My calendar reads the same as yours but it IS spring here in every way that counts. While it's not nearly as warm as it was two weeks ago, new flowers are awakening daily. The pace of bloom isn't retreating even as daytime temperatures slip back into the 50sF (14C). I can also swear that I saw my first monarch butterfly on Saturday. (It could have been a painted lady as I didn't get a close look before it flitted away but massive numbers of monarchs were sighted on California's central coast in January so it seems within the realm of possibility.) Sadly, rain seems to be a pipe dream, although there's another small chance of precipitation between late Tuesday and early Wednesday. Last Tuesday evening, we got 0.08/inch (2 mm) of rain, which at least refilled my empty 50-gallon rain tank. If any rain manages to reach us this week, it's expected to be on the same order of magnitude.
Another sign of spring is the sudden arrival of masses of aphids on tender green foliage. On Sunday morning, I spent more time trying to eradicate those miserable sap-suckers than I spent cutting flowers but I still have two arrangements to share.
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| The flowers of Polygala fruticosa (aka sweet pea shrub) set the color scheme for this arrangement. I'm planning to pull out the shrub that supplied these flowers as it's developed a woody base and become much too large for its spot but there was no reason to waste the flowers! |
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| Back view, highlighting some of the Freesia that are popping up all over my garden |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Freesias in 3 colors, Polygala fruticosa, and Scabiosa columbaria 'Flutter Rose Pink' |
My second arrangement couldn't be more different in terms of color.
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| My Leucospermum 'Sunrise' is blooming for the first time after nearly a 3-year wait and I felt compelled to celebrate by cutting 2 short stems. In retrospect, the arrangement could have used more color variation. |
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| Back view |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Grevillea 'Superb', Leucadendron 'Cloudbank Ginny', red Freesia with Sparaxis tricolor, Lobelia laxiflora (shown with Agonis flexuosa 'Nana' foliage), and Leucospermum 'Sunrise' |
For more IAVOM posts, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2022 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Leucospermum 'Sunrise' deserves center stage since it is its debut appearance, and it's a star! Having said that, your first vase is so evocative of spring I can't deny it top honors. I love the how the Freesias (especially the creamy one) echo the colors of the vase (a new selection?)
ReplyDeleteThis week, I actually like the back view of the first vase better than the one I designated as the front view but that's mainly because I love the colors of those Freesias so much. The mug I used as a vase is one I picked up as a craft forum several years ago (selected specifically to serve that purpose). I should use it more often ;)
DeleteThe blooms of the Polygala are really pretty and you have chosen some pleasing accompaniments but my goodness, what a striking second vase you have shared today! What a treat to have your Leucospermum flowering after a 3 year wait, and personally I like the focus on burnt orange that you have given us
ReplyDeleteI was thrilled to see the buds developing on that Leucospermum at long last, Cathy. I'll have 4 members of that genus in bloom this year!
DeleteBoth are gorgeous. I love your sweet pea shrub. Too bad it wasn't more cooperative in its space. Leucospermum 'Sunrise' is wonderful. You chose well.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the sweet pea shrub is a shameless self-seeder, I do love the flowers and picked up 3 "dwarf" plants just last week to make up for those I elected to pull out this year.
DeleteThe scabious work so well with the Polygala fruticosa of your first vase, but this week your second vase takes the top spot on the podium. Each item here so carefully chosen and grown, it looks completely exotic to my eyes. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThe Leucospermums are exotic even to my eyes, Noelle, and I now have 4 of these plants!
DeleteHmm, the polygala is fabulous and we have some varieties here. In damp areas? Colors look great and I hope spring smiles on your garden.
ReplyDeleteMy Polygalas seem to get by on a moderate amount of water, Amelia. My only real issue with them is that they're rampant self-seeders.
DeleteOoh, both are wonderful, Kris! So much to love– grevillea, leucospermum, sparaxis, lots of fragrant freesias, yum!
ReplyDeleteBlooming Freesias are a sure indicator of spring here, Eliza. No matter how many I plant, I always think there should be more. However, as I try to manage them by color and, as suppliers' labeling can't be trusted, I always seem to be moving them around.
DeleteThe all-orange is good, a nice change up. Monochromatic is an elegant approach. Did you get an early evening thunderstorm at all last Tuesday? It was wild here.
ReplyDeleteYes, we had a quick, fast-moving rainstorm last Tuesday around 6pm. I recorded 0.08/inch of rain but it was enough to fill my 50-gallon tank, which was nice. I could see the lightning strikes in the distance for more than an hour but there were no rumbles of thunder.
DeleteNice...so jealous! Not only are the blooms and foliage, etc., beautiful, but the actual vases are special, too.
ReplyDeleteThanks Beth! The flowers add a positive note every Monday.
DeleteLovely arrangements, Kris. Love that two-toned freesia. I’ve never grown Lobelia laxiflora before and was wondering how tough you find it? I think our climates are pretty similar, although we get more winter rain where I am (about 600mm annually). Your weekly arrangements are such a lovely idea- a nice way to consciously appreciate the colour and changes around you. I enjoy seeing what you come up with.
ReplyDeleteThe Lobelia laxiflora came with the garden, Horticat. It spreads by rhizomes and a gardener friend told me years ago that she considers it a weed; however, unlike most rhizomatous plants of my acquaintance, I've been able to control this one without much effort.
Delete600mm is close to double our "normal" rain total of just under 15 inches but the drought is bringing the average down. Last year we got just 4.12 inches (105mm) and, thus far this "water year" (counted here from October 1st 2021 through September 30th 2022), our total currently stands at 6.8 inches (173mm). Almost all of that fell in December and our short rainy season normally ends early April with little to no more in the future forecasts.
Gosh, that’s a lot less. You are a skilled gardener to create such a beautiful space on so little water (though I understand you do irrigate thoughtfully). Wishing you another good soak before the rainy season ends.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the Lobelia laxiflora info, I will try to source it.
Best wishes locating the Lobelia. We got a whopping one one-hundredth of an inch of rain (0.25mm) overnight ;( Current reports indicate that California and other parts of the US Southwest are in a "mega-drought."
DeleteBeautiful! I'll take the second one please.
ReplyDeleteBefore our frigid temperatures last night (thankfully it "only" got down to 26 rather than the predicted 20) I clipped a few flowers to bring indoors. Just in case they were frozen. I was tempted to go all out and cut them all, but didn't have time.
I hope your arctic blast doesn't cause significant damage, Loree. Our yo-yo temperature flips from cold-to-warm/hot and back again had a seriously sad impact on my Camellia 'Taylor's Perfection' and now I wish I'd cut lots of those flowers before temperatures soared - even a short vase-life would have been preferable to watching masses of barely open buds fall to the ground.
DeleteAn English country garden purple vase with a tropical fiery orange....wow. The contrast is wonderful. Both are stunning.
ReplyDeleteThanks Donna!
DeleteI always love seeing your Grevillea, but the first vase is my favourite today! The freesias are gorgeous - how lovely to have them pop up in your garden! I actually have some in a vase today, a treat to myself from the supermarket. (They are pricey!) Your Scabiosa is pretty too.
ReplyDeleteFreesias are perhaps the easiest bulbs to grow in my climate, Cathy, and they procreate much like rabbits ;)
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