In a Vase on Monday: Simple versus overcrowded

I'm prone to stuffing my vases to the hilt but I managed to keep my first floral arrangement very simple for a change.

I'd left this deep coral-colored Hippeastrum in a pot tucked into a shady corner last year without any expectation of it blooming so its arrival was a surprise.  It was sold to me as 'Appleblossom', which it most certainly isn't, but I've yet to put a name to the cultivar.

I've treated the first view as the "front" of the arrangement but this side view shows off the large trumpet flower to greater advantage

Back view: My ever-blooming Grevillea 'Superb' provided the perfect accent

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Grevillea 'Superb', noID Hippeastrum, and Leucadendron 'Safari Sunset'

However, a leopard can't change its spots.  My second arrangement went off the rails and is a tangled mess by comparison to the first arrangement.  An airier combination might have done more to show off the individual elements but, once again, I couldn't help myself.

My foxgloves have been relatively disappointing thus far this year but 2 giant bloom stalks in separate areas of the garden provided the inspiration for this arrangement

Back view: I added 2 tall stems of Salvia canariensis as a filler, along with 2 equally tall but slender stems of Arthropodium cirratum (aka Renga lily)

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left: white Antirrhinum majus, Arthropodium cirratum, Lathyrus odoratus 'April in Paris', pinkish  and purple foxfloves (Digitalis purpurea), Nigella papillosa 'African Bride', Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata', and Salvia canariensis var candidissima

We had cooler weather last week but we're expecting another warm-up this week.  Temperatures up to 90F (32C) are predicted for the inland valleys.  Online sources suggest that our temperatures along the coast shouldn't soar above the low 70s (23C); however, I'm keeping in mind those sources were wrong about the impact of the last heatwave to hit Southern California.  Nevertheless, I'm hopeful they're right this time as I spent the weekend planting a couple of the beds left empty when I removed some flammable specimens - another round of temperatures in the mid-90sF wouldn't be helpful at this stage.

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

All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: Odd company

The removal of some twenty plants from my garden is scheduled today, with the crew expected to arrive at 8am.  Yesterday, when it came time to select materials for IAVOM, I decided once again to select flowers that might be in harm's way as collateral damage is virtually inevitable with work like that.

My first vase made use of a Hippeastrum and stems of an Alstroemeria in a bed occupied by two large shrubs destined for removal, one of which tree-sized.

The small touches of peachy-pink in the Alstroemeria 'Claire' led me to add stems of peachy Aeonium flowers, which in turn led to the inclusion of the coral-pink flowers of Grevillea 'Superb' and snapdragons sporting similar colors

Back view: The combination surprised me as it's a bolder mix than usual for me but I like it

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left: Aeonium haworthii 'Kiwi Verde', Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Alstroemeria 'Claire', Antirrhinum majus, Grevillea 'Superb', and Hippeastrum 'Luna'

I hadn't intended to use the Salvia lanceolata I used last week again but I ended up doing so when I caught sight of Iris 'Lion King' blooming in my back garden border.  All my other Dutch Iris had already finished blooming and I'd given up on 'Lion King'.  As I recall, I've previously combined its flowers with Salvia africana-lutea but Salvia lanceolata is actually a better match so I cut more stems of the latter, as it's on my list to be removed.

Dutch Iris 'Lion King' looks very copper-colored in my photos but it actually has burgundy tones in its petals

I clipped a few of the first flowers of Achillea 'Moonshine' to fill out the back of the vase.  I associate those flowers with summer so it seems too early for them but I noticed that my Agapanthus are also developing buds.  I hope summer's heat isn't on their heels!

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left: Abelia grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope', Achillea 'Moonshine', Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Iris hollandica 'Lion King', Leucospermum 'High Gold', and Salvia lanceolata

For more IAVOM creations, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden, the gracious garden blogger that hosts this meme on a weekly basis, come rain or shine.

All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: Pinks, purples and blues

After more than a week of unusually warm, summer-like temperatures, it's cooled dramatically the past couple of days, varying from the upper 50sF (14C) to the low 60sF (17C).  The marine layer has returned as well, hanging on into the mid-afternoon.  There's even a chance of rain on Friday, although I'm not laying any odds on that yet.

