Overall, it's been a very dry start to our so-called rainy season. Although Tropical Storm Hilary gave the garden an unexpected boost in September, we've had less than half an inch of rain since our "water year" started on October 1st. While the garden in general is doing fine, thanks in part to the rainwater Hilary delivered, flower production isn't impressive. I managed one floral arrangement this week but, with Christmas decorations now covering many of the surfaces often used to display flowers, one arrangement is just fine.
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| The bright pink Pelargonium flowers in one of the barrels in my cutting garden provided the inspiration |
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| Back view: Foliage for use as filler material is never in short supply |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: noID pink Alstroemeria, self-seeded Persicaria capitata, Pelargonium hortatum 'Dynamo Hot Pink', white Pentas lanceolata, Plectranthus scutellarioides 'Salsa Verde' (aka coleus), Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata', and pink Pentas lanceolata |
For more IAVOM creations, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2023 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Vibrant! Hot fuchsia and chartreuse in the mid December... that's fun. A very nice arrangement.
ReplyDeleteThe white and pink Pentas lanceolata also have different in petal shape... how unusual.
Chavli
I was a little unsure about adding the chartreuse coleus but I thought I needed to offset that hot pink with something, Chavli. I think that pink Pentas was labeled as 'Graffiti Pink'. The white variety wasn't labeled as I recall.
DeleteA nice change from the typical red/green/white theme at this time of year. Being able to cut flowers in December is a definite bonus
ReplyDeleteNo snow or frost here, Elaine! I know I'm lucky to be able to garden year-round, although it can get tiring at times.
DeleteI agree, the brightness is appreciated at this time of year!
ReplyDeleteWe're still getting lots of bright sunny days here, Tracy. I'd trade some of them for a bit of rain ;)
DeleteYes, definitely not the colours we might expect in December and so all the more lovely to see. The foliage contrasts with the blooms nicely as well - but that's something you always do well!
ReplyDeleteI've got relatively little in the way of red tones in my garden at the moment, Cathy. I'm saving the reddish flower-like bracts of my Leucadendrons for a bouquet closer to Christmas :)
DeleteGreat silhouette--near to the classic "S" shape. Perhaps the restraint on materials isn't so bad? You still got a beauty there.
ReplyDeleteLove the moon ornament too. Here still roses and Alstromerias, but much wind-battered. Mild weather forecast for most of the week--great gardening weather! --hb
The vase itself is angled and has a heart-shaped opening, which helped with the shape of the arrangement, HB. Weather West dot com is predicting development of a powerful eastward jet stream in the Pacific, heightening our chances of rain in late December/early January. Fingers crossed.
DeleteI really adore the colors. Perfect for a small display while the holiday decorations take center stage.
ReplyDeleteThanks Donna. I can't claim that the small arrangement was planned to emphasize the holiday decorations but I'll take whatever compliments I can get ;)
DeletePersicarias and Pentas, I like the alliteration and the flowers together. I don't have a lot of flowers in the garden, either..maybe they are resting for the holidays. Amelia
ReplyDeleteDon't forget the Pelargonium, Amelia! I was surprised when I noticed the alliteration myself. Even the filler foliage, Plectranthus and Prostanthera, were in sync.
DeleteVery pretty Kris, especially with that pale green foliage. And I love that little Persicaria! I think I grew that once as an annual and it actually managed to set seed in the cracks in my patio and flowered a second year. It smelt like bubblegum!
ReplyDeleteI'll have to take a good whiff of the Persicaria capitata, Cathy. It self-seeded itself in all 3 of the large pots containing blueberry bushes and it's moved on into various borders as well. I've had to dig it out of patio cracks as well.
DeleteThis is lovely, Kris! That coleus is striking and sets off the hot pinks. I was once warned about persicaria taking over and I see you mention it has self-seeded vigorously. I do like it though. Hope you get some rain. We finally had a decent rain yesterday here, although sadly in parts of the state the storms that brought our rain came with a lot of damage.
ReplyDeleteThe Persicaria does self-seed freely but it's not uncontrollable, Susie - at least not yet. I'm trusting in my favorite climate scientist's assumptions and hoping to see rain here by early January at latest. Maybe if I start a major project like the renovation of my front garden succulent bed, torrents of rain will arrive...
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