The Agapanthus, commonly known as Lily of the Nile and African Lily, are nearing full bloom throughout my garden. They're not true lilies and, according to Wikipedia, the genus consists of only six to ten species (depending upon the expert consulted). Agapanthus were once classified in the family Liliaceae but was removed in 1985 and has bounced around since then. If I've read its history correctly, they're currently situated in the expanded Amaryillidaceae family.
The vast majority of my Agapanthus came with the property. They're so easy to grow here that you often see them planted in places like gas stations, where they get little to no care. Because they're so ubiquitous, Californians often dismiss them, although the evergreen plants are attractive year-round in my climate, the flowers are pretty, and they bloom for a relatively long period. I suspect mine could benefit from dividing and thinning but I can't even bring myself to consider getting around to that anytime soon. I cut seven stems in varying colors as a start for today's first arrangement.
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| You can't ignore those beautiful blue flowers. Shasta daisies (Leucanthemum x superbum) make perfect companions. They also remind me of a friend who passed away 6 years ago following a bout with cancer. She bought the daisy plants for me following the loss of my mother and I think of both of them every year when the ruffled daisies bloom. |
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| Back view, once again using the tall vase my husband recently gave me |
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| Overhead view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left, Agapanthus in dark blue, light blue, and white; Consolida ajacis (larkspur) in dark blue and lavender; Globularia x indubia (globe daisy); and noID Leucanthemum x superbum |
The true lilies also continue to roll out in my garden. I couldn't help myself from cutting a stem of one of the new ones I planted as bulbs this year.
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| I pre-ordered Orienpet Lilium 'Zelmira' bulbs sometime last fall and completely forgot about them until they arrived like a surprise |
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| Back view: I was initially at a loss for companions for the peachy-pink lily until I noticed the variegated foliage of Leucadendron 'Jester' growing in the shade. It's softer in color than another 'Jester' I have growing in full sun. |
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| Overhead view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Leucadendron 'Jester', Cenchrus orientalis (formerly classified as Pennisetum orientale, aka oriental fountain grass), Grevillea 'Poorinda Leanne', and Lilium 'Zelmira' |
Lilium 'Orange Planet' is still going strong. The tallest stalk produced twenty buds in total. I've cut off the spent flowers but there are still eleven open flowers and one bud on that stalk. The smaller stalk I cut for a vase last week still had five open flowers yesterday, although I had to cut the stem down to four flowers to fit it into a more diminutive vase for the kitchen island.
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| The Orienpet Lilies have a long vase life! |
By my count, there are five more lily varieties to show off in future vases, although I don't know if I'll manage to do that before their season comes to an end. The bulbs don't last forever in the ground here. Gophers have consumed some of the bulbs, including three Lilium 'Purple Prince' that disappeared following their first year of bloom. In most cases, the critters take only one bulb at a time but I guess they really liked 'Purple Prince'.
For more IAVOM creations, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden, our gracious host.
All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
I do take them for granted, or did - until I saw an arrangement you did last year (I believe). They make a fantastic arrangement, perfect with the daisies.
ReplyDeleteAnything growing unattended in gas stations immediately seems to be downgraded, Tracy - whether it's deserved or not!
DeleteOh, the blue arrangement is a beauty and a sentimental one at that.
ReplyDeleteDid I understand correctly that Agapanthus is an evergreen in your climate?
Chavli
Yes, Agapanthus are evergreen here in the land without frost or freezes ;) The foliage can use a little cleanup now and then but it never dies back to the ground. I've noted that, although the garden service never weeds anything, they do occasionally pull the odd yellow Agapanthus leaf out. As we have no lawns to mow, they generally restrict their efforts to shearing hedges of which we have many (even after recently removing several).
DeleteThree lovely arrangements, and the larkspur is a flower not often seen these days, perhaps it is tricky to grow?
ReplyDeleteI've had huge masses of larkspur in my cutting garden in prior years but, for reasons I can't entirely explain, the seed I sowed last fall produced only a few scattered plants this year. I was very surprised as they usually grow like weeds here. I can only speculate that our colder than usual winter and spring may have made the difference but then I'm blaming the same factor for the slow development of my sweet peas.
DeleteThere's something about those shades of blue and peach. You have me smiling with the beauty. And the actual vases you chose for the arrangements are perfect, too. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Beth. I don't even remember ordering that peachy lily but I'm glad I did!
DeleteHow lovely to have so many agapanthus - we can never have enough blue flowers in our gardens! What a great plant to have flowering everywhere almost like a weed! You certainly can't go wrong with them in a vase but it's also lovely to have enough lilies to pick for a vase too and I especially like your third understated little contribution today
ReplyDeleteUnlike many of my fellow Californians, I can't turn my back on blue flowers even if they are common, Cathy ;)
DeleteI am loving your blue vase today, Kris. It frustrates me that I cannot grow Agapanthus here! Amelia
ReplyDeleteOoh, loving the blues in your first vase, Kris. And my favorite ruffled Shasta daisy, too. Yummy. Your pale orange lilies are making me want to try lilies again, but between the rodents and lily beetle, not sure if I can have my heart broken again. :( Eliza
ReplyDeleteBeautiful blues! I remember seeing the wild Agapanthus in New Zealand for the first time - absolutely gorgeous. All your vases are lovely as always and I envy your year round choice of flowers. You would likely envy the monsoon like rain we just experienced however!! so unusual but so needed.
ReplyDeletehttps://zonethreegardenlife.blog/2025/06/23/in-a-vase-monday-june-23-2025/