In a Vase on Monday: Dark & Dramatic or Light & Bright?

I did a lot of aimless wandering in my garden Sunday morning, undecided about what to cut to put into a vase this week.  Somewhat to my own surprise (if not perhaps those of you who are regular visitors), I ended up with three very different arrangements.

The first features a bloom of what I bought as a Dahlia 'Penhill Dark Monarch' tuber, which it almost certainly is not.  'Dark Monarch' is supposed to be a mix of deep pink and plum with a hint of cream (as you can see here).  Instead, my flower is very red, with a base color similar to that of the Dahlia 'Akita' I featured last week but with a very different form.  It doesn't bear a resemblance to any of the dahlias I ordered as tubers.

I cut the dahlia before it was fully open and it looks as though the interior petals could have more white than the outer petals like Dahlia 'Special X Factor' or 'Contraste' but I'll be amazed if it develops pink highlights and that red base color turns a plummy purple.  But I could be wrong... 

Back view: I stuck with red-toned flowers and foliage to accent the mystery dahlia, including what I think is the last of Daucus carota 'Dara'.  'Dara' has popped up in some areas I didn't sow seeds, at least not deliberately, so I won't be entirely surprised if I find the plants all over the garden next year.

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia that isn't 'Penhill Dark Monarch', Zinnia 'Queen Red Lime', Daucus carota 'Dara', Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', and Penstemon mexicali 'Mini Red Bells'

My native aster is in full flower, although many of the flower stalks are scorched.  I'm itching to start digging it up, which is going to be a massive task as its rhizomes have spread through a large portion of one border; however, I won't start that until cooler temperatures are in the long-term forecast.  In the meantime, I expect I'll be using the presentable stems a few more times if I can manage not to repeat myself too often.

This is a larger scale version of a mix I've used in a small vase for our kitchen island.  It features the rose-like flowers of Eustoma grandiflorum (Lisanthus), which are waning now.

Back view

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', lavender and white Eustoma grandiflorum, and Symphyotrichum chilense 'Purple Haze'

I currently have a plethora of Zinnia 'Queen Lime Orange' flowers in my cutting garden.  I cut cut them to encourage the stems to branch, accenting them with some of the old standbys from elsewhere in the garden.

A few stems of Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream' provided the perfect accent for the colors in the Zinnia

Back view

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Abelia grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope', Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream', and Zinnia 'Queen Lime Orange'

Do you have a favorite?  For more IAVOM creations, visit Cathy in Rambling in the Garden.

All material © 2012-2021 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: The last dance

As "In a Vase on Monday" arrived on the heels of "Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day" this week,  I hadn't planned to put together more than one vase but I expect you won't be surprised to learn I've got two.  Really, the garden dictates these things and I just follow its directions.  The title of today's post comes from the fact that the focal flowers in both vases are the last of their kind for the season.

The first vase was inspired by Dahlia 'Rancho', which produced its first and only bloom last week.  I've dug up and stored all my other dahlia tubers and in that 'Rancho' gave me just a single bloom during the six month period it occupied space in my cutting garden, I won't be saving this tuber.  One bloom wouldn't make an arrangement on its own so I drew on more reliable flowers to flesh this one out.

The large-flowered Grevilleas bloom year-round here so Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream' with its yellow and pale orange flowers were a natural choice to play off the dahlia's color

Back view, featuring more Grevillea flowers, as well as the orange berries of Auranticarpa rhombifolia (aka diamond leaf pittosporum).  The berries are plentiful this time of year.

Top view, showing off the yellow flowers of Senna bicapsularis, another reliable fall bloomer.  The warm weather we had in October seems to be hurrying the Senna's bloom season along this year.

Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia 'Rancho', Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Auranticarpa rhombifolia, Senna bicapsularis, Correa 'Sister Dawn', Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream', and Leucadendron 'Jubilee Crown'

The inspiration for the second vase was actually the flowers of Salvia discolor I didn't manage to photograph for Bloom Day but the arrangement fits the "last dance" theme as it also includes what I think is the last flowering stem of Lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum) I'll have until spring.

