It definitely feels like Spring here. We had temperatures in the low 80sF (28C) last week. It cooled down slightly yesterday and it's expected to slowly drift down into the mid-60sF (18C) as the week continues and the marine layer reappears. While I've enjoyed the warmer temperatures, I nonetheless hope this isn't the new normal. I certainly don't want to find us jumping into summer anytime soon.
My first arrangement this week made use of the dramatic 'Bordeaux' Anemones that have been blooming for weeks already.
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| The plum-colored Anemones aren't easy to photograph. It also didn't help that its petals are prone to spotting but then the overhead watering I did last week when the Santa Ana winds were blowing didn't help there. |
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| Back view: The blue flowers of Aristea inaequalis provided a nice accent when I cut the stems in the morning but unfortunately I find they close up in the afternoon. I'm hoping that the late afternoon sun in the front entry where the vase sits will cause them to reopen. |
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| The flowers made their best showing in this overhead shot |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Anemone coronaria 'Bordeaux', A. c. 'Lord Lieutenant', Aristea inaequalis, noID Ceanothus, Chrysanthemum 'Fairbank Purple Spoon', and Hebe 'Wiri Blush' |
My second arrangement is very pink and still more spring-like.
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| Although the 'Taylor's Perfection' Camellia blooms play the starring role, it was the pink snapdragons that inspired this arrangement |
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| Back view |
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| Overhead view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Antirrhinum majus, Boronia crenulata 'Shark Bay', Camellia williamsii 'Taylor's Perfection', and Narcissus papyraceus |
Our formerly saturated soil is becoming drier by the day. More rain would be appreciated before our all too short rainy season comes to an end in April. AccuWeather currently projects the possibility of rain late this month. My fingers are crossed that forecast is correct.
All material © 2012-2026 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Both are lovely, I'm trying to follow your lead and have something in vases every week. I can't keep up with you in the flower department, but foliage should be plentiful enough. I've pulled the hose out, I'm betting February will bring some more rain.
ReplyDeleteEven before blogging and when I had a tiny townhouse garden, I regularly cut flowers to take to work or "garnish" the house but I've become more religious about the practice since we acquired our current garden. As you can tell, one arrangement is seldom enough for me these days ;)
DeleteFingers crossed on the rain - for both of us!
Oh those 'Bordeaux' Anemones are swoon inducing, wow. Surprisingly I also loved the pink arrangement.
ReplyDeleteThe 'Bordeaux' anemones are dramatic flowers - and thus far they seem more vigorous than any of the other anemones I planted this year. The second arrangement makes me think of cotton candy fluff but I couldn't help going all out on the pinks on this occasion.
DeleteOh the anemones are delightful, Kris - can you remember how long it took from foliage emerging for them to bloom? I am so hoping to have some in flower this year (in the working greenhouse). Love the additional blues with them, and the pretty pinks of the second vase too. Fingers crossed for some rain for you! 🤞
ReplyDeleteI can't be precise about the timing of the anemones from foliage to blooms, Cathy. I planted the anemone bulbs on October 18th. It seemed the foliage came up more quickly this year (no doubt encouraged by the rain from October through December). My first anemone blooms popped up in late December, probably 4 to 6 weeks after the foliage was abundant. Not all my anemones are blooming yet, though - only the 'Bordeaux' and 'Lord Lieutenant' varieties have flowered thus far. There are at least 3 more varieties that have yet to flower.
DeleteOh, Kris: I seriously teared up a bit when I opened your blog. The colors of the Anemones, Aristeas, and Hebes (and the vase, itself) in that first one are so vibrant and luscious. I'm craving color right now, so thank you! And the pink Camellias...be still, my heart. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed them, Beth. Unfortunately, the Aristea stems don't seem to make great cut flowers. They close up in the late morning, both outside and inside. The amount of sun exposure doesn't seem to matter. If I'd learned that before, I'd forgotten it. The flowers did reopen for a time this morning, though.
DeleteVery nice, Kris. I love the deep tones of the Anemones and I think of Camellias as a winter flower, sending rainy thoughts! Ame.lia
ReplyDeleteCamellias are indeed winter-flowering here. It's just the pale pink color of this one that has a spring vibe. The snapdragons prefer our cool season here too, although people in other parts of the Northern Hemisphere commonly view them as spring or summer flowers.
DeleteQuite lovely. They do make one think of Spring. A friend and I visited a garden center yesterday and there was a small display of blooming Spring bulbs, primulas and hellebores. Just made our hearts sing. We are moving out of our first 'false Spring' and back into winter. Always a bit hard.
ReplyDeleteA false spring sounds worse than an exceptionally early spring, which appears to be our situation, Elaine. Even though many of the blooms included in my IAVOM and Bloom Day posts (like the Camellias) are winter bloomers here, others (like the the ornamental pear) are still a month or so ahead of schedule. I do have to admit that I'm pleased that the sweet peas are getting an early start this year by comparison to the last, though - I may indeed see them in bloom by March instead of May as was the case last year.
DeleteThose velvety dark reddish purple anemones are divine! Makes me wish I was a bee so I could dive in! LOL! Lovely Camellia flowers too. It seems your spring is around the corner. We are having a really cold winter, but with lits of sunshine which is nice.
ReplyDeleteOur temperatures have dropped today and our marine layer is back but the forecasters tell us there's another round of warm weather on the horizon, Cathy. I'm just hoping we'll see more rain before the season is over.
DeleteI love the burgundy anemones, so velvety! The pink vase with the precious little narcissus is so 'springy.' (Much appreciated by me now that this cold snap has us frozen solid. It's currently 1F and dropping, with over a foot of snow expected tomorrow into Mon. Winter at its worst!) Eliza
ReplyDeleteI heard that this could be a historic storm for much of the US. Stay safe and warm, Eliza! I can't even imagine a temperature of 1F, much less below that.
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