We've reached that point in the year when the garden enters its sulky phase - or maybe it's not the garden so much as the gardener. Early summer blooms like the Agapanthus and Shasta daisies are just about done while my dahlias and zinnias are taking their time again this year. There are still flowers to be cut but not much to inspire my inner florist. I'd been eyeing the flower stalk of a Hippeastrum, one of several bulbs I planted in the ground last fall in the hope they might naturalize in my garden, but it wasn't quite ready for take-off. So I focused on the ever-dependable Grevillea 'Superb', which blooms year-round.
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| The Dahlia 'Dark Side of the Sun' I purchased by mail order a couple of months ago offered a single flower so I placed it front and center. The plant has deep chocolate-brown foliage, which I believe accounts for its name. |
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| Back view: Succulent Cotyledon orbiculata adds its bell-like blooms |
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| Top view: The color of the 'Pink Meidiland' rose petals matched the styles and stamen of the Grevillea so I threw in a few of them |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Cotyledon orbiculata, Dahlia 'Dark Side of the Sun', Grevillea 'Superb', Rosa 'Pink Meidiland', and Tanacetum parthenium |
On my spin through my garden, I noticed a smattering of blooms on Grevillea sericea, which I haven't used much, if at all, in the past year so I let it guide me in assembling flowers for a second arrangement.
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| Although the Grevillea kicked things off, the colors in Lycoris sprengeri 'Electric Blue' led me to add blue flowers in addition to the pink ones |
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| Back view |
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| Top view: The Lycoris buds start off pink but the flowers develop blue color as they age |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Angelonia 'Archangel White', two shades of Eustoma grandiflorum (aka Lisianthus), Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata', Scabiosa columbaria 'Flutter Rose Pink' and 'Flutter Deep Blue', and Lycoris sprengeri 'Electric Blue' |
Last week's Amaryllis belladonna and a couple Lisianthus were still in good shape so I popped them into a small vase with foliage I'd cut for the first arrangement and elected not to use.
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| The foliage I added to the Amaryllis and Lisianthus is Leucadendron 'Jubilee Crown' |
We've been lucky thus far in the sense that it hasn't been really hot here, although it's been unusually humid. Monsoon rains and flash floods have plagued areas to the east of us but all we've received in terms of rain was 2/100ths of an inch almost two weeks ago. There's a chance of rain this morning but I'm not counting on it. It would be nice, though.
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 color of 'Pink Meidiland' rose petals is SO lively and amazing. Everything else is in a supporting roll...
ReplyDeleteThat rose stem was a last minute addition. Although the color picked up a portion of the Grevillea's color, I felt I was pushing the mix a bit; however, I was entranced by the 3 blooms. The rose flowers don't often open in unison.
DeleteThese look great! I've put some sweet pea in a small vase, but I'm also considering cutting a few dahlias.
ReplyDeleteI'm always startled when I see sweet peas blooming in the summer in UK gardens, Nikki. They're early spring flowers here.
DeleteThat frst vase is so typical for you, Kris, with those peachy colours - and of course I also think of you when I see lisiantus! Your second two vases are so refreshing to see on a warm day, suggesting cooler temperatures! Thaks for sharing
ReplyDeleteThere does seem to be a lot of peach/orange floral color in my garden, Cathy!
DeleteCotyledon orbiculata stars in your first vase, soft terracotta and an even softer grey is an unusual pair.
ReplyDeleteThe Cotyledon flowers always come as a bit of a surprise, Diana. I grow the succulent for its foliage but its flowers can hold their own in any arrangement.
DeleteI too noticed the Cotyledon orbiculata as I grow that as a pot plant. You've paired it up nicely with other blooms in this vase.
ReplyDeleteThe flowers of the Cotyledon are one of the few succulent flowers I use in arrangements, Noelle. Those bell-like blooms are too perfect to ignore.
DeleteLove the last vase. Grevillea and luecadendron are my favorites in your garden. I am surprised you could measure 2/100 of an inch! Sending rainy thoughts your way.
ReplyDeleteWe have a weather station on the roof that measures rain, Amelia. I'm sure my old test tube rain meter couldn't have captured it. Sadly, although there were some droplets on solid surfaces this morning, the system didn't register any measurable rain today.
DeleteLovely arrangements - the Lisianthus are glorious! I've never heard of the summer sulk - I have to say that all the garden/weather related sayings out west make me chuckle. Fingers crossed that you get some rain soon!
ReplyDeleteSummer is my least favorite season, Margaret, and I'm sure that many other SoCal gardeners feel the same. It's dry and, usually, very hot. We've avoided extreme heat thus far this year but, unless one of these errant tropical storms reaches us by accident, we'll probably remain dry until November. Rain is mostly a winter event here.
DeleteVery pretty vases, Kris. I like the color striations on the Dahlia with the dark eye and the Cotyledon flowers are lovely. The other standout is the Lycoris - great color!
ReplyDeleteThe Lycoris was a surprise, Eliza. When I saw it bloom, I vagely remembered ordering the bulbs by mail but I didn't record when I planted them or how many bulbs there were. A second stem is coming up but I'm hoping there will be more...
DeleteI love the colour of that Lycoris, it reminds me of a penstemon that I think was also called electric blue. The lisianthus are beautiful as always and the Rosa 'Pink Meidiland' is lovely as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks Cath. The Lycoris was a nice surprise. Mine seems to be bluer than the photos I've seen of that cultivar online.
DeleteThe shades in your second arrangement look as though you painted them to all flow so well from one flower to the next. Well done!
ReplyDeleteI was happy with the pastel mix myself, Loree - and I couldn't stop myself from cutting the Lycoris when I realized it would be perfect in that mix.
DeleteThese floral arrangements are stunning. If Van Gogh were to drop by your house he would immediately set up his easel!
ReplyDeleteYou're too kind, David.
DeleteNo sign of sulking there with all those pretty blooms :)
ReplyDeleteI expect I have unrealistic expectations ;)
DeleteGorgeous vases Kris. I love your scabiosa… don't your plants have great names?! The dahlia 'Dark Side of the Sun' sounds sinisterbut is actually rather lovely!
ReplyDeleteIf my arrangement had shown the dahlia's dark foliage, I think its name might have made more sense. It's doing well in my garden thus far, which is the most important thing!
DeleteYour grevellia is certainly a stalwart Kris. Both of the scabious are so attractive - perennials presumably?
ReplyDeleteThe Scabiosas are perennials, although I don't know how long-lived they may be here. The pink ones are on their second year but I planted the blue one this spring.
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