When I stepped into the garden on Sunday morning, I really had no idea what I could put in a vase this week that I hadn't already used recently. I made an entire circuit of my garden ruling out possibilities until I saw the white snapdragons in my cutting garden. They'd been beaten down by rain on Saturday (one-third of an inch) and their stems were lying on their sides as if to say "save me" so I cut them. That started me on a roll collecting bits of this and that in white and blue.
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| Anemone 'Lord Lieutenant', also in my cutting garden, had one small bloom and another bud just opening |
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| Back view: the Osteospermums have responded quickly to the shift back to cooler temperatures and sea lavender (Limonium perezii) is beginning its annual flush |
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The top view highlights the bloom of a noID tazetta Narcissus that was supposed to be Narcissus 'Geranium'
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Top: Anemone coronaria 'Lord Lieutenant', Antirrhinum majus, and noID Ceanothus
Middle: Echium handiense (recycled from last week), Lavandula multifida, and Limonium perezii
Bottom: noID Narcissus, Osteospermum 'Violet Ice', and Westringia fruticosa 'Morning Light' |
As I was assembling my varied collection for that vase, I suddenly remembered that I'd seen buds on a bearded Iris by my shade house the week before. I'd planted all blue and white varieties in that area - or so I'd thought. The Iris in question was indeed blooming but it wasn't blue or white. I cut it anyway and then did another round of the garden looking for suitable companions for it. I checked my records, which showed no Iris in a mauve and burgundy color, leading me to conclude that the rhizome I planted had been mislabeled.
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| I played off the yellow beard of the Iris and the flower's petal colors in selecting the plants to accompany it in a vase |
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| Back view: as usual, Gomphrena 'Itsy Bitsy' came in handy |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Coleonema pulchellum 'Sunset Gold', Coprosma repens 'Plum Hussey', Gomphrena decumbens 'Itsy Bitsy', Hebe 'Purple Shamrock', noID Iris germanica (possibly 'Prince of Burgundy' or 'Right Already'), Narcissus 'Geranium', and Hebe 'Grace Kelly' (in bud) |
Buds are forming throughout my garden. I could swear that the Freesias next to my backyard fountain covered themselves in buds in response to Saturday's rain. More rain is expected this week and I hope I'll be tripping over new blooms in the weeks to come. Spring does come early in coastal Southern California!
For more IAVOM creations, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2021 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Three vases of gorgeous flowers...you spoil us.
ReplyDeleteJust two this week, Noelle, but the back of the second one does look quite different than its front view ;)
DeleteGlad you are getting some rain. The iris is a stunner. I am always so reluctant to cut flowers from the garden in fear of diminishing the show. Need to take a cue from you and become more adverturous
ReplyDeleteThis group of what I thought were blue and white-flowered Iris is planted the very edge of our property line behind my shade house so they're not readily seen, Elaine. Add to that that this particular Iris is the "wrong" color and that wind and rain would put a quick end to the flowers, I didn't think twice about cutting this stem but, in other situations, where there's just a single bloom, I'm usually more hesitant.
DeleteI missed following your in a vase on Monday. Still amazes me how much material you have all year round to play with.
ReplyDeleteI've missed seeing your blog posts too guys!
DeleteSuperb. Gorgeous flowers and such a juxtaposition of spring and summer to my eye. I really love that gomphrena 'Itsy Bitsy'
ReplyDeleteGomphrena 'Itsy Bitsy' is definitely a favorite with almost everyone, Allison. If I'd had any luck propagating it from seed, I'd offer some up to those who wanted it but it doesn't seem to want to grow that way and it's a hard plant to find even here in the US.
DeleteBattered bits make beautiful bouquets. Happy IAVOM.
ReplyDeleteSnapdragons are usually covered in rust almost instantly when I plant them here so I'm happy to get any blooms from them, even battered!
Deleteyay, rain. I got a bit over the weekend. I love that limonium, have to look it up to see if it grows here and the second vase color combo is fabulous!! Here's hoping we both get more rain.
ReplyDeleteTo hear that Florida is having a problem with limited rain scares me even more than facing drought here in California, Amelia. We're due for more starting Wednesday so, hopefully, this is the start of a trend that'll carry us at least through March, which is when our short rainy season usually comes to an abrupt end.
DeleteWhite and blue is always a winning combination and I am glad you were able to rescue material from the storms to share with us - such a lot of different things in that first vase! Itsy Bitsy picks out the purple of the iris perfectly in the second vase - had a look out for seeds of it but without success
ReplyDeleteI've also heard 'Itsy Bitsy' called 'Little Grapes', Cathy, but I don't know anyone who's found the seeds in the US or UK under either name. My plants show no tendency to self-seed - it they did, I'd collect the seeds and go into business selling them, after passing seeds along to my IAVOM friends of course ;)
DeleteWhat a lovely range of subtle shifting blues!
ReplyDeleteThanks Diana! I collected some of most every blue and white flower I found.
DeleteCan't ever beat white and blues. So classic! Your succulent bed looks great again, too.
ReplyDeleteIt's 53F outside. That and greenwaste bins packed full drove me indoors. Feels almost like real winter, and hooray for the rain.
Our daytime temperature was in the same ballpark, HB, and the winds were wicked last night and this morning so I've done very little work outside today either. I was forced to tackle my ironing backlog, usually the last thing on my list.
DeleteSo glad you had some rain. I see the Sierras are in for a big storm (summer melt for you).
ReplyDeleteI love your purple anemones, (I'm envious that your climate favors them, along with ranunculus) and the other choices of snaps, osteospermum and limonium are esp. nice.
Even though it wasn't the color you ordered, that bearded iris has a nice smoky look to it. Itsy Bitsy and coleonema complement it quite well.
Have a great week!
I have to confine the anemones, snapdragons and even ranunculus to the raised planters in my cutting garden, Eliza, as they don't get enough water to grow and bloom elsewhere in my garden, especially when rain is scare. My sandy soil just doesn't retain adequate moisture.
DeleteBeautiful brimming vases as always Kris. My eye was drawn to the mystery iris.
ReplyDeleteThe mystery Iris was a surprise on a number of levels, Anna. Just the fact that it saw fit to bloom this early was unexpected. The stretch of summer-like weather we had earlier this month may have fooled it ;)
DeleteBoth vases were filled with beauties! I do love purples and blues, but that burgundy/mauve Iris is gorgeous and Gomphrena ‘Itsy Bitsy’ complements it perfectly. Your no ID white narcissus is pretty and although I have heard of it, I have never had Narcissus ‘Geranium.’ Your anemone ‘Lord Lieutenant’ is bloomed early. I should also have this anemone, but later. Yes, what others call early spring, is definitely our frost-free winter. Happy gardening!
ReplyDeleteAnemone 'Lord Lieutenant' was planted in early November. It's well ahead of Anemone 'The Bride', planted less than 2 weeks later. The latter have only produced sporadic foliage thus far, whereas the 'Lieutenant's' foliage has been up well over a month now. Timing is everything...
DeleteKris, it's great to know your garden is happy with some rain. Both vases are gorgeous. Love classic blue and white with the many varied flowers, but I'm swooning over that beautiful burgundy iris and Gomphrena 'Itsy Bitsy' combination. So lovely. Frustrating when plants are mislabeled but the iris is lovely.
ReplyDeleteThanks Susie. The Iris is lovely - it just needs to be relocated.
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