The unbroken blooms of Hippeaestrum 'Aphrodite' I used in my first arrangement last week did indeed open gradually over the course of the week. The broken stem I placed in a tiny bowl of water also survived the week in remarkably good shape. As I have two other 'Aphrodites' in the process of maturing, I decided to reuse the original flowers in a new arrangement featuring the triplets I introduced back in early February.
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| The triplets are now celebrating spring |
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| The first triplet paired one of the newer Hippeastrum blooms with 2 Freesia stems while the second triplet is sporting the original broken Hippeastrum bloom, a recycled stem of pink Alstroemeria, and a couple of Narcissus stems. The third triplet, not shown in closeup, is making do with a simple arrangement of 2 of the newer Hippeastrum blooms. |
I created a more conventional arrangement using the first Scilla peruviana (aka Portuguese squill) as my focal point.
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| The blue Anemones are still producing a bounty of fresh flowers |
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| Back view: I used blue and white Freesias to add scent |
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| Top view: Glass marbles added to the vase helped to keep the stems from flopping over on one another |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Anemone coronaria 'Lord Lieutenant', Ceanothus arboreus 'Cliff Schmidt', blue Freesia, Limonium perezii, white Freesia, Osteospermum 'Violet Ice', and Scilla peruviana |
Unable to stop there, I took advantage of new snapdragon blooms to create a third arrangement. I love snapdragons but they generally don't do well here. Within just a few weeks of planting, the foliage is usually covered in rust. Periods of high humidity followed by high temperatures promote rust, conditions that are prevalent as what passes for winter here transitions into early spring. Our abnormally dry winter, as well as my scrupulous attention to avoiding splashing any water on their foliage, seems to have prevented (or at least delayed) the rust problem this year.
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| I selected the only stem of Anemone coronaria 'Bi-color' currently available in my cutting garden as the focal point to play off the velvety red snapdragons and I recycled the stem of Helleborus 'Anna's Red' I used last week. The dainty pink flowers trailing down are Crassula multicava 'Red'. In addition to its pretty flowers, the underside of the succulent's leaves are red. |
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| I clipped a few stems of a pink-flowered Sparaxis tricolor to dress up the back view, after complaining just last Friday that all my Sparaxis were blooming in shades of orange |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Anemone coronaria 'Bi-color', Antirrhinum majus, Coleonema 'Album', Crassula multicava 'Red', white Freesia, Helleborus 'Anna's Red', Leptospermum 'Copper Glow' and, in the middle, Sparaxis tricolor |
We have a good chance of rain later this week. It's not expected to amount to much but at least it should bring our total rain for the "water year" (counted from October 1st) above the three inch mark at last.
For more IAVOM posts, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2021 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
The Hippeastrum are outstanding. Love the way you've presented them. Love the blue vase too. The anemones are fabulous and that Scilla peruviana is very nice. I'll have to look for that. Have a good week Kris.
ReplyDeleteI planted 4 varieties of Hippeastrum this fall and 'Aphrodite' is the most vigorous by far, Susie. Unfortunately, I chose another variety to plop into decorative pots as gifts - the only one I kept for myself is still far from reaching bloom stage. I can only hope the gift recipients saw better results.
DeleteThe triplets have an unfair advantage as those vases are great fun, but the exuberance of colors in today's other arrangements even things up. I wish scent was transferable through the blog.
ReplyDeleteA scented blog would be a real game changer! I love the scent of Freesia and in fact plan to cut another batch of these flowers to fill a small vase on my desk as I've so enjoyed the scent over the past few weeks.
DeleteI don't often leave a comment on your floral creations, but they cheer me up every Monday. 'Aphrodite' is a spectacular flower!
ReplyDelete'Aphrodite' is definitely a winner in the Hippeastrum category, Gerhard. I'm going to plant out the bulbs once they finish flowering in the hope I can get them to naturalize. I'd no problem doing that in my former garden but I haven't been as lucky here thus far.
DeleteAre the triplets named Pan,Dem,and Ick? Beautiful vases; I'm so jealous of all your lovely spring bulbs blooming up already!
ReplyDeleteThat's not a bad choice of names but I'd feel a little bad calling one 'Ick'!
DeleteI love your triplets and they look fabulous with their amazing hippeastrum hats. How lovely to have such an abundance of flowers to play with. Scilla peruviana is a gorgeous rich colour. I would like a necklace made out of it.
