the white vase's whimsical aspect too, Cindy.
DeleteAll I can say is OMG, the Larkspur, I love it!! haven't seen any since I moved to Florida and yours is gorgeous. I am also intrigued by the Alstroemeria, I planted some last year and it came up and there it sits, what is the secret, Kris?
ReplyDeleteIs your soil heavy on clay, Amelia? Alstroemeria needs good drainage. My advantage may be my very sandy soil.
DeleteA beautiful trio, Kris! I wish I could grow larkspur, but the rabbits like it too much. :(
ReplyDeleteThe iris are lovely and I look forward to when mine bloom in another month or so. The past weekend's warmth kickstarted a lot of growth, but we're heading into another cool spell. Hope your contrasting heat isn't too hard on your garden.
Amazingly, I haven't seen any rabbits here this year. I just knocked wood that it'll stay that way. I found a dead squirrel in the back garden last week, which is a first, so perhaps the coyotes are more active.
DeleteYou take the prize for floral arrangements, Kris! Oh, to have so many amazing blooms, year-round. I'm so jealous. I can't pick a favorite--they're all amazing!
ReplyDeleteThanks Beth!
DeleteI'm late to comment, and won't look at what others have said...More cutting and pasting to look up plants. The little Globe Daisy tucked at the back was a favourite, and or course loving Pelargoniums spotted Lady Plymouth in your last vase. Three superb vases again Kris. Many thanks for sharing. x
ReplyDeleteThanks Noelle. That globe daisy (originally purchased for its foliage if you can believe that!) is one of my favorites too.
DeleteI love the greyish larkspur and wold love more of it here. Larkspur is a bit contrary with me, though, and likes to seed itself! A great little vase with the face on. I hope your garden survives the promised heat and you can have longer with your favourites. Just when we thought we were out of the woods here, we may get plunging temperatures at night this weekend.
ReplyDeleteMother Nature does seem confused this year, with many areas getting unseasonably cold while we were given our first heatwave in April and now another (ugh!) in early May. Hopefully, she's not under the weather with the virus! ;)
DeleteI thought the blue and yellow combo was going to be my favorite but then I paged down to the pink face vase and wow...that's fun! Nice work.
ReplyDeleteThe vase makes that pink arrangement, which is otherwise relatively ordinary. It was a good buy, purchased on a whim.
DeleteAs always your vases are up to your usual high standard Kris and arranged impeccably. I don't know how you do it. I was looking for the 'Earl Grey' larkspur in vain last year after seeing it mentioned on the Floret Farm website but none to be had over here. I've ended up growing a strain called 'Misty Lavender' which I hope will be similar. Love the bunny's tails 😄
ReplyDeleteI got my 'Earl Grey' seed from Floret. I haven't seen it anywhere else either. Those are the best kinds of bunny tails I think!
DeleteLovely selection of flowers Kris. I really like the bunny tail grass in the first one, the colours in the second and the third is my favourite with those gorgeous alstroemeria! (And the fun vase ;-) )
ReplyDeleteThanks Cathy. I like the bunny tail grass a lot too, even if it does move around as it chooses. When the plants came up I was concerned about whether I was identifying it correctly - I'm glad I didn't err on the side of caution and pull up all those grass seedlings!
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