I caught sight of a neighbor's Leucadendron bearing its reddish "flowers" last week and thought I should take a closer look at some of mine. My own 'Safari Sunset' Leucadendrons were also looking good so I earmarked them for inclusion in a vase this week. However, what appear to be flower petals are actually colorful bracts surrounding cones. As the cones develop, the color of the bracts deepen.
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| I limited myself to 3 elements, which is unusual for me but then, while the supply of 'Safari Sunset' stems was plentiful, the same couldn't be said of many of the flowers in my garden |
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| Back view: I filled out the vase using stems of Grevillea 'Penola' and Correa 'Pink Eyre' |
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| Overhead view |
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| From left to right: Correa pulchella 'Pink Eyre' (aka Australian fuchsias), Grevillea lanvandulacea 'Penola', and Leucadendron 'Safari Sunset' |
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| The vase in place on our dining room table |
I'd intended to leave things with that one simple arrangement this week but then I noticed the first blue anemone bloom. It wasn't the first anemone to bloom - sadly, that one got pounded by rain. As rain is now projected to return for New Year's Day, I didn't want to leave it to the same fate. Although I was going to simply freshen last week's small blue arrangement with the one anemone flower, I ended up replacing everything but one stem of the original Cistus foliage and the vase itself.
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| Overhead view of "new" arrangement with fresh Salvia stems, as well as the Anemone and a few Osteospermum flowers |
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| Closeups of Anemone coronaria 'Lord Lieutentant', Salvia 'Mystic Spires, and Osteospermum 'Violet Ice'. (The Cistis ladanifer 'Blanche' foliage isn't shown in closeup.) |
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| The small vase is once again seated on the kitchen island. It's also a simple arrangement but those blues can't be beat! |
As forecast, we got a significant amount of rain last week. The rain total for the period from late Wednesday night through Friday in my area was 2.63 inches, which was perfect for my garden. All my rain barrels are once again full and the ground is saturated. Unfortunately, other areas received a lot more rain, including the inland valleys and the foothills. The small town of Wrightwood in San Bernadino County received more than ten inches of rain over the same period, leading to mudslides, evacuations, and serious damage to homes. The areas affected by last January's fires were negatively affected too. I haven't heard of any immediate issues facing the landowners implicated by our own peninsula's slow but steady landslide area and I'm assuming that's good news there. However, the forecast for this week currently projects more rain, similar to last week's storm, from Wednesday through the New Year's holiday and into the weekend. I can only hope that gives everyone time to allow the earlier rain to percolate deeper into the soil.
For more IAVOM creations, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden. I'll close with photos of our horizon viewed yesterday from our back garden.
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| Snow caps are back in the mountains to the northeast of us |
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| Even more surprising, the view to the southeast shows relatively clear skies instead of the brownish-gray smog we usually see |
All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Both arrangements are lovely, I like how the blue pulls some of the same color from your kitchen countertop. I like the idea of the rain "percolating deeper into the soil". I can't fathom 10" of rain in that short period of time - that's terrible.
ReplyDeleteWould that there were aquifers below ground in those areas to fill up and redirect that rain, Tracy! A friend just let me know that her area, very close to where I grew up, got 7 inches of rain from that same rainstorm.
DeleteNice color on the Leucadendron, and of course a mix of blues--always my favorite. Aren't those clear skies wonderful? The way the air smells right after the rain--heavenly.
ReplyDelete2.75" total here. What a gift!
Here 'Wilson's Wonder' colored up all at once, apparently overnight. Went outside the morning of the 25th and there it was. Don't remember that on the 24th! Maybe Santa...
My 'Wilson's Wonder' Leucadendrons also colored up rather dramatically in the past week. I almost included them in a vase with some Aeoniums this week but I figured I should pace myself given that the current crop of available blooms is limited.
DeleteI love the Leucadendron and Grevillea combo! If I had Leucadendron growing in my garden I'd never stop cutting for a vase! Or maybe familiarity would slow me down, "that old thing?". I hope the coming rain doesn't overwhelm.
ReplyDeleteI hope not either, Loree. Those poor people in Wrightwood and the burn areas are already struggling. It's as if our entire water ecosystem in LA County needs to be redesigned both to store extra water for use when needed and to channel it appropriately when these atmospheric rivers go overboard.
DeleteCrikey, those couple of inches of rain must have been a Godsend for you, but it's hard to believe how much more had fallen over the same period in other areas not that far away... 😲 Those leucadendron bracts are so intriguing and I really like your pared down vase - the pink correa is so pretty. And how lovely to have that anemone! I have planted some blue ones in a pot in the greenhouse and foliage is emerging but I don't know when I might expect flowers - but I shall have my fingers crossed! 🤞
ReplyDeleteAs I recall, my Anemone coronaria were much slower to bloom last year but then they're just getting started...Weather conditions are undoubtedly the key element in setting the timing each year.
DeleteSuch beautiful arrangements! Happy you got some rain! Hope you have a great start to the new year!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jackie. More rain already seems on the way but fingers are crossed it'll go light on the burn areas.
DeleteAt first glance my eyes tricked me: I thought the Grevillea was a kind of conifer with red berries... probably because I'm a fan of berries... Either way, it makes a lovely companion in the vase and excellent holiday-color appropriate.
ReplyDeleteAnemone coronaria 'Lord Lieutentant' has a most remarkable blue! Stunning.
Chavli
I love 'Lord Lieutenant'! I've ordered the bulbs before but what usually pops up turn out to be 'Dr Fokker'. They're the same color but 'LL' has a more unique form. I hope most turn out to be 'LL' this time around but that's not clear yet.
DeleteOh, aren't those blues simply gorgeous Kris! And the blue sky after all your rain is glorious too! I love the first vase as well - as usual you have some lovely materials to work with. Wishing you a Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteIt's wonderful when we see relatively smog-free skylines, Cathy - it so seldom happens!
DeleteYour views are incredible, Kris, and your vases are inspirational, as always! Thank you so much for sharing fresh, green, and growing garden views during the winter months up here. They help keep me motivated and optimistic during my "dormant" time. Blessings to you and yours in the New Year!
ReplyDeleteI hope you're enjoying your "down" time. Beth! I do envy that, even though I suspect I couldn't handle more than a month of it ;) Best wishes for a wonderful start to the new year - and an early spring.
DeleteI wouldn't have known that the leucadendrons were bracts Kris unless you had pointed it out. They are extremely eye-catching. Love the blue arrangement too. My anemone coronarias will be facing minus temperatures this weekend - not sure how the one bud about to open is going to feel about that 🥶 Good to hear that your rainfall has been satisfactory but sad to hear that it has had a devastating effect in other areas of California.
ReplyDeleteIt's too bad Mother Nature isn't one to exercise discretion when she delivers rain. It looks as though she's planning on a wet Rose Parade on New Year's Day too - the first one in 20 years. I hope you have a very happy new year, Anna!
DeleteThe first arrangement is so pleasing in color and texture, and that blue anemone is gorgeous! 🤩 💙 Eliza
ReplyDeleteThanks Eliza. I ended up pleased with both arrangements myself! ;)
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