In a Vase on Monday: Tulips, my way

I regularly complain about my inability to grow tulips.  It's not for lack of trying.  I've purchased tulip bulbs several times, pre-chilling them before planting, only to have large-scale failures on each occasion.  Pre-sprouted tulips have become available here in recent years and I've tried those too but with only nominally better results.  Warm Santa Ana wind conditions are the chief problem; however, those winds don't bother most of my plants.  Looking at my Leucadendron 'Safari Goldstrike' this week, it occurred to me that, with the stems stripped of most of their green foliage, the colorful bracts might create a half-decent facsimile of a tulip.

What do you think?

I filled in with other flowers and foliage in chartreuse tones

Top view

This is what Leucadendron 'Goldstrike' looks like in my garden

I used stems of this mutant Aeonium bloom in the arrangement.  Aeoniums normally produce cone-shaped bloom spikes.

Clockwise from the upper left: Abelia 'Kaleidoscope', Aeonium arboreum, Euphorbia rigida, noID Narcissus, Prunus laurocerasus (aka English Laurel), Tanacetum parthenium (aka Feverfew) and, in the middle, Leucadendron 'Safari Goldstrike'

I created a second vase as usual.  I'd originally intended to put it together for Valentine's Day but as it was sopping wet outside for two solid days I didn't get to it until Saturday morning.  As Sunday was my wedding anniversary, it still seemed appropriate.

The centerpiece is Calliandra haematocephala (aka Pink Powder Puff)

but I think the real star is the pink and white-flowered Grevillea 'Penola'

I added some white Dianthus for contrast

Clockwise from the top: Calliandra haematocephala flower, buds of the same plant, Dianthus caryophyllus, and Grevillea lavandulacea 'Penola'.  The Calliandra flowers don't last long but I'm hoping, perhaps unrealistically, that the buds may open as the full-blown flower fades.

The house is flower-filled at the moment.  In addition to the two new vases, I have two tiny vases containing cast-offs from one of this week's vases and remnants of one of last week's vases, plus an orchid I received from my husband and another pot of orchids received from a lovely family that visited my garden on Saturday.

The two new vases landed in the usual spots on the dining and front-entry tables

Leftover stems from the first vase ended up in my tiny cactus-shaped vase.  I popped the stem of Globularia x indubia (aka Globe Daisy) from last week's arrangement into a tiny blue vase because I couldn't bear to throw it into the trash after so many of the tight buds had opened.

My husband bought me a Phalaenopsis to mark our anniversary.  The other pot was a gift from my visitors.  Both pots will join the other orchids in my lath house once the flowers are spent and temperatures warm.

I hope you find some color to brighten your week too.  Visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to see what she and her merry band of IAVOM contributors have to share this week.


All material © 2012-2019 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

Bloom Day!

I started this blog at the end of December so today marks my very first Bloom Day contribution.  For my friends who don't read garden blogs (i.e. 99.8% of you), Bloom Day is a monthly event hosted by blogger Carol of May Dream Gardens on the 15th of each month.  Participating bloggers from all over the U.S., as well as other countries, post pictures of what's in bloom in their gardens.

So, without further ado (or any commentary to speak of), here's some of what's currently blooming in my zone 10b garden:

Arbutus 'Marina"

Argyranthemum frutescens 'Bright Carmine'

Camellia japonica 'Taylor's Perfection'

Camellia sasanqua (variety unknown)

Cuphea ignea 'Kristen's Delight'

Cuphea aff. Aequipetela

Grevillea lavandulcea 'Penola'

Hebe speciosa 'Variegata'

Leptospermum scoparium 'Pink Pearl'

Nemesia 'Sunsatia Lemon'

Bauhinia x blakeana (aka Orchid Tree)

Osteospermum ecklonis '3D Silver'

Osteospermum 'Zion Red Copper'

Tibouchina urvilleana

Viola (no record of variety)

These are samples of what's in bloom.  I have a more varieties of Argyrantemum, Grevillea, Hebe and Osteospermum than I've shown here, all in bloom or coming into bloom.  My fondness for Violas is founded in childhood and I'm afraid I've got gobs of varieties of those but I've pictured just the little blue form shown above because I'm so taken by its sweetness.  For more views of what's blooming go to May Dreams Gardens for links to other gardening blogs.