Three stems of Salvia discolor (aka Andean sage) are positioned toward the back of the arrangement with the blue Lisianthus grabbing center stage.  The Salvia's flowers are nearly black.

I dressed up the back of the arrangement with 'Purple Ruffles' basil (Ocimum basilicum var. purpurescens)

Top view, showing off the still abundant Barleria obtusa (bush violet) used as filler material

Clockwise from the upper left: Eustoma grandiflorum, Barleria obtusa, Salvia discolor, Ocimum basilicum 'Purple Ruffles', and Westringia fruticosa 'Morning Light'

Last week's arrangements held up well.  That was perhaps to be expected in the case of the flower-less arrangement featuring succulents and Leucadendron stems but it was surprising in the case of the second vase.  I down-sized the contents of that arrangement, tossing out the pink Lisianthus that had already seen better days when I cut the stems last week, but retaining much of the rest.

The remaining ingredients in the down-sized arrangement include Caladium 'Debutante', Correa pulchella 'Pink Eyre', Pentas lanceolata, and Prostanthera ovatifolia 'Variegata'

For more IAVOM creations, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.

All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: There's always something

While I wait impatiently for my traditional summer blooms (dahlias, sunflowers, zinnias) to make an appearance, I shifted my focus to the flowers that make up the backbone of my garden.  Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream' is having a really good year and it provided the inspiration for my first vase this week.

Last week, I speculated that I might end up using succulents in this week's vase.  As it turned out, that wasn't necessary but I did add succulent flowers in the form of Cotyledon orbiculata, commonly known as pig's ear (based on the foliage, not the flowers).

Back view: I'm in the process of cutting back Leucadendron 'Safari Goldstrike' so I used stems of that as my foliage element

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream', Abelia grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope', Cotyledon orbiculata, Leucanthemum x superbum, Lantana 'Lucky Yellow', and Leucadendron 'Safari Goldstrike'

Speaking of plants having a good year, the Amaryllis belladonna I introduced last week is having its best year ever.  Last year I think I had three bloom stalks but this year the flowers are dominating my back border.  This time I paired them with some of the last stems of Agapanthus.

Pink and blue isn't a common combination for me but the Cuphea 'Starfire Pink' I used as filler material led me in that direction

Back view, featuring Cuphea 'Starfire Pink' and Pandorea jasminoides

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Amaryllis belladonna, Alstroemeria 'Inca Vienna', noID Agapanthus, Cuphea 'Starfire Pink', and Pandorea jasminoides

Can you believe that July is almost over?  How is it that time still seems to pass so quickly even when each day feels much like the day before?  The future is still murky but I'm trying to focus on what I can control in my small corner of the world, like renovating a couple of garden beds to prepare for replanting this fall.  I'm hopeful that, in addition to changes to the garden, the new year will bring new leadership to guide the US out of the mess it's in and, if we're all lucky, a viable vaccine.

In the meantime, for more IAVOM arrangements created from floral and foliage material on hand, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.

All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: Spoiled for choice

Despite heatwaves in late April and early May, I still have a supply of what are considered cool-season blooms here even as my summer bloomers have begun to appear.  Overwhelmed with choices, I tend to go overboard with floral arrangements.  I had Matilija poppies on my mind when I stepped into the garden yesterday but, when I trooped down to the bottom of the slope, I discovered there were no open blooms available at the moment.  Easily distracted, I started deadheading spent Centranthus blooms and ended up cutting several pink and white flower stems even though a pink arrangement wasn't something I'd consciously planned.

Luckily, the unexpected rain we got last week had prompted new blooms from the pink Alstroemerias, which pair well with pink and white Centranthus

Back view: I used the dark foliage of Leptospermum 'Copper Glow' to ground the arrangement

Top view: I added three of the shaggy Shasta daisies (Lecanthemum x superbum) that just started their annual bloom cycle

Clockwise from the upper left: noID pink Alstroemeria, Centranthus ruber, Dorycnium hirsutum (aka hairy Canary clover), Hebe 'Wiri Blush', Lathyrus odoratus, Leptospermum 'Copper Glow' and, in the middle, noID 'Leucanthemum x superbum

Cutting a few stems of Cuphea 'Vermillionaire' led to the creation of an arrangement with orange and yellow flowers.

