Once again on Sunday my garden worked its magic. With my cool season flowers now gone and the warm season flowers far from ready to take off, I was at a loss as to what I could put together, other than cutting more
Agapanthus. I had the color orange in mind as
Cuphea 'Vermillonaire' is going great guns but instead I decided on the fly to cut some
Leonotis leonurus (aka lion's tail) while there's enough available to cut. Then I saw a bloom on an
Alstroemeria I planted two and a half years ago and I was off and running.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZDaOEWw7UR5Doi5L9fmwR2D_KhUIHq3kG4bf24o880ffgya3ERUcmKxelBF2p2OhPv0YhYDptYIz407Um889oCnV4aEkRM8yUE17J__gV2Zzm0SkoB5ed4QfSjNUrnQdxOsvKeRcZRs4U/s640/20200621_Bouq1_front1R_c.jpg) |
I planted the orange Alstroemeria 'Third Harmonic' toward the back of one border, expecting it to grow 3 to 4 feet tall but it's stayed small and, when it's bloomed in the past, I've missed it. I think it wants more water than it gets. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5_Y0EiXHPa7Xs6R4AtMwhs8Kphpy97YWjlMx2yVzgQg94UHotsYy3iZH2hgTvStX7uFb9OIewMShayK1TUQSVixVpRWwRwFTceKVuZH0mUPlBTReahhflLjuRlqXxife4NzaYSMt9_WCk/s640/20200621_Bouq1_back2R_c.jpg) |
Back view: With the strong orange color of Alstroemeria 'Third Harmonic' and Leonotis, I felt I needed to bring the color down a couple of pegs so I cut the soft-toned variegated foliage of Corokia 'Sunsplash' to do just that. In turn, the 'Corokia' sent me on a search for other flowers in similar soft colors. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOcGC1vKafeZrosVma3eEG6RO9Qz0tcstFW0Gf351GCjmZadCijyiVulg5r-GMULtYhujNqavW95yk-J_w43ncbM0ZSZ4DrjyUc381vorGt_FzVpOxkFyElQtu72dlISUTgHj3-gw5ZnjV/s640/20200621_Bouq1_top2R_c.jpg) |
Top view |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjngFAP0tr-u5zNrtgvIWOiSEsSEl_UqMHoAy0DH3AaoUs0FXY55keo9KEkTQqcJQD6-SD-bXrfWC8PziCnkKHcQc8_WoxNIypAHX-_kSDVp1nL6T1IVBdfluI3ikuyiJiGGRs5QaR3NgA3/s640/20200621_Bouq1_BFC1.jpg) |
Clockwise from the upper left: Alstroemeria 'Third Harmonic', A. 'Claire', Leonotis leonurus, Corokia x virgata 'Sunsplash', and Crassula pubescens ssp radicans |
I toned down the first arrangement by adding softer colors but, after cutting stems of
Callistemon 'Cane's Hybrid' as the inspiration for my second vase, I decided I needed to add stronger coral-pink colors to provide contrast.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZ43HExVc2gaRTm5G-l7IsmdHxUb1M2na5xDr6P7wg3oI5n7ClRI7hF0hXBq6CR5kvtHot_D8YBZ8Q45FLD6R9n4eLJpPE4ujJ1qm85v7DX9j6xgIBEC6CAuiubFV4vOJBAmoPVFQDAXy/s640/20200621_Bouq2_front1R_c.jpg) |
Two early heatwaves put a quick end to an earlier flush of bloom on Callistemon 'Cane's Hybrid' by mid-May. I was surprised to see the shrub produce another flush of peachy-pink blooms again last week. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNUQgPjm4PFs0iAfhLMacxuo-Ix4imQLvVn4MB4yPuD6vjQ9PbVsXZBcn_NcgrKgzKfbUxl42242hdPsYr2QmyjFlqfx4meupfQGBl4e93KOfqYtx2BqPJAcU9vjhSftvJcchZrGg6avQ/s640/20200621_Bouq2_back2R_c.jpg) |
