As much of the northeastern and mid-Atlantic areas of the US experienced scorching heat this weekend, coastal Southern California was comfortably cool, thanks to our seasonal "June Gloom." The gray clouds usually move out by early afternoon but that morning cloud cover keeps our afternoon temperatures down. Today's expected to be especially gloomy, even offering the opportunity of light drizzle. I'm not holding my breath over the prospect of real rain but even the high humidity that accompanies our June Gloom often causes the roof to shed some moisture into my rain barrels, which is always welcome.
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| View looking toward Angel's Gate, the entrance to the Port of Los Angeles, from my backyard late Sunday afternoon |
My garden is slowly shifting from its cool season mode to its warm-hot season mode in anticipation of summer. My cool season annuals are dying off quickly while many of my summer-flowering plants have been slow to get started but there's still plenty of color to be found. The inspiration for my first vase this week was three gladiola stalks that surprised me with blooms in my cutting garden. I thought I'd dug all the gladiola corms out of my raised planters last fall but apparently I missed a few.
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| I recently planted a package of orange gladiola corms and I have another collection yet to plant but the early arrivals of the dramatic purple Gladiolus 'Vuvuzela' were appreciated |
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| Back view: As usual, I picked more than I actually needed to fill my vase, much of which got stuffed to the rear of the arrangement |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Abelia grandiflora 'Hopley's Variegated', Arthropodium cirratum (aka Renga Lily), Coriandrum sativum (aka cilantro/coriander, which is popping up all over my garden), Gladilous 'Vuvuzela', white and lavender Consolida ajacis (aka larkspur), Penstemon digitalis 'Onyx & Pearls', and Nigella 'African Bride' |
My second arrangement was inspired by the first flush of blooms on the tree-sized Callistemon 'Cane's Hybrid' in my back border.
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| The appearance of a few short stems of Digitalis 'Dalmatian Peach' in my cutting garden sealed the peachy-orange color scheme. I couldn't help myself from cutting one stem of Leucospermum 'Brandi' as it's nearing the end of its season and as the squirrels polished off the majority of Leucospermum 'Goldie'. |
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| Back view: The foliage of Leptospermum 'Copper Glow' picked up the raspberry undertones evident in some of the flowers |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Callistemon 'Cane's Hybrid', Digitalis purpurea 'Dalmatian Peach', Grevillia 'Peaches & Cream', G. 'Superb', Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', and Leucospermum 'Brandi' |
With the usual touch of sadness, on Saturday I tore out the sweet peas that occupied most of one raised planting bed in my cutting garden. It always seems that they forever to grow from seed to flowering plants, only to be gone all too soon. I met three friends for lunch (at a restaurant!) last Friday and I'd hoped to bring each one a small bouquet of sweet peas but there weren't enough presentable flowers left to do that.
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| I managed a small vase for the kitchen island and my office from what was left. The very short stems came from Lathyrus odoratus 'Sir Jimmy Shand','Blue Shift', and 'High Scent'. |
For more IAVOM creations, check in with our host, Cathy of Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2021 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
You have a great gift and I am certainly impressed as always. The arrangement with those very beautiful gladioli is my favourtie.
ReplyDeleteIt's a beautiful gladiola, Noelle. I'd forgotten how much I liked it until it reappeared. It's too bad I didn't save the bulbs I pulled up last fall to replant this year.
DeleteFor a moment I thought the Nigella 'African Bride' were Clematis Florida Sieboldii and I was stunned at your success AND the fact you cut them. Lovely blooms as always Kris!
ReplyDeleteI've had success with just one Clematis in this garden this far, Loree. I do cut a few stems of that one when it blooms but it's not as finicky as 'Sieboldiana'. I've got LOTS of Nigella 'African Bride' as all the buds bloomed virtually simultaneously.
DeleteOh your first vase is such an elegant offering, Kris, with the contents being so well balanced in terms of colour and form. It makes it look as if it means business, unlike the froth of the second one which looks as if it doesn't want to take life seriously at all! Always interesting to hear about your weather and how it affects your garden and your gardening
ReplyDeleteYour characterizations of the two arrangements are on point, Cathy. The first one is really "one and done" (for the season) but the second could readily be replicated (or nearly so) any number of times this summer.
