In a Vase on Monday: Lurid or lovely?

Dutch Iris 'Eye of the Tiger' burst into bloom last week.  Last year, when the blooms first appeared, I considered pulling up the bulbs but the color of the flowers grew on me so I left them in place.  I used the flowers in one arrangement last year but I didn't want to duplicate the mix this time around.  However, the colors I combined this time were much the same even if the accent materials I used were different (with one exception).

The falls of Iris 'Eye of the Tiger' open in a bronze color, gradually transitioning to maroon, while the standards are a dark purple

Back view: Like last year I played off the gold "eyes" in the Iris falls using yellow flowers, this time choosing the Dr Seuss-like flowers of Phlomis fruticosa

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Abelia 'Kaleidoscope', Phlomis fruticosa (aka Jerusalem sage), Xylosma congestum, Iris hollandica 'Eye of the Tiger', and Limonium perezii (aka sea lavender)

 

The inspiration for my second arrangement was the 'Cynthia' species tulips.  As in prior years, 'Cynthia' lagged her cousin 'Lady Jane' by several weeks.  The Ixia bulb blooms and Alstroemeria 'Inca Sundance' showed up just in time to join in.

The partially open buds of Alstroemeria 'Inca Sundance' mirror the appearance of the 'Cynthia' species tulips.  The flowers of 'Inca Sundance' should open fully within a day or so.  The tulips should open fully with mid-day sun exposure in our front entry.

Back view: I've got a noID pink Alstroemeria that leans to the yellow end of the color spectrum and another that leans blue.  I used the former to fill in the back of the arrangement.

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt', Ixia (aka African corn lilies and wand flowers), Alstroemeria 'Inca Vienna', noID pink Alstroemeria, A. 'Inca Sundance', Tulipa clusiana 'Cynthia', and Xylosma congestum

 

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

All material © 2012-2023 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: Is it already summer?

Did you know that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the US government agency charged with following climate issues, has formulated new definitions of "normal" temperatures?   It makes sense to me given the frequency with which weather forecasters project temperatures significantly above "normal."  Yesterday afternoon, the temperature here peaked just above 87F (30.6C) and today's high temperature is expected to be comparable.  Santa Ana wind conditions are in effect, which means our humidity is also very low, sparking wildfire concerns.  Many spring blooms are beating a hasty retreat and, concerned that others may follow on their heels, I cut a lot of them to bring inside.

In addition to the newest foxglove to appear in my cutting garden, I cut stems of the flowering redbud and the first sweet peas to make an appearance.  I was perplexed by the sweet pea flowers as I didn't recall sowing seeds that bloom in that color but, as a subtle change was evident in some of the flowers, I believe this must be 'Blue Shift', which are said to transition from violet-purple to blue as they age.

Back view: The original snapdragons I planted from a pony-pack of plugs last fall are still producing pristine blooms, free of rust, unlike my more recent additions

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: white Antirrhinum majus, Cercis occidentalis (aka western redbud), self-seeded Coriandrum sativum (aka cilantro/coriander), Helleborus 'Phoebe', Lathyrus odoratus 'Blue Shift' (probably), Pelargonium cucullatum 'Flore Pleno', P. 'Lemona', Scabiosa columbaria 'Flutter Rose Pink' and, in the center, Digitalis purpurea

I'd hoped to use the fluffy lavender blooms of Ageratum corymbosum in my second arrangement but they're already fading so I pivoted and instead cut several Ixia blooms that appeared just days ago.  They inspired a pink, white and yellow color scheme.  I wasn't entirely happy with it but, as it was already getting very warm, I decided against deliberating any further.

In retrospect, I think I should have skipped the pink snapdragons and Alstroemeria, although they do pick up on the color of the fingernails in the clasped hands vase

Back view

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Alstroemerias 'Claire', 'Inca Sundance' and noID pink; pink and white Antirrhinum majus; noID Ixia (aka wand flowers or African corn lilies); Osteospermum 'Double Moonglow'; and Pelargonium 'White Lady'

I'd cut a couple stems of yellow snapdragons to include in the second vase but the nearly fluorescent yellow of those flowers was jarring so I popped them into a tiny vase for my home office.

The color of the snapdragon is very like that of Dahlia 'Kelvin Floodlight', if you've ever seen that.  I added Centranthus ruber 'Albus' as an accent. 

