Wednesday Vignette: Stalking a bumblebee

Although I'm lucky to have a healthy population of honey and mason bees, I rarely see bumblebees anymore, which is why I got excited when I saw that fat yellow and black creature buzzing about my massive Lupinus propinquus.  I ran in and grabbed my camera and was happy to find her still flitting from flower to flower when I returned.  My first couple of photos weren't great but I captured one pretty good shot before she grew too irritated with me and buzzed off.

Not the best shot but unmistakably a bumblebee

A good shot of the pollen sac she was carrying with her

This was my best shot I think, as well as my last - it's my Wednesday Vignette

The lupine appears to be a hit with both the bees and the birds.  The birds like to land on the plant's stiff stems and survey the surrounding area before taking a dip in the fountain.

House finch resting on the lupine's stem.  That house in the background is actually on the other side of the canyon that separates my neighborhood from the one to the east but the distance was foreshortened by the camera.

A male house finch entertaining 2 females in the fountain alongside the lupine

I found a few aphids attempting to set up shop on the lupine but I sent them packing (I hope).  Otherwise, the plant seems to be settling in nicely.

Although I continue to deadhead spent flowers, the lupine's branches continue to stretch further and further

For more Wednesday Vignettes, visit Anna at Flutter & Hum.


All material © 2012-2016 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: Who's up?

In preparing this week's post for "In a Vase on Monday," hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden, I realized that I've been making up vases in connection with this meme for 2 years now.  My first vase post was March 31, 2014 and I don't believe I've missed a week since then.  This amazes even me.  Some weeks, especially in late summer when the garden's usually at its lowest point, it's hard to find anything fit to share, although I can't claim the difficulties faced by participants in colder winter climates - even in summer, there are succulents to draw on here.  In spring I have the opposite problem - there are too many choices and I wander my garden dazed and confused.  Sometimes, a flower is just so outstanding, I find I have to do something with it.  At other times, like this week, it's more a matter of deciding who's due a turn at bat.  This week, Lupinus propinquus was up.

Front view

Back view

Top view

The perennial lupine is pretty but it isn't nearly as flashy - or as blue - as I'd expected it to be when I selected it from a mail order nursery.  However, it is vigorous.  Its branches stretch a good 6 feet wide already and it's only been in the ground for 5 months.  Cutting it back for use in this week's vase could be considered an act of self-defense on my part.  In a vase, though, its pale colors are almost upstaged by its companions.

Clockwise from the upper left, the vase contains: Lupinus propinquus (syn. Lupinus arboreus), noID Antirrhinum, Centranthus ruber 'Alba' (a weed here), Freesia, Lavandula stoechas 'Silver Anouk', Limonium perezii, the dainty blooms of Pelargonium tomentosum, and Pittosporum tobira 'Variegata'

As usual, I picked some flowers that didn't make it into the main event.  These ended up in a small vase.  Even though small, I like the way these "leftovers" came together.

The burgundy color in the Pelargonium echos the color of the rose

In addition to Pelargonium 'Oldbury Duet' (left) and Rosa 'Ebb Tide' (right), this vase contains stems of Pelargonium hybrid 'White Lady' and Cuphea ignea 'Starfire Pink'

Last week's vase didn't hold up well.  My beautiful 'Medallion' roses withered within 2 days.  I'm not sure why they fared so poorly, especially the one cut in bud, except that it was unusually warm that week and I cut the stems near mid-day.  I cut 3 more 'Medallion' roses late last week when rain caused their heads to droop.  The heavy blooms still hang their pretty heads but the flowers have fared better than the two I cut for the last "IAVOM" post.  The cooler weather was more hospitable for the roses, even if the storms brought us very little rain.

Two rainstorms brought us only 0.17 inches of rain in total over a 4-day period.  These clouds, photographed on Sunday morning from our backyard, brought us nothing at all but at least some areas to the east benefited.

The roses sit in the front entry.

Maybe I should try wiring their stems to hold up their heavy heads?

The vase containing the lupine cuttings got pride of place on the dining room table.

And the small vase sits on my desk.

Visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to see what she and others have assembled to fill their vases this week.


All material © 2012-2016 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party