While the Cuphea provided the impetus for this arrangement, Leucospermum 'Brandi', now waning, provided the focal point

Back view: The unusual red stems with green calyces are Sideritis cypria, which produces tiny yellow flowers inside the green cups

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Alstroemeria 'Indian Summer', Cuphea 'Vermillionaire', Gaillardia 'Arizona Sun', Hymenolepsis parviflora, Leucadendron salignum 'Chief'', Sideritis cypria, Lobelia laxiflora and, in the middle, Leucospermum 'Brandi'

With more heat on the way this week, Digitalis 'Dalmatian Peach' begged to be cut before its blooms were scorched.

This arrangement was a little too restrained in terms of the color mix, even by my standards, so I added the Achillea 'Moonshine' to give it a bit more energy

Back view:  I wouldn't normally include the Nigella stems I threw into this vase but Dahlia 'Gitt's Crazy' has sprouted and is already demanding more room so some of the Nigella stems had to be pulled

Top view

Top row: Achillea 'Moonshine', Alstroemeria 'Claire' and A. 'Inca Husky'
Middle row: Calendula 'Zeolights', Digitalis 'Dalmatian Peach', and Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream'
Bottom row: Leucadendron 'Jester', Nigella papillosa, and Orlaya grandiflora

Many of my dahlia tubers have sprouted and I've sown some sunflower and zinnia seeds so there's pressure to clear out the fading cool-season blooms to make room for summer flowers in my cutting garden.  The sweet peas will probably be the first to go.  They took a hit during our two heatwaves and haven't been able to rebound.

For more IAVOM creations, visit our bandleader, Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.

All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: Going overboard (again)

Our Easter holiday was eerily quiet.  I shared greetings with some friends by email and others by text and enjoyed watching the birds splash in our fountain - the white-crowned sparrows take their baths very seriously!  I observed the holiday by refilling my bird feeders and filling jugs with flowers, which led to the creation of four vases, three of which I'll share here.  As gloomy as the news is, the garden's overflowing with flowers and I find it hard not to get carried away.

Leucospermum 'Brandi' provided the inspiration for my first vase

Back view: Alstroemeria 'Indian Summer' was responsible for tying all the elements together

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Leucospermum 'Brandi', Alstroemeria 'Indian Summer', Euphorbia x martinii 'Ascot Rainbow',  Lotus berthelotii 'Amazon Sunset', and Xylosma congestum

The calla lilies at the bottom of our back slope are plentiful this year and it occurred to me that they'd look nice on our living room mantle, which has been looking very bare of late.

I know many people allow calla lilies to stand on their own but I can only take simplicity so far

Back view: I did manage to restrict myself to three elements in this arrangement, however

Top view

From left to right: Abelia grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope', Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream', and Zantedeschia aethiopica

The dwarf bearded Iris on the back slope are also doing remarkably well this year.  To my surprise, I discovered that the dark purple variety has a beautiful fragrance so I couldn't stop myself from cutting another stem this week.  It had one fading bloom but two good-sized buds and, as the buds on last week's stem opened in my vase, I thought there's a good chance these buds will as well.

I added 2 stems of a new Dutch Iris that just started blooming this week, filling in with a mish-mash of other flowers

Back view: The fresh green foliage accent is Prunus laurocerasus (aka cherry laurel), a prolific self-seeder here

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Argyranthemum frutescens, Iris hollandica 'Mystic Beauty' (only slightly different from 'Sapphire Beauty'), Cerinthe major, Freesia, Lavandula stoechas, buds of Iris germanica (possibly 'Darth Vader'), Limonium perezii, and Prunus laurocerasus

My husband isn't much into holiday celebrations of any kind and I'd no illusions about the possibility of finding chocolates or other tasty treats on Sunday but he did hide an Easter egg of a different sort, which I found when I downloaded photos for this post.

He took this photo of Pipig in a pose signifying feline nirvana on her heating pad and left it for me to find when I used the camera for my IAVOM post

Visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to discover more IAVOM creations.

All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party