The title of this post came to me as I was cutting flowers for the arrangement shown below. My climate can't really be considered "tropical" but the lilies I fixated on have that vibe, as did the gladiola that pulled the composition together.
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| The gladiola surprised me as I thought I'd pulled out all of them at the north end of the back garden last year after the rabbits made a feast of many of the plants in that area. I'd forgotten there were any lilies there at all as they hadn't bloomed last year. Buried under an overgrown Arbutus 'Marina' (strawberry tree), I didn't even see them until I cut some of its foliage back last week. |
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| Back view: I found a second cluster of lilies, also partly hidden by surrounding foliage, on the other end of the back garden |
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| Top view: I hadn't considered adding the "purple" snapdragons until I noticed how well they picked up the edge of that unusual gladiola |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Antirrhinum majus 'Chantilly Pink', A. m. 'Chantilly Purple', Gladiolus 'Guinea', Lilium 'Montego Bay', Leucadendron 'Cloudbank Ginny', Leucospermum 'Spider Hybrid', Lobelia laxiflora, and Lilium 'Orange Planet' |
My second arrangement might look autumnal but the key components are summer bloomers here.
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| My inspiration was the flowers of Helianthus 'Sunbelievable Brown-Eyed Girl', which I'm growing for the first time this year after admiring those featured by Amelia, The Shrub Queen |
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| Back view: I added dried stems of Aristea inaequalis, as well as stems of the restio, Chondropetalum elephantipes, to pick up the brown tones in the sunflowers |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Aristea ineaqualis (dried stems and seedpods), Chrondropetalum elephantipes, Gaillardia 'Spintop Copper Sun', Helianthus 'Sunbelievable Brown-Eyed Girl', Helichrysum thianschanicum 'Icicles', Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', Tagetes lemmonii, and a shaggy form of Leucanthemum x superbum |
We've had a lot more sun for the past week and, although the morning marine layer is still hanging on, it's been evaporating earlier with each passing day. The good news is that the marine layer has kept our afternoon temperatures in a comfortable range.
For more IAVOM creations, check in with Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All
material © 2012-2023
by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Tropical punch is a perfect name for the first arrangement: makes me want to pour a glass of thirst-quenching, delicious summer drink over ice... but I regress. I find Gladiolus 'Guinea' quite astonishing... I've never seen one quite like it. Wow.
ReplyDeleteI love the second vase: the added dry bits and darker stems go so perfectly with Helianthus 'Sunbelievable'. And also: I like the size contrast between quite large 'Sunbelievable' and the perfect little yellow 'dots' of (the newly appreciated) Helichrysum 'Icicles'.
forgot to sign.
ReplyDeleteChavli
That gladiola is remarkable! It looks like I have at least 2 more bloom stems developing too. I considered adding Achillea 'Moonshine' to accent the Helianthus but I think Helichrysum 'Icicles' worked out well ;)
DeleteBoth of the arrangements are of course very pretty, but my heart was captured this week by your second one. Hope you get everything done today.
ReplyDeleteGetting up at the crack of dawn did the trick, Noelle!
Deleteoh yes, definitely a tropical feel, and I love the shape of the arrangement too. As you say, your second arrangement has an intruguingly autumnal look to it! Thanks for sharing, Kris
ReplyDeleteThanks Cathy. It's not often I can claim either a "tropical" or an "autumnal" arrangement!
DeleteGorgeous blending of red/orange in the first vase and I love the sunniness of the second– the mini-sunflowers speak of summer to me, not autumn (which I'd rather not think about right now, ha). It is heating up this week right on cue after the solstice. Hope your temps remain cooler than hotter! Eliza
ReplyDeleteSupposedly, a ridge of high pressure is moving in this week, Eliza, which doesn't bode well for our temperatures. I haven't heard of any temperatures nearly as high as those other parts of the country are experiencing, though.
DeleteOne hot combo there in the first arrangement. Let's see, about time to start counting the days until autumn...
ReplyDeleteJuly IS on the horizon, HB, as the nightly sound of "practice" fireworks regularly reminds me. I keep wondering if the return of El Nino will give us any summer showers...As all 3 of my rain tanks are now empty, that'd be very nice (so long as we avoid mudslides).
DeleteOh I love your tropical punch. Those colors are just amazing. Even though it's 92 outdoors right now I'm not looking ahead to autumn just yet.
ReplyDelete92 - ugh! We peaked at 72F today but a ridge of high pressure is said to be in the offing.
DeleteLove the title and I think that vase looks totally tropical. Given the autumnal tones in the other vase, don't you wish you could have those plants available for fall bouquets.
ReplyDeleteThe garden rarely accommodates my expectations with respect to "seasonal" color, Linda ;)
DeleteYes, great title and great color combinations! I like them both for different reasons, and the actual vases are lovely, too.
ReplyDeleteThanks Beth. I was happy with both of them this week.
DeleteThe Brown Eyed Girl appears and is lovely. Mine are still flowering here. I love the tropical punch, very tasty. Amelia
ReplyDeleteHa! I'm glad my post could tempt your appetite for a change, Amelia.
DeleteI love the tropical arrangement Kris. So lovely and full of life, like it is time to party.
ReplyDeleteThe second arrangement like you said reminds me too much of fall, and I'm just not ready to go there yet. You probably don't have a huge change in your seasons, but even though I love fall, here it marks the end of the glorious bounty of summer.
I'm glad you are finally having nicer weather. My brother lives in San Diego and he is thrilled that the sun is showing her face again.
You're right, there aren't many noticeable changes to the seasons here. The VERY long period of gloom from April until last week was getting tiresome even for those of us that dread summer heatwaves.
DeleteAbsolutely gorgeous Kris! And the title is spot on! I really love those oranges and pinky purples together. A beautiful lily. And the second vase is a lovely cooling iced coffee with caramel cream after the punch! ;-)
ReplyDeleteI love your characterization of the second arrangement, Cathy!
DeleteOh Kris I love these. But especially the tropical colors. What a nice surprise with the glad. Amazing colors especially with the lilies. Wow!
ReplyDeleteThanks Donna. I was frankly surprised at how well the "tropical punch" arrangement came together.
DeleteTropical punch indeed. Both arrangements are quite gorgeous but really love the warm colours in the first.
ReplyDeleteThanks! The first arrangement is my own favorite this week too.
DeleteWhat a great surprise to find the lily blooming! I love the colors in tropical punch, that's a real winner.
ReplyDeleteApparently, my crammed approach to planting is coming back to haunt me. Getting to some of those lilies is getting difficult ;)
DeleteIt's always a sweet surprise when plants have played hide and seek. It must have made those glads extra special Kris 😀 You must be pleased to see some sunshine and relieved that the temperatures are comfortable.
ReplyDeleteI am pleased to see the sunshine and the warmer temperatures, Anna. As the weather forecasters are now talking about a coming heatwave, I hope it won't become a "be careful what you wish for" situation!
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