For the first time in many months, I could only work up the energy for one arrangement this week. Although buds are appearing here and there, there are few "new" blooms but, when I noticed that one of my small-flowered Grevillea was slowly covering itself in tiny flowers, I decided I could use it as a springboard (pun intended) for an arrangement featuring some of my old standbys. However, the title of this post stemmed from my discovery that Metrosideros 'Springfire' had produced a few blooms too. As it bloomed in winter last year as well, maybe it shouldn't have come as a surprise, especially as we've got another stretch of unseasonably warm weather starting here. Meanwhile, we remain extraordinarily dry with no rain expected in the foreseeable future. Winter means rain here and there's reason to wonder if our one and only rainy season, which has seen just a single decent storm thus far, is already over. Northern California, which provides most of Southern Californa's water, is getting less rain than "normal" but at least the faucet seemingly isn't broken there as it is here.
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| The small flowers of the Grevillea that set my color scheme aren't readily visible in this view but the three stems of Metrosideros 'Springfire' are front and center |
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| Large-flowered Grevillea 'Superb' tends to steal the show, especially in this back view |
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| Top view |
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| Top row: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Aloe 'Safari Rose', and noID Antirrhinum majus Second row: Inspiration pieces Metrosideros collina 'Springfire' and Grevillea alpina x rosmarinifolia Bottom row: noID paperwhite Narcissus, Leucadendron salignum 'Summer Red', and Grevillea 'Superb' |
So that's it from me this week. Friday is Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, which means I need to get started on a scavenger hunt. We'll see if I turn up anything suitable for next week's In a Vase on Monday post during that process.
For more IAVOM creations, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2021 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
I know how you feel, Kris, and other weird things that happen on our planet come on top of the worries about the weather. I wish I could send you some rain as we've had a lot. Now it's freezing, so not a very inviting place right now. Your fiery flowers look stunning and will hopefully give you some energy and make you smile. Keep your chin up :)
ReplyDeleteGetting through January with the country intact is the first hurdle, Annette. Our renewed drought conditions are secondary in importance, although having a climate change denier in the White House for the last 4 years wasn't helpful in the long run.
DeleteA teapot of cheery blooms indeed, and you have managed to put in spring narcissi and exotic flowers in the same arrangement!
ReplyDeleteA lot of plants that are spring bloomers in your climate are late winter bloomers here, Noelle. Many of your summer blooms arrive in spring here too, reflecting the large difference in our climates.
DeleteThat alpine grevillea really is cute and it's a shame it is overshadowed by its bigger brother. The overall effect is most definitely a fiery one, although it wouldn't be dampened by a decent dawnpour...hope you do get more rain, Kris!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, it's hard to get good, long stems of the small-flowered Grevillea without butchering the shrub, Cathy. Despite my gloomy statement, I'm still hoping for more rain but it sounds as if we can't expect anything until February, at earliest. But we've had "March miracles" before and it could happen again!
DeleteNice one, very flowery. 'Summer Red', blonde in winter!
ReplyDeleteBut no, no spring. Still hoping winter is just late. Summer was late and hung around, why can't winter do the same?
Daniel Swain of Weather West (UCLA climate scientist) is still holding out hope for late season rain. Fingers are crossed!
DeleteThe current political climate is soul sucking and no rain! ACK! I love the colors and scale of the arrangement to the container here. Beautiful work...it is not raining here either and the irrigation well died. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteOh no! Is the well your only source of irrigation?
DeleteGreat colours, very warm and definitely has a Californian feel, and lots of energy! The Narcissus almost becomes exotic by default.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sel. You're right that, in my garden, Narcissi could be considered exotic elements. Mine is a Mediterranean climate so many Australian and South African natives are quite at home here in coastal Southern California.
DeleteThe Grevillea, snapdragon and narcissus make a beautiful combination!
ReplyDeleteThanks sweetbay!
DeleteLush and lovely, Kris. Grevillea alpina x rosmarinifolia is a real charmer. Looking forward to seeing what the garden offers up on Friday. :)
ReplyDeleteI generally turn up more than I realize I have for Bloom Day, Eliza, but the Grevilleas are still providing the biggest splashes of color.
DeleteLooks like wonderful winter vases full. I love the little mouse riding the butterfly. It will be some time before any butterflies are zipping around the garden here. Happy IAVOM.
ReplyDeleteI've been surprised to see cloudless sulphur butterflies still flitting about here, Lisa, but they're pretty much it. Still, with temperatures expected to climb into the 80s this week, I wouldn't be entirely surprised to find some confused butterflies showing up sooner rather than later.
DeleteI love all your exotic flowers--the inspiration ones for today are so interesting, especially Metrosideros, which I don't remember seeing before. Also, wow, my aloe never blooms--pretty flower. Hope you get rain soon.
ReplyDeleteThe Metrosideros has been part of my garden since February 2017 but was almost incinerated by the horrific heatwave we had the following year, when temperatures reached 110F and got stuck there. However, it managed to survive, albeit growing slowly. My hope is that it'll make a bigger splash in future years. Many of my aloes have taken their own sweet time to bloom as well (and several have yet to go so) but those in the hybrid 'Safari' series seem more accommodating about blooming when still relatively immature.
DeleteYou may only have energy for one arrangement, but it's a splendid one! Grevillea 'Superb' has a well deserved name. The Aloe bloom is an unusual and refreshing addition: at first glance I mistook it for South African Heather.
ReplyDelete'Superb' is indeed deserving of its name. I hesitated to cut that Aloe bloom. There were 3 but one was already mostly gone and a second close to it so I decided what the heck, I'd throw it in the mix too.
DeleteThat's a lot of flowers! Even in it's most florific state I don't think I could find that many in my garden. As for rain, I wish—yet again—we could send you some of our abundance.
ReplyDeleteEven the rain in Northern California isn't pushing south, Loree, presumably halted by the stubborn ridge of high pressure that's combined with La Nina to keep us dry. However, I remain somewhat hopeful that our "rainy season" will end with a bang.
DeleteOh that is a vase that positively glowing Kris! Spring still seems a long way off here yet. I do hope that the winter season yields some more rain for you.
ReplyDeleteMe too, Anna!
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