Much to my surprise, we got a bit of rain on Saturday. Earlier in the week, there were hints we could get some drizzle but I discounted the forecast; however, instead of disappearing as is generally the case at this time of year, Mother Nature delivered a solid quarter of an inch. That may not seem like a lot to many people but we consider it a decent soak.
On Sunday, I chose a sunny yellow and white arrangement to celebrate the event.
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| I find I need a regular jolt of cheer these days. I would've used my swirled yellow glass vase but last week's orange arrangement is still in almost perfect condition so I picked a clear glass rectangular vase instead. |
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| Back view: I added a variety of Calendulas to the mix |
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| Overhead view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Abelia grandiflora 'Radiance', Argyranthemum frutescens 'Mount Everest', Centranthus ruber 'Albus', Calendula officianalis, Leucospermum 'High Gold', and Phlomis fruticosa |
My second arrangement is a moodier creation. I wanted to use stems of an unusual South African Salvia that's scheduled for removal along with a host of other plants in early May as part of my effort to address Los Angeles County's new "defensible space clearance" ordinance for high fire risk areas. The Salvia itself isn't especially flammable but it grows up through another plant that is regarded as such and removing one without the other isn't practical. I like the Salvia but I don't love it so it'll go. (I may take a few cuttings in case I have a change of heart, though.)
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| In addition to using several of the Salvia stems before that plant is gone, I cut the (mostly) spent flowers of Helleborus 'Phoebe' that's planted below another plant scheduled for removal. I hope to dig up the hellebore before the crew arrives to pull out the 20 plants on my removal list. |
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| Back view, showing off the stems of Salvia lanceolata |
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| Overhead view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Alstroemeria 'Inca Vienna', Grevillea sericea, Helleborus 'Phoebe', and Salvia lanceolata |
I cut two stems of another Alstroemeria with the initial intention of adding it to the second arrangement but I decided it didn't fit the mix. I threw those stems into a small vase and added two snapdragons to accompany them.
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| The small vase containing Alstroemeria 'Inca Lucky' and Antirrhinum majus landed on the kitchen island |
For more IAVOM creations, visit our host, Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
The bottom-heavy glass container is probably more suitable for your first arrangement; it seems top-heavy with all those magnificent 'High Gold' Leucospermum. I also appreciate the Calendula you added to the mix: a humble but very cheery flower.
ReplyDeleteI expect Grevillea to be in the red, orange or yellow hues, so I'm surprised to your pink Grevillea. You most likely used it before or shown it in a post but I seem to have noticed it today for the first time...
Finally, I'm a sucker for Hellebores. I love your Helleborus 'Phoebe'!
Chavli
I have used that Grevillea with the small pink flowers on occasion before but the blooms are demure by comparison to most of my other Grevillea flowers. I love Helleborus 'Phoebe', the first hellebore I ever grew and one (of only 2) that's a reliable bloomer. I hope I can get the plant up safely before the tree service guys come in, causing the inevitable collateral damage.
DeleteThe yellow is especially cheery! That's a good soaking of rain at this time of year. We got a tiny bit, but the ground was still very dry when I was out yesterday afternoon. Will definitely have to water new plants today. Love that Grevillea and the bold snaps in the last vase.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you got a little rain at least, Tracy! I was frankly very surprised to see any rain here, much less a quarter of an inch. I'd guessed that our all too brief rainy season was already over.
DeleteI think we all need our regular jolt of cheer these days and your beautiful vases certainly provide it. The sunny one is my favourite. Glad you got some rain. Here the cold, wet period is coming to an end, today we even have sun and warmth, lovely change. Have a good week, Kris
ReplyDeleteThanks Annette. Our marine layer is back so we're not seeing much in the way of blue skies until mid-afternoon most days but I keep in mind that summer is just around the corner and treasure the cooler temperatures - our inland valleys have already had a few days of 90F (32C) temperatures. Predictions are we're in for a long, hot, dry summer.
DeleteSunny indeed! And rain too... that's more rain than we've had in weeks.
ReplyDeleteWe reportedly got more rain than parts of Northern California too, which is unusual. I wonder where that rainstorm blew in from? In any case, I appreciate Mother Natures generosity to us on this occasion.
DeleteI can feel that Californian sunshine in your first vase, Kris - so bright and cheery! - but I am amazed you have a hellebore bloom in the second one... is it not too warm for it now? Perhaps you have it in deep shade somewhere?
ReplyDeleteHellebores in general don't perform all that well here, probably because we don't get anything like the winter chill you do, but I've been surprised that, when they do bloom here, their schedule is often later than yours. It may be that the varieties I grow are different than those you grow but it appears to be a pattern. Virtually all of mine grow in at least partial shade. 'Phoebe' is growing at the outer edge of a large shrub that faces east so she gets little more than a splash of sunlight.
DeleteA quarter inch of rain is a lot for this late in April, congrats! I esp. love your sunny first vase, I love yellow and anything with daisies is cheering in my book. Sorry about the loss of so many plants from your garden. It seems a bit heavy handed, but I suppose last winter's fires freaked everyone out, so action must be applied by those who define these things. Let's hope it makes a difference! Eliza
ReplyDeleteEven most of my friends here think I'm going overboard on the initial changes to my garden before the Fire Department's inspection has been conducted, Eliza. But my husband and I witnessed first-hand what a toll fire takes when his parents lost their home in Malibu to a massive wildfire years ago - we want to do whatever feels reasonable to minimize our own risk of going through something like that.
DeleteA very sunny way to celebrate rain! Lovely even if moody. I hope you get some more surprises. A drought is predicted here. Bah. I have untold quantities of salvia here and wouldn't mind losing a few! Amelia
ReplyDeleteMost of the US Southwest is facing a significant drought, as well as heat this summer. We had 2 back-to-back years of good rain - I guess we couldn't expect that trend to last.
DeleteYour vases are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI loved the colors.
Janice.
Thank you, Janice.
DeleteThe "front" shot of the first one is especially good.
ReplyDeleteThe rain was a most welcome complete surprise!
I've heard TV forecasters actively suggesting more rain this coming Saturday-Sunday but the online sources I usually consult don't reflect that. We shall see.
DeleteThat golden arrangement is so light and airy and summery Kris! So glad you got a good dose of the wet stuff. That must surely have given all your flowers a boost. The Calendula and white daisies are especially lovely. I suppose it will be sad to have some of your plants removed, but the thought of fires starting must also be a constant worry so perhaps this will make you feel more comfortable. Hope you get some salvia cuttings though as it is rather gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI do like the flowers on that Salvias, as well as its silvery foliage but it does have a bad habit of sprawling in a less than attractive way. Still, it could conduct itself more gracefully in a different setting...
DeleteYour sunshine vase is a knockout. So perfect a way to celebrate the rainfall. I'd appreciate a quarter inch here. We're very dry and 87F today.
ReplyDelete87F! We're in the 60s again (courtesy of the marine layer).
DeleteGreat news about the soak Kris (we could do with one here!) and lovely flowers to celebrate with. My calendulas are still small seedlings 😂
ReplyDeleteWe got another 0.03/inch of rain yesterday, Anna. It wasn't much but every drop counts!
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