I wasn't feeling particularly inspired by the contents of my garden this week. I decided to cut two stems of the pink lily in my backyard border, not because it was especially compelling, but because I could tell it wasn't going to hold up another week. As the plant was also surrounded by a wire cage to protect it from the rabbits who apparently have a huge appetite for lily foliage, it also wasn't doing much for the landscape.
 |
| I've had the noID pink lily for at least 5 years. The bulb was a gift with purchase and it blooms reliably but it's nothing special. The fluffy blooms of the pink and white Lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum) upstaged it in my view. |
 |
| Back view: I used pink and white Centrantus ruber as filler material |
 |
| Top view |
 |
| Clockwise from the upper left: Abelia grandiflora 'Edward Goucher', Centranthus ruber, pink and white Eustoma grandiflorum, Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', and noID lily |
I decided on a blue, white and yellow arrangement to make use of some of my blue Lisianthus, as well as the yellow-flowered gumweed (Grindelia camporum) in the same bed.
 |
| I planted the blue Lisianthus earlier this year and, unlike the more well-established pink and white varieties that have been in the garden for over a year, many of the plants are struggling. In contrast, the native Grindelia is thriving (like the weed its common name suggests it is) but it's also flopping all over its neighbors so I took the opportunity to cut it back until I can move it somewhere more appropriate. |
 |
| Back view: The Agapanthus are now in full bloom so they're a logical choice in any blue-themed arrangement |
 |
| Top view |
 |
| Clockwise from the upper left: Abelia grandiflora 'Hopley's Variegated', Argyranthemum frutescens 'White Butterfly', Arthropodium cirratum, noID Agapanthus, Eustoma grandiflorum, Grindelia camporum, and Orlaya grandiflora |
Both arrangements turned out better than I'd expected but, with the drought taking its toll on the plants in my borders, I'm looking forward to the dahlias in my cutting garden. One plant is already showing multiple buds...
For more floral creations, visit our IAVOM host, Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2022 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
I love the pink arrangement. It is funny how these things work out sometimes. I have Dahlias coming along too. Fingers crossed it it not too hot.
ReplyDeleteDahlias seem to care less about heat as long as they have sufficient soil moisture, Amelia. I hope yours come through for you. While I have quite a few in bud or getting there, I still have a few tubers that have yet to sprout (as well as a few I've already tossed because they failed to produce any roots at all).
DeleteBeautiful as always! The Leptospermum and Abelia really add a sophisticated touch to the pinks. Very nice.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I felt that the choice of the deeper reddish tones of the Abelia and Leptospermum helped to prevent the arrangement from being too candy pink.
DeleteThe top view of the blue and white arrangements looks so good against the marbled backdrop, almost looks like it's sat on snow :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the poetic description!
DeleteThe pink lily may be 'nothing sepcial' but it is a good solid pink and forms a good base for the other blooms to latch on to. The lisianthus, as always, is particularly gorgeous - and you know how much I love the blue ones two, as in your second vase. A vase with blue blooms always looks good somehow!
ReplyDeleteI feel the same about blue flowers, Cathy! I only wish I had more of them ;)
DeleteKris, you found inspiration despite yourself. I love the pink arrangement in particular today. The lilies look wonderful with the Eustoma. Rabbits--grr!
ReplyDeleteUp until this year, I've underestimated the impact of rabbits, Susie. They may have upstaged raccoons in my pantheon of garden villains.
DeleteBoth are beautiful Kris, I particularly like the pink arrangement - sugar and spice. The lilies, lisianthus and centranthus are the sugar and your bronze foliage is the spice. You get good use from Leptospermum ‘Copper Glow’ - I’ve noted it features frequently in your arrangements. Do you get webbing caterpillar on it at all? Or maybe that’s just an Australian pest. My leptospermum is infested and I just cut it back to ground level. Fingers crossed it survives.
ReplyDeleteOh no! I haven't seen anything like that on either of my two Leptospermum 'Copper Glow' shrubs. However, a few years ago, I lost a Lupinus propinquus to what I think were tent caterpillars but may have been webworms. By the time I noticed them, it was too late to save the plant.
DeletePretty arrangements, Kris. Blue, yellow and white are a favorite color combo. My Carolina lupine is budding up, so I hope the veronica will hang in there another week, so I can do the same colors. Looking forward to seeing your dahlias this year... mine probably have at least another month or more to go, it's been a cool spring (no complaints though!) btw, I've had good germination on the nigella...the gomphrena not so much. Does it take a long time to germinate? Eliza
ReplyDeleteYay for the Nigella seedlings! Gomphrena 'Itsy Bitsy' has never self-seeded in my garden and what I read about the G. decumbens species suggested that the rate of germination was only about 50%. Before I hard-pruned the large 'Itsy Bitsy' shrub last year, it had dropped lots of seeds and, while I cleaned much of that up, it would seem that I should have at least some seedlings but I haven't seen any sign of them whatsoever. Of course, our rainfall this year wasn't very good either, which can't have helped there.
DeleteLooking good. I always love your colour schemes.
ReplyDeleteThanks Elaine!
DeleteYour vases are eye candy as always Kris. My eyes were drawn to the dainty fluttering sprays of athropodium and I feel that some research is imminently forthcoming 😂
ReplyDeleteThe Arthropodium is already close to finishing up its floral parade this season, which seems very early to me. Fortunately, the plants themselves have attractive evergreen foliage so the die-back of the flowers doesn't leave large holes in the garden.
DeleteHere the deer love the lilies and will eat the flowers just before they bloom little buggers. The pinks and whites are beautiful together with the lilies and especially love Centranthus. The second vase has the perfect colors I love and is so airy.
ReplyDeleteThanks Donna. Centranthus can legitimately be called a weed here but one I tolerate in the driest areas of my garden where little else blooms - and of course its usefulness in floral arrangements is a major plus ;)
DeleteThe pink vase is really pretty Kris. Wish I could grow lilies! Love the second one simply for the colour scheme - the blue of Agapanthus and your Eustoma are really true blues, which are hard to find in my garden. The foliage you used is lovely and fresh and goes perfectly.
ReplyDeleteThanks Cathy. I didn't think I could grow lilies until I received that noID pink lily as a gift with purchase of other bulbs. When it came back year-after-year, I decided to try more. So far, so good - except that I've discovered the rabbits love lily foliage :(
DeleteGood job. I especially like the pink one with the several large flowers, lilies, Eustoma and the centranthus. photographs really well.
ReplyDeleteThe pink and white Eustoma seem to be having a particularly good year but then those plants have been in the ground since 2021 or before, while the blue ones planted earlier this year are struggling a bit.
Delete