At present my cutting garden has nothing to offer other than the occasional bloom from Dahlia 'Lavender Ruffles', which still hasn't give up the ghost. The foxgloves I planted don't show signs of flowering anytime soon and while the many of the seeds I've sown have germinated, I don't expect to see them or the Anemone coronaria corms in bloom for months yet. I had a hard time this week coming up with material to fill one vase, much less two, but I persevered.
The inspiration for my first arrangement were the bush violets (Barleria obtusa) in my front garden. I cut several stems but, after a little rain on Friday, the flowers looked bedraggled and I ended up discarding them. They established the color scheme, though.
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| Luckily, I'm getting a Lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum) bloom every once in awhile and the Osteospermums continue to rally in response to our cooler temperatures |
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| Back view: For the second year in a row I found a noID paperwhite-type Narcissus blooming in the front garden. I'm sure I never planted it deliberately in that area but perhaps those bulbs were mixed in with another bulb I planted there by accident. |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Eustoma grandiflorum, Osteospermum '4D Violet Ice' and another self-seeded variety, Correa 'Ivory Bells', Lavandula multifida, and noID Narcissus |
I targeted the flowers of the Hong Kong orchid tree (Bauhinia x blakeana) for a second arrangement; however, cutting those is a challenge as most of them were far above my head and I hate ladders. (I'm also stubborn about requesting help from my husband, especially when he's busy with his own projects.) I'd planned to make do with one short stem but, when I decided to pull out my loppers to tackle a few of the tree's twiggy stems, I managed to capture two more flowering stems in the process.
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| I used my asymmetrical glass vase, which photographed from this angle looks wonky to me but there it is |
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| Back view: I used ivy geranium flowers (Pelargonium peltatum) in various colors as my main floral filler |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Bauhinia x blakeana, Gomphrena decumbens 'Itsy Bitsy', Hebe 'Purple Shamrock' (recycled from last week), Pelargonium peltatum in burgundy, lavender and white, and Leptospermum 'Copper Glow' foliage |
While we did get rain on Friday, it wasn't much, just 0.17/inch (4.32mm). The heavier rain originally forecast for Sunday failed to materialize - we got 0.02/inch in my area. It looks like La Niña's hold on us remains intact.
For more IAVOM creations, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2022 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Oh how lovely both vases are Kris - you know I like to see your eustoma, especially the blue ones, but I also enjoy seeing these osteospermum with their glorious centres that work so well with the eustoma and the lavender. You have also managed to garner some pretty snippets for the second vase. I had to smile wryly at your rainful woes - we have just had our rainiest month of the year, with 120+mm in November!
ReplyDeleteI said I wasn't going to get invested in the rain forecasts but of course I did, Cathy. It's disappointing when we get so much less than was predicted but I guess I should just be thankful we got any. At least my rain collection tanks picked up water I can distribute around the garden :)
DeleteYou are rather hip with your Bauhinia x blakeana arrangement in THE Pantone color of the year magenta!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that, Loree. Although, being a flower floozy, I expect I could find most any color that Pantone wants to pick ;)
DeleteGlad you got a bit of rain, every bit helps I imagine. Lovely rich colors this week, Kris. Your lavender looks so much like Verbena hastata, I mistake it every time. :) Eliza
ReplyDeleteTrue, every little bit of rain helps, although I can't help wishing La Nina would vamoose!
DeleteThese are two very lovely colour themes Kris. I especially love the Geranium flowers used as fillers and the Osteospermum too. How frustrating that you didn't get that rain that was forecast. You still have some lovely flowers though.
ReplyDeleteThe ivy geraniums have become mainstays in this garden, Cathy - Osteospermums too!
DeleteI think the La Nina pattern is behind some cold temps up here, with yesterday holding at 30 all day! Your gomphrena reminds me of when that plant was new to me and I grew it up a trellis! Nice floral work, Kris.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised you were able to get 'Itsy Bitsy' to behave well enough to climb a trellis, Denise. It does have a vine-like aspect but it likes to sprawl in my garden.
DeleteNot so many flowers at this time of year but their colors seem so much more saturated and intense in cooler weather and shorter days. Both of your arrangements are very striking.
ReplyDeleteFor the two "storms", if we can call them that, we totaled 0.13", better than zero. Most of that was overnight last night.
We did just a little better on rain, HB. We got a total of 0.23/inch once the early morning contribution was factored in. I think the storm dwindled steadily as it moved south. A friend in the northwestern part of LA County got a touch more than we did.
DeleteBoth vases are lovely, Kris. I particularly like the elegant shape of your Bauhinia x blakeana arrangement. Worth getting the loppers out for! How does that flower last in a vase? And is it usual for it to bloom at this type of year for you? In my climate, bauhinia tends to flower in November- our spring.
ReplyDeleteThe Bauhinia's flower doesn't last more than a few days in a vase and unfortunately the buds don't open after the stems are cut either. However, it blooms fairly well throughout our cool season, starting in the fall when the heat finally abates and continuing into spring. An ill-timed heatwave can knock it down temporarily but it'll usually bloom again once the temperature falls.
DeleteI love the lines on your Bauhinia arrangement, they aren't flowering here yet. You seem to have a wealth of beautiful lavendar.
ReplyDeleteThat particular lavender is another year-round bloomer here. It's not in the best spot but I've never been able to make the decision to actually pull it out.
DeleteAs always Kris and even when you're struggling to find sufficient flowers you've come up with two gorgeous vases. Sorry to hear that you didn't get the heavier rainfall predicted for Sunday.
ReplyDeleteThere's another chance of rain in the forecast for the coming weekend but I'm trying to ignore it for now, Anna. Even forecasts the day before rain is supposed to arrive can't always be counted on, never mind several days out.
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