Sunday was Mother's Day here in the US. Both my mother and my mother-in-law passed away in 2013 and my husband and I don't have children (unless you count the furry kind) so we had no specific plans for the day but I thought it might be nice to put together a few small arrangements and leave them curbside for neighbors to take. I've done this before but I didn't really think about a giveaway until early Saturday evening when it was too windy to accomplish much. As it turned out, I received a call from a family member about a medical emergency that got me up before dawn Sunday morning. I was rattled by the call and found it hard to focus but, once I was up and moving around, I started cutting flowers to distract myself. By the time I'd filled two water jugs with cuttings, I'd received a text letting me know that an emergency room visit had ruled out the worst case possibility. Although it was already a bit late to put flowers on the curb, I threw together several tiny bouquets anyway.
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| If I give away flowers, I try to leave them out either in the late afternoon or early morning to catch the attention of people that walk the neighborhood but I didn't get these out until late Sunday morning. They didn't represent my best effort but they'd still disappeared by early afternoon. |
Calmer, I went to work creating my own arrangements for "In a Vase on Monday," both built on blooms that have only recently appeared in my garden. The first, inspired by the fragrant purple pea-like blooms of Psoralea pinnata, is a mish-mash and not entirely satisfactory.
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| The noID bearded Irises are also new blooms but their color, which leans toward the red end of the purple spectrum, seems off to me relative to most of the rest of the materials |
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| Back view: I added a few stems of the color-chameleon 'Blue Shift' sweet pea to the mix in an effort to play off the Iris but they didn't help much |
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| Top view |
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| Top row: Centranthus ruber 'Album' and blue and white Consolida ajacis (aka larkspur) Middle row: noID Iris germanica and a variety of Lathyus odoratus, including 'Blue Shift', 'Navy' and 'High Scent' Bottom row: Orlaya grandiflora (aka Minoan lace) and Psoralea pinnata (aka Kool-Aid bush because the flowers smell like that grape drink) |
The second arrangement is more pulled together in my view.
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| The new arrivals in this arrangement include Allium 'Violet Beauty' and Salvia canariensis, visible in the front view |
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| and Melaleuca thymifolia (aka thyme honey-myrtle), visible in the back view |
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| Top view |
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| Top row: Allium aflatunense 'Violet Beauty', Centranthus 'Alba', and Consolida ajacis 'Splish-Splash' Middle row: Digitalis purpurea, Lathyrus odoratus 'High Scent', and Melaleuca thymifolia Bottom row: Pelargonium 'Lady Plymouth', P. 'Lemona', and Salvia canariensis var candidissima |
For more IAVOM creations from contributors drawing inspiration from the materials around them, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2021 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
What is family good for if not for a little drama? The contusion conclusion leaves me in confusion. Your brother both loves and appreciates his sister.
ReplyDeleteI think I've had enough family drama already to last a lifetime. I'm relieved things turned out okay even if some confusion remains.
DeleteYou are a very generous flower-grower! I rather love the first arrangement, I think mainly due to the inclusion of the Psoralea pinnata branches. They are fabulous. Glad to know your family emergency was dialed down a couple of notches.
ReplyDeleteThe Psoralea looks great this year. I was a little worried that I'd cut it back too far this winter but the shrub looks better than ever now.
DeleteI'm so sorry you had a fright, but glad that the worst case scenario was ruled out. You are fortunate to have a ready distraction at your doorstep. I have a feeling you are not only an online inspiration but also one for those that live in your neighbourhood with your impromptu neighbourly gifts.
ReplyDeleteI've only had a few comments from neighbors over the years, although I did receive a dozen eggs from a neighbor with chickens and a thank you note from a 9-year old girl, both of which I greatly appreciated.
DeleteWithout doubt you felt a little calmer after arranging your three vases. I am sure you shall be taking some flowers to your neighbour in due course. How nice to put little posies outside your house for people to enjoy. Just think of the joy they bring.
ReplyDeleteLast Mother's Day, during the early days of the pandemic, I acted with the idea that people who weren't able to shop might appreciate having flowers to give their mothers (or wives). I didn't have the same sense of imperative this year but it was still fun. Who doesn't like free flowers?!
DeleteSeeing the salvia's blooms in a vase I'm struck by how much they resemble Salvia pachyphylla. You are a good and kind neighbor to leave bouquets! And thank goodness the ER was able to rule out anything too scary.
ReplyDeleteI looked up Salvia pachyphylla - I like it! It's bluer and shorter than the Salvia canariensis. High Country Gardens says it's good to zone 9, though and mine is now classified as 11a. Have you tried the pachyphylla, Denise?
DeleteKris, the pachyphylla is a notoriously difficult salvia to make happy! However....your open, windy site might be to its liking. I wonder if I'm still 10b?
