Monday, July 25, 2022

In a Vase on Monday: Variations on a hue

I'm not in love with pale pink but sometimes that's what the garden delivers.  Last week, my Amaryllis belladonna began popping up on their leaf-less stems, one after another.  Frankly, if I had to choose, I'd say I like the plants' foliage, which dies down as soon as temperatures soar, better than its flowers but the real problem is that the bulbs aren't optimally placed to hide their naked stems so they look a little ridiculous.  That placement wasn't intentional but, as shrubs and perennials died off over time long after the bulbs were planted, that's what's happened.  As an Alstroemeria in the front garden had produced an unexpected flush of matching pink-tinged flowers, the die was cast and I cut two stems of the most awkward-looking Amaryllis flower stalks.

I added a single Dahlia 'Karma Prospero' to the mix, mainly because it was the only new dahlia bloom in the right color range.  As I'd neglected to pinch back the dahlia earlier to promote side stems, it was also a good time to correct that error before it was too late.

I dressed up the back view with Daucus carota 'Dara', which is already rapidly going to seed

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Coleonema album, Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', Pelargonium schizopetalum, Alstroemeria 'Inca Vienna', Amaryllis belladonna. Dahlia 'Karma Prospero', and Daucus carota 'Dara'

I switched to the vivid side of the color spectrum with deep red flowers for my second arrangement.  I avoided red in my former garden and, even now, I haven't entirely embraced it.  However, I sowed seeds of Zinnia 'Benary's Giant Deep Red' earlier this year and they're the first of my Zinnias to bloom en masse so they were a natural choice.

To lighten up the arrangement I added one of the last stems of Alstroemeria 'Inca Lucky'Alstroemeria doesn't care for our hot summer temperatures so I don't expect to see many more flowers from that genus until late fall.

Back view: I added several stems of Leucadendron 'Safari Sunset' to the mix, one if the few red "flowers" in my garden that meshed well with the Zinnias

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: more Coleonema album and Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', Leucadendron 'Jubilee Crown', Alstroemeria 'Inca Lucky', Leucadendron 'Safari Sunset', Persicaria capitata, and Zinnia elegans 'Benary's Giant Deep Red'

The last two stems of the 'Cobalt Dreams' Delphinium in my cutting garden had toppled over and were fading fast, leaving me compelled to cut them for a final hurrah on the kitchen island.

Utilizing the same vase as last week, I added two varieties of coleus (Plectranthus scutellarioides), 'Salsa Verde' and 'Vino' (in flower), to accompany the Delphinium 'Cobalt Dreams'

Our weekend weather was wonderful.  A persistent morning marine layer kept our afternoon temperatures remarkably low for this time of year.  It's not realistic to assume that those conditions will continue for long but I was happy that I was able to make good use of my time in the garden in any case.  Unhappily, however, late afternoon on Sunday was marred by the continuous sound of helicopters circling the area.  Sadly, that turned out to be the result of a mass shooting at a park less than 5 miles away.  The last report I heard was that seven people were transported to the hospital and two people died. The US population's sick addiction to guns continues unabated, even in California, which has some of the strongest gun regulations in the country.

For more IAVOM creations, check in with our host, Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.


 

All material © 2012-2022 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

 

 

23 comments:

  1. "I'm not in love with pale pink" is my thought too, but your first vase is scrumptious! I think it's because you added Alstroemeria-white on one end (of the spectrum), and dark burgundy on the other: it balances the pink perfectly.
    Chavli

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    1. Thanks Chavli. Part of my motivation in going ahead and cutting the Amaryllis was my concern that the Alstroemeria wouldn't be around much longer. I did seem like a fitting partner.

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  2. Beautiful vases as always Kris. I have never really taken to pink either even though it has done nothing to offend me. The different shades of pink and foliage make a pleasing combination though. So glad to read that your weekend weather was kind to you but sad to read about yet more tragic events taking place.

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    1. Even those of us that adamantly support gun controls are beginning to feel defeated as the sheer number of guns in this country is enormous, Anna. Too many people - especially the politicians that depend on the support of gun lobbies - seem to have little regard for public safety.

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  3. I know what you mean about a lot of pale pinks, but you have offset their paleness with the foliage, which really helps. The second vase couldn't be more different, with the striking reds - must look out for seeds of that zinnia. How tragic about the local shooting - to those of us in the UK the US gun laws seem to make no sense

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    1. Our gun laws make no sense to the majority of Americans either, Cathy. Allowing people to casually purchase assault weapons is ridiculous. But sadly we have a large number of lily-livered cowards in office.

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  4. So beautiful! I'm loving that Dahlia 'Karma Prospero'. This summer, I've realised just how many of my dahlias are read :D

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    1. I had a lot of red-toned dahlias last year, Nikki. This year, I think I may have leaned too far in the direction of yellow varieties in an effort to compensate ;)

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  5. Lovely vases, Kris! The first reminds me of the early 20th century big hats the ladies wore with feathers arching wide. :) The reds in #2 are superbly rich and you picked a perfect vase to complement the cobalt delphinium. You sure got your money's worth with that plant. It has been stupendous! Eliza

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    1. Sadly, I think 'Cobalt Dreams' is done for the season, Eliza. There are a couple of short side shoots still developing but I don't think they'll amount to much. I have a second Delphinium but it doesn't seem inclined to produce another flush of bloom.

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  6. Well done, Kris. I like the reds, they are understated for red. And the pink looks great with the Amaryllis wafting to the side and Yay for the Dahlia.

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    1. Its Amelia above- having difficulty signing on..

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    2. Thanks Amelia. I'm sorry for the sign-in problem. Blogger still doesn't seem inclined to cooperate with Wordpress.

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  7. I totally agree with your first sentence, but I love all your arrangements. Each one is beautiful and could find a special place in any home or setting. :)

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    1. Thanks Beth. Flowers in the house do add a welcome bit of cheer ;)

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  8. I love pale pink, so I'm particularly drawn to your first arrangement, Chris. I love how the Amaryllis belladonna picks up on the subtle pink stripes of your alstroemeria. Here in Aus, we call them Easter lilies (the amaryllis) as they bloom at that time of year.
    Love the rich reds of your second bunch, also. You sure get good mileage from your Leptospermum 'Copper Glow' - it seems to go with everything.

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    1. Lilium longifolium is called Easter lily here, Horticat, but the shape of the flowers is very much the same. I actually have a white form of Amaryllis belladonna too, which blurs the distinction between the 2 species still further.

      Leptospermum 'Copper Glow' and Agonis flexuosa 'Nana' are my go-to sources for foliage in floral arrangements. Luckily for me, I can cut gobs of both without impacting the plants.

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  9. I continue to admire your floral arrangements each time. And have to say your choice of vases too, great selection you have!

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    1. The vases have been acquired one by one over decades - yet I still check my cupboards every week for vases that exist only in my mind. It's too bad I only took one pottery class back in college ;)

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  10. Gorgeous flowers, and you always pick lovely foliage/fillers too. The Alstroemeria and dahlia in the first vase are such eyecatchers, and that delphinium… swoon! The vase you picked for it is perfect too!

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    1. I wish there were more Delphinium blooms on the horizon but I fear those may be the last until next year, Cathy.

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  11. I am no fan of pink either, but that first arrangement is so perfect.

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    1. Thanks Loree. I tried to make it less saccharine ;)

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