Back view: I cut several flowers of Grevillea 'Superb' to add the deeper coral-pink I was looking for but the back of this arrangement could've used a couple more stems |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGQ1H-2hBKAeXK4WQ_OUz4MdJvFa4Ti3WsM8MGNxkDXOd5tK04zXXMRJatXLLPY59vCkcNEzsQcGVW2HxKXjnoa_F-BdQ71BylzQ97ojzB0RQee-BTjlU2HTvHXO4YOyyHfB5C7uRmNqaF/s640/20200621_Bouq2_top2R_c.jpg) |
Top view: Two unusually tall stems of my 'Pink Meidiland' rose were a last-minute addition |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3MZ6183Ks3KXjHbHaTDGV5iNUUeQJjzXadyleFvE3rEjcwCQbxFG5g5URSZ6skUWCkb_yVAvqzfhN97x8CAcqUOrpcYcRRsiNTy_Ory6ahUPQYO6IEUK7qK0ou8ZljxYOE9ZKG0ZI9hnv/s640/20200621_Bouq2_BFC1.jpg) |
Clockwise from the upper left: Abelia grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope', Callistemon 'Cane's Hybrid', Grevillea 'Superb', and Rosa 'Pink Meidiland' |
I threw together a third vase mainly because one of the lisianthus stems I cut last week still had some vase-life left in it. My living room mantle was also calling out for color.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIZ4YKvPkU1WQAkt06j8UZypVdHgUh3OLzMn9Z17CD9lTtCQP4BPQDGw5KalbDueJzDiJrcoMvkVnJcCWtFkD03I2Qxa0jRMk89RsyhPshDbjkO_vbhHg60-5a4PmObmwwOSC1qyaYXLQa/s640/20200621_Bouq3_front1R_c.jpg) |
The interesting thing I've discovered about the dark blue-flowered lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum) is that larger buds will open in a vase but in a lighter lavender color. The lisianthus stem on the left was cut last week and the lavender colored buds surrounding the dark blue bloom opened several days later. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkYWoVIv-gl63AzQTz-_CePp768lmUOgmzD0IJPp1LJ7eFZEQkBOz-ED0aG3kieKBes2aqOoJTFHO06QIHHs6yMHK5iG6rFsgr9BY2J_vJKKcHWWuyfLxFRGKpIOo8HgEc5uq9GTxOWU1i/s640/20200621_Bouq3_back1R_c.jpg) |
Back view |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtVQulbTfCBINfmz2J_B5a_NZzbk2vuOKfotI_7uDhdgO8ZW97nW7ft3wqpI9yXvXkIByBxp4WYmtdyOe9byHE0FY5nWtPif3Jyee74CAV4BkxwP2L-ZBKsjAdaWbJit13wRmC03fQi5U/s640/20200621_Bouq3_top1R_c.jpg) |
Top view |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdwtUbVwP0PDgQptZedA1rhkNBX19ceRy1l0-oR46h08oH2frPjfYr4P32lTkf-YTe3sR2xYm6_tNL3-de4uU7h39RMDrgzr4rXdz8P6v7dMwI6IPkWEoVbzN_M0x_otczrn2ku_2ELhjY/s640/20200621_Bouq3_BFC1.jpg) |
Clockwise from the upper left: Eustoma grandiflorum, Leucadendron 'Pisa', Trachelium caeruleum, and Trichostemma 'Midnight Magic' |
Amazing myself, I cut, arranged, and photographed these arrangements in record time. That's fortunate as I'm hosting three friends for a "bring you own lunch" in my garden today. In the "
before time," we usually met at a local restaurant at least once a week but, due to the pandemic, we haven't been together since early March. My garden allows plenty of space for physical distancing (and a better view than most of our favorite restaurants). Over the weekend, I scrubbed down all my garden furniture and cushions, tidied up the garden, and gave the interior of the house a once over as well. With a final sweep of the back garden and a thorough scrub of the guest bathroom this morning, everything will be ready and waiting. Knock wood, our marine layer will lift mid-day, leaving us to enjoy comfortable temperatures and friendly conversation.
For more IAVOM creations,
visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party