ReplyDeleteScilla peruviana would make a fabulous necklace, Chloris! I used to be hesitant to cut these flowers but the bulb seems so happy here that it's been producing more flowers every year - which probably means I should dig up and divide the clump.
DeleteOh my goodness those look like they are heading to Royal Ascot on Ladies Day. The amaryllis are gorgeous and spectacular. I love all your vases Kris. Just lovely! Amanda
ReplyDeletehttps://therunningwave290580645.wordpress.com
Thanks Amanda. The triplets do look like they're ready for a special event.
DeleteYou have a great eye for choosing interesting vases. How lovely to be able to grown your own freesias too.
ReplyDeleteFreesias are probably the most vigorous bulbs I grow, Noelle, but then they're well-adapted to my Mediterranean climate. They flop about a lot but, for flowers with a heavenly scent, I forgive them that.
DeleteI thought the same as Amanda when I saw the triplets in their pastel finery Kris 😂 If not Ascot maybe the Chelsea Flower Show or the Henley Regatta. A beautiful gathering of vases as always.
ReplyDeleteThe triplets are really containers meant for small plants but, with a little juggling, I've managed to add small water reservoirs. Keeping those filled with water is the main challenge :)
DeleteThe triplets looks so good with their flamboyant head pieces :)
ReplyDeleteThe Hippeastrum worked perfectly I think. Serendipity!
DeleteMuch as I love to see blue blooms your triplets are absolutely knockout and the stars of this week's selection with their spectacular headgear! Brilliant, Kris, as is producing three vases every week - thank you for all your contributions
ReplyDeleteTwo vases most weeks, Cathy! This week I couldn't resist using/reusing the Hippeastrum for the triplets.
DeleteI like the triplets. They are cuties. All that blue too. Wow. It nearly jumps off the computer screen.
ReplyDeleteI do adore blue flowers, Lisa. They don't always photograph well in the garden but they come off much better when photographed in vases.
DeleteI really love the triplets - they look great in their floral 'hats.' The other two are lovely as well, I love the rich reds and the purple/blue themes. Sparaxis has such a striking flower, I wish I could grow it here!
ReplyDeleteSparaxis is well-suited to this climate, Eliza, although it isn't quite as vigorous about spreading itself around as Freesias are.
DeleteThat sparaxis got my attention too. Always a good start to the week to catch up with your vases!
ReplyDeleteI was so pleased to have Sparaxis in a color other than orange, Denise. I like orange but I was looking forward to more variety and it looks as though I've finally gotten a little of that.
DeleteI love your Amaryllis cultivar and the triplets make me smile! The purple flowered vase is so pretty: I would need Scilla peruviana (perhaps next year) and that beautifully blue Ceanothus and I have the rest! My favorite this week is your 3rd vase. That Anemone cultivar is striking and the pink Sparaxis is also outstanding. By coincidence, today I transplanted my Crassula multicava Red into a pink pot that I bought. I purchased it in December because I liked the red underside leaves and had no idea that it would produce the long stems of dainty pink flowers! If you give flower arrangement classes, I would attend!
ReplyDeleteThanks Kay. Scilla peruviana is definitely something you would like, especially given that it does extremely well in our climate. It takes awhile to settle in but the flowers are worth any delay. Ceanothus 'Cliff Schmidt' also took years to develop. As its species name indicates, it's truly tree-sized. I saw my first Ceanothus tree at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden decades ago (I'm not sure it survived the fire years later). I still remember how impressed I was by it.
DeleteWow, wishing you some rain and long lasting Hippeastrum..
ReplyDeleteThe chance of rain has now increased to 90% so I'm feeling more confident that it's going to become a reality, Amelia. It's due to arrive in the wee house of tomorrow morning.
DeleteWOW! These are all winners, of course the triplets are just perfect!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I could have come up with anything better for the triplets, Loree ;)
DeleteYour hippeastrums are a lovely delicate spring-like colour. I still have a Christmassy red one in bloom on my windowsill, keeping me going until there is more colour in the garden! Ireally love that bicolour anemone which goes exceptionally well with the Sparaxis and snapdragons. Hope you get that rain you wished for Kris.
ReplyDeleteThanks Cathy. We got eight-tenths of an inch of rain this week, which borders on the phenomenal under current circumstances. Forecasters are holding out prospects of more too.
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