I'd planned to construct an arrangement around Lilium 'Pretty Woman' but discovered that it was past its sell-date as the saying goes so I had to switch gears. I noticed that my Leonotis leonurus (lion's tail) had started to bloom and, as its tall stems were camouflaged by both a tree-sized Callistemon and an overly exuberant Daucus carota, they became my new inspiration for an arrangement.
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| Unsure what to combine with the Leonotis after I cut it, I turned to my ever-dependable Grevillea 'Superb'. I was initially disappointed with that match but, after adding more flowers, it seemed to come together. |
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| Back view |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Bignonia capreolata, Lobelia laxiflora, Tanacetum parthenium, Grevillea 'Superb', Leonotis leonurus, Leucanthemum x superbum, and Rosa 'Golden Celebration' |
I recycled elements of last week's first arrangement to fill another vase.
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| I plucked the stem of Lilium 'Friso' (minus 3 of its spent flowers) and 2 stems of the white Agapanthus used in last week's first arrangement, reducing both to fit into this smaller vase featuring 2 clasped (and well-manicured) hands |
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| Back view |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: noID white Agapanthus, noID pink Alstroemeria (still in bud), Lilium 'Friso', and Monarda hybrid 'Peter's Purple' |
I've gotten used to flowers on the kitchen island so I picked a few more to fill the small vase that often sits there.
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| Clockwise from the left: the small vase, Agapanthus (also from last week's arrangement), Duranta repens 'Sapphire Showers', Eustoma grandiflorum (aka Lisianthus), and Salvia clevelandii 'Winnifred Gilman' |
For more IAVOM creations, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2024 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
I love the "firecracker boom" feel to these. The multi colored lobelia really adds a nice pop. Really pretty!
ReplyDeleteIf only all fireworks were floral, Tracy! That would've made a huge difference with the noise and air pollution over the 4th of July weekend. I love that Lobelia, although a former neighbor urged me to remove it as a weed. I inherited it with the garden and it does spread by rhizomes but it's relatively easy to control.
DeleteThat Leonotis is so gorgeous and you certainly found the perfect elements to include with it. The recycled vase is certainly still stunning as is the lovely little vase.
ReplyDeleteThanks Donna. Leonotis is a lovely, somewhat Dr Seussian, flower. It wants more sun than it currently gets under my now massive Callistemon so I'm thinking of moving the plants (someday).
DeleteI think the grevillea works well, Kris, but perhaps it took the additional blooms to do so. Your warm peachy arrangements always work well, and the leonorus is lovely - I grew it from seed one year, but it didn't flower. Love the upcycled vase from last week, and the beautiful blue and white with that gorgeous eustoma!!
ReplyDeleteI've been waiting rather impatiently for the Eustoma to bloom, Cathy. They've been persnickety in recent years. I've already lost a few and I'm trying to baby the remaining ones with extra water and a little fertilizer.
DeletePretty peaches and warm tones today, very summery. I have had no luck (or insipid luck) with Leonitis here. Yours looks great! Amelia
ReplyDeleteLeonotis is another South African plant. According to a major Southern California grower, it wants low water so Florida's abundant rain may be at the bottom of your problem in growing it.
DeleteThe hot colors of your first arrangement reflect the heat we all seem to be under this July. Grevillea 'Superb' is so well named and I love all your choices to accompany it. And #2 is in my favorite vase, such a gem that piece is! Gorgeous Lisianthus, a pretty blue-purple. Lots to love in these three vases, Kris! Eliza
ReplyDeleteThanks Eliza. I picked up that clasped hands vase at a second hand shop years ago - it was a great and inexpensive buy :)
DeleteI love the warm colour scheme of your first arrangement, one of your favourites it seems to me. And you have such gorgeous flowers in these shades. I love your Grevillea 'Superb' and wish I could grow it. And how wonderful to be able to grow Eustoma grandiflorum and the gorgeous Duranta repens is quite unkmown to me. All lovely.
ReplyDeleteI do have a lot of coral color in my garden, as well as colors that blend with it, Liz. Grevillea 'Superb' is my go-to flower in a pinch as it blooms all year. That particular Duranta is beautiful when in flower, although mine is in a large pot and far less floriferous than those I've seen planted in the ground.
DeleteI love your very different colour themes this week Kris. The Leonotis and its fiery companions are all very summery. And your pink vase is very refreshing with the white agapanthus. (My gardener's nails are a disgrace compared to those! LOL!) But the blues win hands down. I always love seeing your Lisianthus - I did try growing it once, but I think our season is just too short. The Salvia is a really unusual shape.
ReplyDeleteMy own fingernails are similarly disgraceful, Cathy ;) Of late, the Lisianthus have been touchy even here, where I used to be able to count on the majority hanging on for at least 2 summer seasons. The Salvia clevelandii are California natives.
DeleteLooks good! And no use leaving the beauty outdoors. This week's weather will toast a lot of the flowers blooming now. :(
ReplyDeleteI hope it won't be too bad in your garden, HB! Our weather station currently reads 85F, which is the warmest it's been for a week or so. Meanwhile, a line of text under today's temperature reading says "(t)oday's temperature is forecast to be cooler than yesterday," which is how it's read EVERY single day for at least the past week. Something's wrong with Weather Underground's system. In any case, our humidity is relatively high so it feels warmer still.
DeleteOh my, what gorgeous arrangements. What a vast array of flowers you grow. The lion's tail is new to me.
ReplyDeleteLion's tail comes from South Africa, which like coastal Southern California has a Mediterranean climate. I don't expect it'd be happy in New Jersey except perhaps in a well-heated greenhouse ;)
DeleteI like the way your redirection went--lovely and Rosa 'Golden Celebration' is especially pretty with the other choices. I'd take that blue and white vase with the Eustoma any day. Gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteI love the Eustoma flowers too, especially the "blue rose" variety. They've struggled in recent years and I'm not entirely sure why, although I'm guessing that I haven't been as attentive in providing extra water as I should be in my increasingly dry garden.
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