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

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

Favorite Plants this March

I'm a little late with this post but there's been a lot to do in the garden this month and blog posts must be squeezed in.  Despite the unseasonable heat we've experienced this month, new plants and flowers keep making an appearance, which has also made choosing a favorite plant more difficult.  This week I've given preferential treatment to the Ixia hybrids growing in my backyard borders, in part because I don't think they'll hold up as long as some of the other contenders.

Ixia photographed in my backyard border

Ixia, also known as corn lilies and wand flowers, are native to South Africa and grow from corms.  They do especially well in hot, dry climates like mine but they can grow in colder climates if they're pulled up and stored during the winter months. Some growers recommend pulling them up in areas that receive summer rain as well; however, with good drainage, mine don't seem to have a problem with the irrigation they receive in summer.

They have upright grass-like foliage and look best grown in groups.

In a warm, dry climates they may remain in place until they become so crowded that flowering diminishes

Flowers may be cream, yellow, red, orange or pink and they often have center splotches that contrast with the petals.   All those I've seen in garden centers have been offered in mixed assortments.  Interestingly, all those I planted in 2013 have bloomed in shades of cream and yellow while all those I planted last year, also labeled as a mixture, have bloomed with magenta petals.

I haven't seen any orange or red blooms yet!

The Ixia hybrids are my favorite plants this week.  I'm joining Loree at danger garden in flaunting this month's favorites.  You can see her March favorites here.  Earlier this month, I featured 2 other favorites, Arctotis hybrid 'Pink Sugar' and Pelargonium peltatum 'Crocodile.'

You can read my March 6th post about Arctotis 'Pink Sugar' here

And my March 13th post about Pelargonium peltatum 'Crocodile' can be found here

All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: Florapalooza

Despite last week's heatwave, there's a lot blooming in my garden at present.  While a few things, like the daffodils, perished in the heat, new blooms are steadily appearing - apparently spring is not going to allow summer to take over the garden quite yet.  I noticed that more Hippeastrum had bloomed in my street-side bed last week and I'd targeted one of those for this week's "In a Vase on Monday," the meme hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden, but it was already past its prime when I went to cut it.  Nonetheless, there were a lot of other flowers to choose from and, because another heatwave is on its way, I cut more than I usually would and ended up with 3 vases.  A florapalooza!

The 3 finished vases

Most of my Alstroemeria are blooming.  They provided the focus of my first vase.

This vase contains:

• Alstroemeria in varying pink shades (no ID)
• Argyrantemum frutescens 'Butterfly'
• Coleonema album 
• Leucanthemum x superbum, ruffled variety

While some of the pink Alstroemeria, like this one, have blue undertones, others are closer to coral pink, but as all had touches of white and yellow, I used those colors in an effort to harmonize the collection 

This is the first of my Leucanthemum to bloom

My Eustoma grandiflorum 'Blue Borealis' is blooming for its second season and, since I'd already lost a few to the last heatwave, I decided to cut this one as the centerpiece of a purple-hued bouquet.  It turned out a bit too heavy on the purple and I think the Eustoma got lost in the mix.  

I should have substituted more white Coleonema for some of the purple Limonium

In addition to the Eustoma, I used:

• Anemone coronaria (it didn't respond well to the heat either and the bloom included here is a pale imitation of the earlier flowers
• Argyranthemum frutescens, pale yellow variety (no ID)
• Cerinthe major
• Coleonema album
• Ixia (aka African corn lilies), yellow and magenta varieties
• Lavandula multifida (aka fernleaf lavender)
• Limonium perezii (aka Statice)

The blue Eustoma isn't as large as the blooms the plants produced last year but it still provides a good facsimile of a blue rose

Coleonema album, shown here with fernleaf lavender, is available in profusion this time of year 

I always forget about the Ixia in my garden until they bloom - I pulled them out of the first vase because they got lost but they don't really work in this one either

The paper-like flowers of Limonium perezii are often used in dried flower arrangements

The last vase, just 3 inches tall, contains leftover tidbits of Coleonema, Pelargonium peltatum 'Pink Blizzard' and dwarf Fuchsia 'Windchimes Neon & White.'

The last vase ended up in the guest bathroom.  The first one landed on the dining room table and the purple vase is sitting in the front entryway.