DeleteI do love those penstemons Kris, particularly that dark stem. All beautiful flowers in both vases! I can't believe you are pulling your sweet peas out and I haven't put mine in yet. I grandly call them mine but actually I have bought a little collection which I hope to plant up once our garden has been landscaped later this! Until then there will be nothing coming out of my garden because I haven't got one! Your garden is an inspiration to us all! A https://therunningwave290580645.wordpress.com/2021/06/07/cat-and-mouse-in-a-vase-on-monday/
ReplyDeleteSweet peas are a cool season "crop" here, Amanda. They're generally planted in the fall and they exit, ready or not, when the temperatures rise with the beginning of summer.
DeleteLove all that purple and white!
ReplyDeleteI pulled the Sweet Peas here yesterday--putting the remaining flowers into a vase. That sweet fragrance sings of springtime--as they brown and mildew up its a sign dreaded summer will soon hit. Enjoying this last bit of June Gloom.
I sowed my sweet peas late last year, at the end of October, and they were very slow to grow. They didn't really even begin to bloom until early May, hit their peak in late May and then, poof, they were suddenly heading for the exit. Warm days in mid-May encouraged them but, as soon as the marine layer returned, mildew set in with a vengeance.
DeleteLove the purple glads, so good you missed their corms last year. ;) 'African Bride' is still a favorite (I never got around to ordering seed alas) and they look well with the penstemon.
ReplyDeleteBoth vases are beautiful per usual and seeing your sweet peas makes me excited that my double-caged seedlings (rodent deterrent) are coming along nicely. Looking forward to blooms at the end of the month, fingers crossed.
It'll be good to see your sweet peas when they arrive, Eliza. Meanwhile, my plants are sitting in the green bin waiting for this week's pickup.
DeleteLove the colour blend of oranges. Subtle but very pretty. My sweetpeas are just starting to pop up. Was so late getting them going this year that I had to start them in the fridge. However, back into chilly temps so they should grow quickly. They will provide copious numbers of bouquets until late September
ReplyDeleteStarting your sweet peas in the fridge! That's the first I've heard of doing that, Elaine. With the possibility that steadily warmer temperatures are affecting the germination and early growth of my cool season annuals, I may have to try that.
DeleteSuch beautiful vases - esp. love the purple arrangement. Do gladiolas typically not overwinter in your garden and that's why you dug up the others? I'm growing sweet peas for the first time this year and they are definitely taking their time sizing up. And now it's getting up to 30C/86C each day so not sure if I'll have any success with them or not.
ReplyDeleteGladiolas WILL overwinter here with no problem but I grew those in my cutting garden's raised planters, which I typically clean out seasonally to make room for another entire "crop" of flowers. I probably should just find another spot for glads. Good luck with the sweet peas!
DeleteMy favorite is the first arrangements, and I love those purple glads as well as the Nigella ‘African Bride.’
ReplyDeleteHowever, I also love your 2nd arrangement as it brings back great memories. Back on June 29, 2020, just before the Huntington opened up to non-members on July 1, I visited it the first time since the shutdown and I noticed Callistemon ‘Cane’s Hybrid’ from afar. I just sent you those photos. I would not have recognized the plant if I had not starting following your blog during the pandemic. Your blog had been one of my lifesavers!
'Cane's Hybrid' is a fantastic plant. I hunted high and low before I found it but I'm glad I did.
DeleteAll such lovely vases as always Kris though the sweet peas is my favourite Still waiting for my first ones to flower. I do hope that you got that drizzle.
ReplyDeleteMother Nature spit at us, Anna. Although the amount of moisture wasn't sufficient for our roof-top weather system to register, my rain tanks accumulated some runoff from the roof - I got nearly 3 gallons of water in my smallest tank. Not much but every little bit counts, especially during a drought!
DeleteGorgeous, both of them I love those Gladiolus, they rot here. I am also hoping for rain. We had a bit and the weeds came up! Happy Friday.
ReplyDeleteI guess that the upside of no rain, Amelia - reduced weeds ;)
DeleteKris, I saw this post last week but couldn't post at the time (wrong id!), but wanted to come back and let you know how much I loved your first vase with the gladiolas! So, so well done. My purple glads opened suddenly a few days after seeing yours and I was so excited. Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteThanks Susie. I noticed one more purple glad opening up last week. I think that's the last one of the original group but the foliage of the corms I recently planted is already making an appearance so I should have more later this summer.
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