I've been delighted to find that several of the Hippeastrum bulbs I've transplanted into garden beds here and there have returned and bloomed. Last week, I featured a Hippeastrum 'Aphrodite' in one arrangement and, although that one came from a bulb still in its original pot, two more have surfaced in a bed in my front garden. Late last week, I discovered that Hippeastrum 'Zombie' was blooming in another front garden bed but yesterday I noticed it wasn't looking its best. A closer examination showed that it was in worse shape than I'd imagined so I cut it to see if I could use all or part of it in a vase.
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Tempting as it is to blame the family of rabbits who've moved into my garden, the damage to both the Hippeastrum's bud and stem looks more like something slugs or snails would do. Thanks to the raccoons, I don't usually have much of a problem with mollusks but maybe they've fallen down in the job (their only useful service).
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The remaining 2 blooms of the Hippeastrum are also a little tattered but I did my best to distract attention from their flaws while playing up 'Zombie's' beautiful color
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Back view: I remain awed by the vigor of the snapdragons I planted in early December. The three plants just keep on giving - and there's still no rust!
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Top view
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Clockwise from the upper left: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Antirrhinum majus 'Double Azalea Bronze', Gladiolus nanus 'Nymph' (in bud), Grevillea 'Superb', Hippeastrum 'Zombie', and Orlaya grandiflora
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My second arrangement was inspired by one of my favorite plants, Arthropodium cirratum, commonly known as Renga Lily. It's one of those all too uncommon plants that thrive in dry shade. Over the years I've divided the plant and spread it around. A New Zealand native, it has lovely evergreen foliage and produces graceful bloom sprays in late spring. Unfortunately, it often doesn't stand out when combined with other flowers.
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The Renga lily was easily eclipsed by the flashy Salvia and foxglove blooms
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The sweet pea shown in this back view has a trace of magenta in it but it looks out of place; however, I'd wedged it into the arrangement and didn't have any more time to dither with it so it remained
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Top view
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Clockwise from the upper left: Artemisia californica, Arthropodium cirratum, Lathyrus odoratus, Digitalis purpurea, and Salvia canariensis var candidissima
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Most of the sweet pea stems I'd cut for the second arrangement were too short to work in the vase I chose so they went into the small vase that usually sits on the kitchen island. Last week's lily arrangement was still in good shape so, after a little fluffing, it found a new home in our main bedroom.
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Most of the sweet peas (left) are from mixed packets so I can't identify them by name. Three of the Lilium 'Royal Sunrise' blooms and all the Leucadendron stems (now 3 weeks old) were in still in great shape so I simply added several fresh snapdragons and a peach-colored foxglove to freshen last week's vase (right).
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The two new arrangements ended up in the usual spots on the dining room and front entry tables.
For more IAVOM creations, check in with Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to see what she and other contributors have come up with this week.
All
material © 2012-2022
by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
The companions you chose for Zombie couldn't be more color compatible. So gorgeous. Hope the raccoons get back to work! So far my new rabbit fencing seems to be working. I love the colors of your second vase and vote to keep the dark blue sweet pea. Your Renga lily is a beauty. Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteThanks Susie. I hope your rabbit fencing holds. The rabbits here are beginning to outlive my tolerance. For all practical purposes, our back slope is open to the surrounding canyon area where all the critters live and our property lines are very porous. The raccoons aren't the only creatures falling down on the job - the coyotes aren't managing the rabbit population either.
DeleteBloomin' pests. whatever they are! I have just googled Renga lily to see if they would grow in the UK which they will do but can be a little tender, and they seem to prefer full sun...I was hoping they would work in dry shade here too... 🙄 I agree about your antirrhinum but can see that the couple of mine that have overwintered look far stronger than they did last year - but perhaps its the variety that counts? Yours are wonderful and really stand out in your first vase, as does the stunning salvia in the second vase. Good to see I am not the only one with sweet peas!
ReplyDeleteA lot of plants recommended for full sun in milder summer climates do better in at least partial shade here, Cathy - that's even true of some succulents!
DeleteSpring wouldn't be the same here without sweet peas. I was impressed when the dark blue variety bloomed so early but disappointed when no others did. As I can already see the early signs of mildew (brought on my the dampness associated with the return of our marine layer), I was glad to see other varieties flower before it comes time to tear all the vines out.
Wow those 3 x snap dragons just keep giving! I’d assumed you had many more plants given their regular appearance in your arrangements. That green vase is beautiful - an antique? Your ‘Zombie’ complements it beautifully. Love the salvia in the second arrangement too.
ReplyDeleteI haven't used that vase much of late but I've had it for several years. My husband bought it as a gift when we visited The Huntington Library & Garden on my birthday one year. It was pricier than any I've ever purchased for myself but it isn't an antique.
DeleteHope your pest control 'officers' take their duties more seriously from now on. Two more lovely vases with choice blooms for us to enjoy. Many thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAll the time the raccoons continue to waste fussing with the shells in our backyard fountain does need to be redirected to slug and snail patrols, Noelle!
DeleteI am also awed by your Snapdragons, they are definitely in a place that makes them happy. The peaches in the arrangement are fantastic together...I had forgotten about your Renga Lilies...another thing I admire from afar.
ReplyDeleteI think planting the snapdragons in early December was key, Amelia. They also seem to like growing in a half barrel :)
DeleteThe coral color looks particularly good with the green glaze in the vase.
ReplyDeleteYes, I hadn't planned on using that vase when I was cutting flowers but it did call out for using it when I opened the cabinet containing the vases.
DeleteI must be craving sherbet, because your two arrangements this week remind me of orange and raspberry! They look delicious. :D Envying your sweet peas, mine just germinated, so the wait is on. Eliza
ReplyDeleteThat coral-pink does look yummy, Eliza ;) My sweet peas are already showing the first signs of mildew, courtesy of the combination of our morning marine layer and warm afternoon temperatures, just as the majority of the varieties I sowed from seed finally get going.
DeleteLike Hooverboo now I too battle to comment.
ReplyDeleteI am surprised you hadn't heard about iNat's City Nature Challenge. They are based out of California and it started in 2016
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2022/journal/65711-city-nature-challenge-2022-results
I expect the iNat city challenge got little or no publicity here, Diana. I'm sorry about the problem making comments. Blogger's change came as a complete surprise here and I haven't discovered an acceptable work-around solution on my end that doesn't impact my own ability to respond to comments.
DeleteHate to say but it looks like amaryllis borer attacking your lilies
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of that insect! I just looked it up. I haven't seen any of the borer caterpillars but I'll keep checking. Thanks for the heads-up.
DeleteThe coral colors of the first vase made my heart go pitter patter until I saw those deep purples...swooning now. Thanks for the garden eye candy. I needed that.
ReplyDeleteThanks Donna!
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