I cut more flowers than I'd planned, and ended up with three arrangements this week.  The first one is very pink.

I cut a single Hippeastrum flower, rescuing it from the ravages of an earwig insect

Back view: the pink edging the Hippeastrum's petals directed me to complement that bloom with pink and white Alstroemeria and snapdragon stems

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left: noID Alstroemeria, pink and white Antirrhinum majus, Argyranthemum frutescens, Hippeastrum 'Aphrodite', and Leptospermum 'Copper Glow' (foliage)

My second arrangement was inspired by the dark purple bearded Iris at the bottom of our back slope.  The flowers were admittedly looking a little battered but I cut them anyway, along with a stem bearing two unopened buds.

Although the Irises were intended to be the centerpiece of the arrangement, I think the flowering stems of the Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata' (aka mint bush) stole the show

Back view

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left: Ageratina (possibly A. adenophora), noID Iris germanica, Osteospermum '4D Pink', Phlomis purpurea, Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata, and Scabiosa 'Flutter Deep Blue'

I initially cut a few blue Echium stems for the purple arrangement but they didn't fit well so I ended up with a third arrangement, embellishing them with two stems of another bearded Iris.

The third arrangement ended up on the kitchen island.  The vase contains more Ageratina, Echium webbii, and Iris germanica 'Gilt Edge'

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

All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: Dark & dramatic or light & bright?

There's still a lot to choose from and more than enough in my garden to fill two vases.  We even had a tiny amount of rain this past weekend.  It was just 0.07/inch over two days but every little bit helps.  There's also a good chance of rain in the wee hours of Monday morning but, as I schedule these posts to publish first thing in the morning, I won't be able to confirm that until I get an opportunity to sit down at my computer and Monday mornings are usually busy.

My first arrangement is centered around one of my favorite Hippeastrums, commonly known as the butterfly amaryllis.

I received a Hippeastrum papilio from my friend PZ earlier this year and managed to get hold of a couple more bulbs by mail after another seller cancelled the order I placed back in December.  I didn't actually think any would bloom this spring but they have.  I cut 2 stems plus one produced by Hippeastrum 'Evergreen'.

Off-the-cuff, I wasn't sure what I had on hand to accent the red and green colors of the butterfly amaryllis but I found more than enough.  The "purple" Ranunculus closely echoes the burgundy in the amaryllis but it lends a heavy weight to the back of the arrangement, which could use more lime green.

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Erysimum 'Winter Orchid', Helleborus 'Red Lady', Heuchera maxima, Hippeastrum 'Evergreen', H; papilio, and noID purple Ranunculus

I'd originally planned to put together a second arrangement using Iris hollandica 'Eye of the Tiger' but that's another dark and moody flower and these days I find I need something bright and cheerful to look at each week.  The world seems very dark and depressing of late.

You can't get much more cheerful than a white and yellow arrangement

Back view

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left: Abelia grandiflora 'Radiance', Antirrhinum majus, Freesia, Iris hollandica 'Casa Blanca', Leucospermum 'High Gold', Narcissus 'Geranium', and Phlomis fruticosa

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

All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: Dutch Iris blooms signal spring

In my view, spring isn't defined by a date on the calendar.  My garden tells me when it's spring.  It does creep in slowly, with one bloom here and another there.  I ask myself if this or that flower is a fluke, the result of a brief warm spell or its placement in a particularly sunny spot.  But some signals are clear.  In the case of my garden, the first blooms of Dutch Iris represent solid evidence that spring has arrived.  The majority of the bulbs sprouted six to eight weeks ago but the first blooms appeared last week.

A mix of Iris hollandica 'Sapphire Blue' and Leucospermum 'High Gold' is one one of my traditional combinations, as the Leucospermum usually blooms on a similar schedule

Back view: I used stems of Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt' as a filler.  That felt appropriate both because the Acacia is sporting its tiny puffy yellow flowers at the moment and because I'm struggling with the prospect of removing some or possibly all of my Acacias in response to Los Angeles County's new "defensible space clearance" ordinance.  Acacias have been called out as one of several flammable plants of particular concern.

