Pickings in my garden are still sparse as Mother Nature insists on following her own schedule, regardless of my efforts to hurry her along. Every January I find myself clipping the same flowers - and flower substitutes - to fill a vase and this year is no different, although I did throw in one element this week in an effort to elevate my first arrangement.
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| A rosette of succulent Graptoveria 'Fred Ives' was added as an afterthought and positioned front and center |
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| Grevillea and Leucadendron stems dominate the back view |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Correa pulchella 'Pink Eyre', Leucadendron 'Summer Red', Graptoveria 'Fred Ives', and Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream' |
As I stripped the house of most of its Christmas finery over the weekend, I wanted a second arrangement to add color to the front entry. We got a healthy amount of rain here last week and, although we're drying out now, it's remained cold (by our standards). I chose a yellow and white color palette in an effort to create the illusion of warmth.
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| Short stems required a squat vase |
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| Back view: Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder' is one of the few "flowers" (actually colorful bracts) in ample supply this month |
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| Top view: Narcissi are making their first appearance of the season |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Argyranthemum frutescens 'White Butterfly' and 'Yellow Butterfly' (aka Marguerite daisies), Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder', 2 noID Narcissi, Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata', and Phlomis fruticosa (aka Jerusalem sage) |
Last week's rain was welcome, although it looks as though at least a few of my smaller succulents drowned (!) despite my sandy soil. There's no real chance of any more rain in the next 10-day forecast, giving us a chance to dry out. Meanwhile, the local mountains are flaunting lots of snow.
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| This is a view of the San Gabriel Mountains east of us from our back garden. The tallest peak in the range, Mount Baldy, rises over 10,000 feet (3069 meters) above sea level. |
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| The mountains are approximately 70 miles away, a 90-minute drive on a good day (probably existing only in the imagination of someone promoting ski resorts) |
The Sierra Nevada Mountains in Northern California, which are more important to the state's water supply, got even more snow. Unfortunately, my sister-in-law and her husband have been snowed in without power for the past week in Nevada County in the northeast part of the state. They've been told their power might be back tonight. Despite our unusually cold and wet December, California is still considered to be in a persistent state of drought. Current projections suggest we're heading into another extended warm, dry period during what's supposed to be our rainy season.
For more IAVOM posts, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2022 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Adding Graptoveria 'Fred Ives' took your arrangement over the top! It's dramatic and ties the colors of the other flowers together. Lovely yellows too in the second--spring like. Glad you had some rain. We've had unseasonably warm weather for 2 weeks and an iris opened this morning. Terrific thunderstorms early this morning. The temperatures have dropped and it's snowing!
ReplyDeleteSnowing! That's certainly an extreme turnaround in the weather department. I hope it's a light, fluffy snow that sticks around just long enough for some pretty pictures but doesn't cause you any trouble.
DeleteYour second vase, with its overall yellow appearanace, looks really fresh, and very different from all our recent vases. Intersting to read about your weather, and the difference between your part of California and the relatively nearby snowy mountains
ReplyDeleteCalifornia consists of regions with many dramatically different climates, Cathy. On the other side of the mountains shown in my post is the Mojave Desert and to our southeast is the Sonoran Desert (where Palm Springs is). Technically, both are freeway close ;)
DeleteBeautiful.I am always so envious of your grevilleas and your leucadendrons. The succulent is a nice addition. What a fabulous backdrop your snow capped moutains make.
ReplyDeleteIt can be very difficult to see those mountains clearly, snow-capped or not, Chloris! The smog in the Los Angeles Basin creates a dirty gray veil hiding them a good part of the time.
DeleteCongrats on precipitation. I was hoping for some here and we got a sprinkle. Love the graptosedum in the mix, grey is a wonderful counter to the other colors. I covet the Leucodendrum and Grevillia. Pretty sure it is too humid for them here. Try some zinnias !!
ReplyDeleteI hope you get more than a sprinkle or rain soon, Amelia! We had an unusually dry November (zero rain) and it's sounding like we can expect a dry January too. But long-range forecasts are notoriously unreliable so we can hope!
DeleteAs usual your arrangements are lovely. I always find January a bit dull after all the glitz of Christmas (though we were very simple this year) so having fresh flowers in the house really elevates the mood.
ReplyDeleteI always think I can get a head start by sowing seeds and planting plugs in the fall for cool season flowers but, even when the weather is warmer than it's been here thus far, some plants stubbornly insist on longer daylight hours before they take off! ;)
DeleteThe white/yellow color scheme is refreshing for January. You have a great view of the snowy mountains from your garden--cool view! The air has been wonderfully clear since the rain.
ReplyDeleteOftentimes, I can't even see the mountains for the smog so it's definitely clearer at the moment.
DeleteFred is a winner! Love that arrangement. As for drowned plants, to end our cold snap and usher out the snow we got 1.69" of rain in just a little over 24 hours. This on top of already saturated soil... ugh.
ReplyDeleteMother Nature isn't at all judicious (or kind) about how she spreads precipitation, that's for sure. Graptoveria "Fred Ives" is among my favorite succulents. Luckily for me, that one propagates easily - and also appears to have experienced no particular problems with the unusually steady rainfall we had last month.
DeleteFloral bracts work for me! I love your leucodendrons, and never tire of grevilleas either. Both vases lighten my flower-starved heart. :)
ReplyDeleteThe San Gabriels are looking terrific in their winter finery. Hope there will continue to be good snowfall in the Sierras. My son, of course, loves it... the snowier, the better!
Yes! California needs more snow and temperatures that don't cause a fast or premature melt.
DeleteBoth vases are so colourful Kris. My favourite perhaps is the such fresh combination of yellow and white which was speaking to me of summer until I saw the narcissus peeking out at me đ What a majestic snowy backdrop those mountains provide you with.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, those snowy mountains are no longer visible, Anna. A combination of our marine layer and the smog has entirely obscured them from view, at least for the time being.
DeleteLove that summery sunny vase Kris! And the first one is lovely too…. so refreshing to see flowers in our drab winter!
ReplyDeleteI take it that the beauty of snow-covered landscapes gets old fast? I hope there's some sunshine and blue sky in your weather forecast, Cathy!
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