DeleteI had something of a shock when I discovered we'd been reclassified as zone 11a 2-3 years ago, Denise, but, as far as I can tell, we're still Sunset zone 23/24. Although I can see the ocean from the backyard, we don't benefit from the western sea breeze in my location and I'm guessing that perhaps you do.
DeleteIt was a lovely thought to leave flowers for your neighbors. It is hard for me the visualize just how many flowering plants you have in your garden. Particularly when you have picked so many for your Monday arrangements. As usual stunning arrangements and some of my favorite flowers. My foxgloves are blooming too.
ReplyDeleteI've got flowers here, there and everywhere, Jenny (except in some of the succulent beds). I love foxgloves and they make great cut flowers. I wasn't able to grow them in my borders here, probably because the soil is too sandy and the borders are too dry, but I've found they do well in the raised planters of my cutting garden so they'll always have a place there (at least during our "cool season").
DeleteSuch a thoughtful gesture to offer a Mother's Day giveaway, Kris. Your neighbors must love you – your arrangements are always beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThis is a neighborhood where most people don't know their neighbors, except perhaps the people right next door or across the street, Eliza. If I'm known at all, it's probably as the crazy plant lady.
Delete'Crazy Plant Lady' is a moniker I aspire to, ha! ;)
DeleteYou share so much joy from your garden, Kris, whether posies for neighbors or your IaVoM posts! I do admire your foxgloves with the salvia and sweet peas. :)
ReplyDeleteSince I've been away from blogging for over a year, it's wonderful to come back and find your lovely vases full of equally lovely blooms. I hope your family emergency continues to ramp down.
It's good to see you back, Amy! I hope to hear more about your move when you reach your new home.
DeleteVery nice to leave flowers for others and a nice way to deal with the stress of an unexpected situation. Your vases are always lovely.
ReplyDeleteThanks Barbara.
DeleteWhat a lovely idea giving away flowers to your neighbours. As usual you have lovely arrangements with some unusual flowers. I love the little blue pea flower with a name that sounds like a skin disease. I have never seen it before.
ReplyDeleteHa! I've thought the same thing about the Latin name of that shrub but it's surprisingly easy to remember for that reason. It's common name, Kool-Aid bush, while on point in capturing the scent of the flowers, isn't any better given the way that drink factored in the Jonestown massacre.
DeleteYour wonderful act of kindness probably helped make several mother's very happy. A lovely gesture. The purple bouquet is stunning.
ReplyDeleteI was pleased with the purple bouquet featuring the foxglove too, Elaine.
DeleteAnother interesting group, Kool Aid plant?! that is wonderful and I like the plant and the arrangement. I was particularly intrigued by the Melaluca as that is a dirty word (very invasive, but not that kind) in Florida, that one is lovely. I love it that you leave flower arrangements at the curb!
ReplyDeleteI'm not very fond of the Melaleuca trees grown here either, Amelia. In contrast, the Melaleuca thymifolia shrub is relatively demure in size and very manageable.
DeleteAwww, you are so sweet. And so talented, as always, with your floral arrangements! I hope your family members are OK.
ReplyDeleteEverything seems find on the family end, Beth. Thanks!
DeleteSo sweet and kind of you to do give-away bouquets for M-day.
ReplyDeleteI like the reddish in the 1st bouquet--an accent that brightens the whole.
Glad the emergency was not so bad after all.
I like the first arrangement better now that 2 new Iris blooms have emerged with deeper purple falls.
DeleteGlad your family health crisis resolved, Kris. What a scare! I'm sure your neighbors appreciate your gorgeous floral offerings. It's a very kind gesture to share them. I love both your arrangements. As always you have filled the vases with such interesting flowers. Adding the 'Blue Shift' sweet pea actually was a great idea and I think it worked well to integrate the iris color into the rest of the bouquet.
ReplyDeleteI do love the way the color of the 'Blue Shift' sweet peas mutate and help bridge color differences. At the moment, they're being swamped by blooms from the 'High Scent' variety, though.
DeleteYour mishmash is extremely appealing Kris, although I could not say what it is exactly that makes me like it so much. Maybe the colours with that fine green foliage? And the foxglove in the second vase jumps out and says 'look at me!', positioned perfectly! Gorgeous! Hope the emergency case has been cleared up and all is well now.
ReplyDeleteThe mish-mash arrangement has grown on me, Cathy! The colors adjusted themselves when two new Iris blooms unfolded and the blue larkspur became more purple as the flowers aged ;)
DeleteOh I remember your Mother's Day help yourself floral bunches last year - a most thoughtful and neighbourly idea. Beautiful vases both although I'm drawn more to the first. You have now definitely persuaded me to give sweet pea 'Blue Shift' another go next year as perhaps I wasn't as observant of the flowers as I should have been first time round 😂
ReplyDeleteI vaguely remember growing 'Blue Shift' once before without noticing that wonderful color transformation. It's definitely worth sowing some seeds!
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