Unfortunately, the fragrance of the Coleonema (aka Breath of Heaven) doesn't quite mask the musty scent of the Leucanthemum but perhaps that will fade 

The Eustoma shows up a bit better here

I thought the purple arrangement looked better in the photo taken in the bright light of the entryway than it did in the photo taken in the kitchen.  Pipig, however, wasn't impressed.

Or perhaps she was just affronted by the attention the flowers were getting when she knows the focus should be on her

Visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to see what she's found for her vase this week.  Link up if you have a vase to share!

All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

April Bloom Day

Spring is well underway in Southern California.  There's a lot in bloom.  While the spring bulbs have mostly finished up, many of the other plants I showed last month are still in bloom.  I'll try not to repeat myself too much.

In the front yard, the roses have just started to bloom.

I have no ID on this rose but I'd love to get more

This 'Joseph's Coat' climber was attacked by aphids last month but is now recovering

6 'Pink Meidiland' shrub roses growing in my front beds are all coming into bloom

Other new bloomers in the front garden include 2 Pelargoniums and an annual Schizanthus:

Pelargonium x hortorum 'Tweedle Dee' (I think)

Pelargonium 'Georgia Peach'

Schizanthus pinnatus

In the side yard, all 12 of the Phlomis fruticosa are now in full bloom.

Phlomis fruticosa blooming in a shade bed

I added annual Nemophilia menziesii to what was once a shade bed, which is in full sun since removal of our 60 foot Eucalyptus tree.  The area is buffeted by daily winds and, as a result, these plants lean to one side.

Nemophila menziesii (Baby Blue Eyes), photographed from its good side

The same Baby Blue Eyes photographed from their bad side

I recently added yet another Osteospermum, one of my go-to groundcover plants, to the side yard to complement my Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt' (not shown here).

Osteospermum hybrid 'Sunny Amanda' 

A fuchsia is already blooming in a pot on the small patio on the side of the house.

Fuchsia 'Deep Purple" in pot

The border in the back yard has been undergoing a face lift since fall began as I try to figure out what plants do well here.  Over the past several months, I've added plants, moved others and pulled out still others.  A few are on probation.

This Alstroemeria, shown in last month's post, is a keeper

This Alstroemeria, positioned 10-12 feet from the other one, is also a keeper

This daylily, a dormant variety (no ID) positioned right next to the Alstroemeria shown above, is already showing its first blooms, presenting a troublesome color clash

Aquilegia hybrid 'Spring Magic,' put in last year, came back with a bang this spring

I put this Arenaria montana (sandwort) in as an edging plant last year from a 6-pack but pulled most of it when it failed to perform.  It looks great this year and I want more!

I just added this Cosmos 'Double Click."  I've admired photos of it in catalogs and, when I found it by chance, had to try it out.

This 'Ebb Tide' rose is new.  The color nicely echoes the Cuphea shown below, which is planted in front of it.

Cuphea aff. Aequipetala with Nemesia that returned from last year

Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata', added last year as a foliage accent, is blooming for the first time

Erysimum linifolium 'Variegatum' is a workhorse that looks good in and out of bloom

One of my new favorite Osteospermums, 'Zion Copper Amethyst' sits in the "warm" color section of my long back border

Ixia, planted last fall, are the only spring bulbs just coming into bloom.  I like how it complements the Abelia 'Kaleidoscopes' planted nearby

The "dry garden" on the other side of the house also has a lot of blooming plants, although some of these could be construed as weeds.

Centranthus ruber and Zantedeschia both spread like weeds

Cuphea ignea 'Starfire Pink" behaves itself but Geranium incanum does not

More Geranium incanum, paired here with Thymus 'Pink Chintz'

My favorite Euphorbia, 'Dean's Hybrid,' is "flowering"

Genista canariensis

Bearded Iris inherited from a prior owner

Leptospermum scoparium 'Pink Pearl," which began blooming in January, is still in bloom!

Oenothera speciosa 'Siskiyou' (aka Pink Evening Primrose) spreads like a weed, albeit a pretty one

The California poppies, planted last year from seed, are in full bloom in my vegetable garden.

Eschscholzia californica

I even have an orchid blooming in my home office.

Orchid, an anniversary gift from my husband in February, is still going strong

Today is Garden Blogger's Bloom Day.  You can view more blooms at Carol's May Dream Gardens site.