A close friend stopped by on Saturday bearing gifts. These included peonies! She knows I love them and that I've had next to no luck growing them so, if they're available locally as cut flowers near my birthday, she brings me a bundle. This year's bundle may be the best yet.
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| There were 5 peonies in the bundle, all of which were still in bud when my friend purchased them earlier that morning. One was already opening when she arrived at my house but, even tucked into my cool, dark laundry room, all were fully open when I arranged them on Sunday. |
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| I wanted to embellish the peonies without in any way competing with them. I also needed plants with tall stems so I focused on 2 clusters of particularly vigorous Alstroemeria. |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: noID pink Alstroemeria, Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple', Orlaya grandiflora, and pink and white peonies |
The materials in the second arrangement came entirely from my garden. The inspiration was the "purple" snapdragons in my cutting garden, which badly needed cutting back to promote another flush of bloom. The snapdragons certainly don't look purple but they look redder than they are in these photos. I'd call them a dark cherry pink.
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| I'd originally designated this as the back view of the arrangement but I decided I preferred its uncluttered appearance to the other, fussier side |
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| Newly designated back side, dressed up with Hebe 'Wiri Blush' and Nigella papillosa |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: more noID pink Alstroemeria, Antirrhinum majus 'Chantilly Purple', Cuphea hybrid 'Starfire Pink', Hebe 'Wiri Blush', and Nigella papillosa |
While I can't say my sweet peas are blooming with abandon, they're definitely more prolific than they were two weeks ago. I've given three jars of sweet peas mixed with larkspur (
Consolida ajacis), love-in-a mist (
Nigella papillosa), and white lace flower (
Orlaya grandiflora) to neighbors and friends. I've also cut more for myself this week.
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| This small vase on my kitchen island contains only sweet peas and larkspur. The sweet peas visible in this shot are Lathyrus odoratus 'Oban Bay', 'Blue Shift', and 'Erewhon'. |
Nothing says Happy Birthday like a gorgeous bouquet of pink Peonies, though my favorite is the one with your own harvested blooms: the most amazing shade of snap dragon. I agree that the 'back' has the better view, with minimal distractions and only the slightest breaking of the saturated color using the alstroemeria... I love it!
ReplyDeleteChavli
Thanks Chavli. I love that "purple" snapdragon too but wasn't sure I could find anything other than white flowers to pair with it. As usual, if I walk around my garden enough times something pops up - this time it was the Hebe and the Cuphea.
DeleteHow gorgeous! The peonies are so glamorous. I love the color range of the 2nd one. A little lightening of the red with the white-tipped Alstroemeria and Nigella in the 3rd was a good touch.
ReplyDeleteI do wish peonies would bloom in my own garden but a once a year bundle of cut flowers almost makes up for the fact that they don't, HB.
DeleteEven I get gushy over peonies! I think you saw the one I uncovered in my garden? (posted on Instagram) They're lovely. And happy late birthday!
ReplyDeleteI did see your peony post on IG, Loree. I was envious to say the least! I keep hoping that someday I'll trip across a bud on the Itoh peony in my back garden but, given all the rain we had this year, if that was ever going to happen, it seems it should've been this year. And actually you're not late in wishing me a happy birthday.
DeleteWhat a wonderful friend. Peonies and all that pink! And oh the larkspur and sweet peas. All favs of mine.
ReplyDeleteShe is a great friend, Donna. And I'm very lucky to have a garden stuffed with flowers this spring.
DeleteThe peonies are glorious. You have a wonderful friend. Happy Birthday. I couldn't dream of growing peonies here, so I am enjoying yours. Love the purpley pinks this week.
ReplyDeleteThanks on all points!
DeleteWhat a thoughtful gift Kris and wishing you a most Happy Birthday for whenever your birthday is/was 😘 Your small vase of sweet peas and friends is a treat. I was able to pick orlaya for my vase today but no sweet peas or larkspur yet.
ReplyDeleteOrlaya is generally the first of my cool-season spring flowers to bloom too, Anna. This year everything took their time and then all of them bloomed at once. It's a little overwhelming!
DeleteHi Kris, like you I love peonies (well, what's not to love about them :D ) and friends who bring flowers or plants are always welcome. Was it your birthday on Sunday? In any case best wishes to you. All your bouquets are stunning, enjoy them. I also got myself some peonies recently, they keep well in a vase. As for the poet's daffodils, this variety recruvus is the last daffodil to flower, starts usually beginning of May and finishes mid June. Happy June days :)
ReplyDeleteMy bday was actually yesterday, Annette, but as I've been under the weather, I've frankly tried to ignore it to the extent possible. I'll have to look for the poet's daffodils. I've never seen them here but it'd be nice to have a late blooming daffodil in my collection.
DeleteHappy Birthday! Peonies are a fluffy delight, perfect for birthdays.
ReplyDeleteThanks tz! I'm lucky that my birthday seems to fall within peony season ;)
DeleteYour peonies are beautiful Kris, and a belated Happy Birthday from me! I love the Orlaya with them. The second vase is a lovely shale, and I do like that green vase too. And your pretty pastel posy is a dream! How lovely to be able to give some away too. 😃
ReplyDeleteI think I need to get moving on giving away a lot more of my cool season annuals, Cathy. Although our temperatures along the coast are still running lower than usual, the summer flowers are knowing at the door demanding I make room for them.
DeleteI LOVE Peonies! Mine aren't blooming yet because they're in partial shade. Soon though. Love the scent and the form of Peonies. Your other arrangements are amazing, too.
ReplyDeleteI stuck my nose into these peonies but only detected the lightest scent, Beth; however, I've never had the best nose for fragrance to begin with and I'm a bit under the weather at the moment.
DeleteSo glad you got a bouquet of peonies to enjoy, such luscious flowers. Mine are still tightly budded. Love your sweet peas, too. Mine are just starting to climb... waiting! I planted out the seeds I saved last summer of the nigella you sent me, but it has been so cool, not much is happening. I just hope the weather doesn't flip into furnace mode. Happy belated birthday, and hope you are feeling better! Eliza
ReplyDeleteThe Nigella took its time blooming for me last year, Eliza. I was about to give up on it when it finally took off. In contrast, this year, probably because of all the rain we received, the seedling developed fast but then sat there and did nothing until suddenly blooming en masse. I used last year's collected seeds too.
DeleteHappy birthday! Peonies are luscious.
ReplyDeleteThanks Diana!
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