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left: Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt', Anemone coronaria 'Mr Fokker', Eustoma grandiflorum (aka Lisianthus), Freesia, Iris hollandica 'Sapphire Blue', and Leucospermum 'High Gold'

I took advantage of another Hippeastrum 'Marilyn' bloom for my second arrangement.  The flower was so top heavy that the plant turned on its side during last week's rainstorm, even though the rain never came down hard.  The stem of another of these bulbs snapped.  Overall, it hasn't been a great year for the Hippeastrum bulbs I potted up in December but I remain hopeful that the bulbs I planted in the ground last year will perform better if/when they bloom in late spring or early summer.

The Hippeastrum's petals turn white as the flower matures but it starts out with a definitely greenish tinge, leading me to lean into pastel flowers in lavender and mauve

Back view: I flip-flopped a couple of times when deciding which side of the vase should be treated as the front.  The vase itself is very narrow when viewed from the side.

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left: Anemone coronaria 'Mistral Rarity', Freesia in shades of pale lavender and pale yellow with touches of lavender, Hippeastrum 'Marilyn', and Polygala myrtifolia

Last week's rain totaled 0.44/inch but the two storms coming this week are expected to deliver more than an inch.  Originally projected to arrive on Monday, it now looks like the first one will be delayed until Tuesday afternoon.  In any case, the rain is projected to continue into early Friday.  Yet another storm is possible early in the following week.  We're still running significantly below average for our rainy season, which generally ends in April, but at least things don't look as sad as they did at its start.

For more IAVOM creations, check in with Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to discover what other contributors have to offer.

All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: Plenty of flowers to choose from!

With spring already off to a roaring start here, there were plenty of flowers to choose from on Sunday.  However, with the wind blowing and the skies showing the possibility of rain, I hustled to cut materials for two vases before breakfast.  As it turned out, the promise of rain never materialized, although it remained windy and cold all day.  (Our version of "cold" means that temperatures ranged from the low-to-mid 50sF/10-13C.)

I cut just three stems of my favorite Leucospermum (because I couldn't bear to cut more this early in the season) but I'm not entirely happy with the flowers I selected to accompany them.  The mix is a bit busy for my liking.

The Leucospermum's pollen presenters have a pale lavender color when in bud but, as the flowers open more fully, the pink elements gain more prominence .  I chose to emphasize the pink but in retrospect I think I should've skipped the flashy Alstroemeria stems.

Back view

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left: Alstroemeria 'Inca Vienna', noID pink Alstroemeria, Coleonema pulchellum 'Sunset Gold', Leucospermum 'Spider Hybrid', Anemone coronaria 'Rarity', A. c. 'Rosa Chiaro', Sparaxis tricolor, and Narcissus 'Katie Heath'

My second arrangement made use of flowers that may not be available to me much longer.  I didn't have high expectations for it but I'm relatively pleased with it overall.  It was inspired by the fluffy red flowers of Calliandra haematocephala (aka red powder puff) but anchored by one of Hippeastrums currently rushing to the plant's seasonal finish line.

I have 4 Calliandra shrubs, all of them planted by a prior owner as foundation plants alongside the house and garage.  With a new ordinance requiring removal of plants that could provide fuel in the event of a wildfire, I'm afraid I may have to remove all of them, as well as other shrubs close to the house.

Back view: I'd originally planned to stick with a red and white color scheme but I added touches of soft yellow to give the arrangement more verve.  The elements could have used a bit more space but the heavy Hippeastrum demanded the support offered by this vase.

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left: Calendula officianalis 'Cantaloupe Mix', Freesia, Leptospermum 'Copper Glow' foliage, Calliandra haematocephala, Grevillea lavandulacea 'Penola', Hippeastrum 'Elvas', and noID Narcissus 

Although Sunday's rainstorm passed us by, both weather services I check currently show a seventy percent chance of rain this coming Wednesday so I remain hopeful I'll be able to replenish my collection tanks.  I need something to be hopeful for - the daily news about the performance of our country's leaders becomes more depressing and disgraceful with every passing day.  I think the tide is turning but that can't happen fast enough.

For more IAVOM creations, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden, who leads the merry Monday band of ardent amateur flower arrangers.

All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party