In a Vase on Monday: Bits of this and that

We had a lovely - and unexpected - change in our weather on Friday.  Just after noon, as temperatures appeared to be heading back into the low 90sF (33C) where they'd been stuck for more than a week, fog blew in, immediately dropping our temperature by almost 10 degrees.  It stayed below 80F (26C) for the rest of the day and was followed by marine layers on Saturday and Sunday.  Will it last?  Who knows, but I'm enjoying it for now.  I know I complained about it when it persisted from April through June but, after weeks of hot weather, I appreciate its value.  Our humidity is high but then you can't have everything.

View of the back garden against the morning marine layer

July's heat put a quick end to many of the early summer flowers.  The Shasta daisies fried almost before they got started, the Agapanthus are already looking shaggy, and even the Salvias are withering.  My dahlias and zinnias are coming along but I don't know if I'll see many, if any, flowers from those plants before August.  I gathered bits of numerous flowers scattered throughout my garden to put together the following arrangement.

There's no real focal point to this arrangement.  It's more of an ensemble cast of flowers.

Back view

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Monarda 'Peter's Purple', Pandorea jasminoides, Polygala myrtifolia, Digitalis purpurea 'Dalmatian Purple', Scabiosa columbaria 'Deep Blue', S. c. 'Flutter Rose Pink', Viola 'Penny Peach', and Digitalis 'Dalmatian White'

 

My other arrangement this week features what may be the last of the lilies for the season.  It's essentially a more flamboyant spin on the red and white arrangement I created for Independence Day earlier this month.

Unlike my earlier arrangement featuring Lilium 'Pretty Woman' which contained a single lily bloom, this stem has 5 flowers, one of which is still in bud and another which is just unfurling.  'Pretty Woman' is one of the so-call "tree lilies" which are known for growing taller and more floriferous with age.

Back view, highlighting Daucus carota 'Dara'

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Alstroemeria 'Inca Vienna' (plus one stem of the nearly identical A. 'Inca Husky'), Daucus carota 'Dara', Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', and Lilium 'Pretty Woman'

 

 

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: A little of this and a little of that

My dahlias are coming along with buds on at least four plants thus far but, based on past experience, I suspect I have weeks to wait before I see flowers.  There are buds on three of the lilies that managed to avoid notice by the bunnies, at least one of which may open within the next week.  However, in the meantime, a few recent arrivals I noticed during my June Bloom Day survey provided guidance for this week's scavenger hunt.  

The color scheme for the first arrangement was set when I cut five stems of Daucus carota 'Dara'.  I didn't sow any wild carrot seeds this year but last year's plants freely seeded themselves about.

Pretty as they are, the Daucus 'Dara' blooms couldn't carry the arrangement by themselves and the flower-like bracts of Leucadendron 'Blush' ended up front and center with a supporting cast of 3 varieties of Alstroemeria from the 'Inca' series

Back view: The Leptospermum 'Copper Glow' I used as my foliage filler added a smattering of white blooms, the first this season from the 2 tree-sized shrubs in my front garden

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: mix of Alstroemeria 'Inca Lucky', 'Inca Husky', and 'Inca Vienna'; Daucus carota 'Dara'; Leptospermum 'Copper Glow'; and Leucadendron salignum 'Blush'

 The second arrangement was inspired by Monarda 'Peter's Purple', which returned for its third year.  I've never had luck with any other Monarda species.  This natural hybrid of M. fistulosa and M. bartlettii has earned a permanent place in my garden.

The flowering purple foxglove stems were already past their prime but I'm hoping to get at least several days from them before they completely fall apart

Back view, dressed up with a few stems of Salvia canariensis, now consisting mostly of bracts

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Digitalis purpurea, Eustoma grandiflorum (aka Lisianthus), Grevillea sericea, the unusual flowers of Melaleuca thymifolia, Monarda 'Peter's Purple', and Salvia canariensis var candidissima

 

I cut a few flowers that didn't make it into either of the above arrangements that I trimmed to fit a tiny vase.

The Penstemon mexicalli 'Red Mini-bells' flowers were too short and the Pelargonium sidioides flowers too skimpy to show up in either of the larger vases.  Other leftovers include a burgundy flower of Pelargonium peltatum and tiny stems of the Grevillea and the Monarda.

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

All material © 2012-2022 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: I've got lilies!

The truth is, I don't know much about lilies, except that they have a reputation for being short-lived in Southern California.  Last year, in a fit of pandemic-related frustration with my limited planting options, I ordered two varieties of what were called "tree lily" bulbs from a catalog I was flipping through.  Although I was careful planting them, I had very low expectations so I was frankly surprised when I saw three plants pop up in the back garden and another three in the front garden this spring.  I was even more surprised when they developed buds.  The buds slowly grew larger and larger but, as temperatures rose, I began to fear that an ill-timed heatwave would take them out before they bloomed.  However, all five buds of the 'Pretty Woman' variety bloomed this past week.  (I'm still waiting for blooms from 'Purple Prince'.)  As we're currently in a heatwave, I went ahead and cut one stem of two blooms for "In a Vase on Monday," the meme hosted by Cathy of Rambling in the Garden.

The seller didn't identify the lily's classification but a little online research revealed that it's an Orienpet interdivisional hybrid, bred by crossing trumpet lilies from China with Japanese lily hybrids.  They reportedly tolerate more heat and require less winter chill than lilies originating from Japan.

Back view: I wasn't sure what to combine with flowers as flashy as the lilies but I kept to a relatively restrained color palette

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Abelia grandiflora 'Hopley's Variegated', white Agapanthus, Daucus carota 'Dara', pale green Eustoma grandiflorum (aka Lisianthus), Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', and hybrid Lilium 'Pretty Woman'

Flower arranging was interrupted by my cat Pipig, as she announced her entrance to the house from her enclosed catio with an unearthly yowl.  I dropped what I was doing to intercept her, knowing that there were two possibilities: either she was in acute distress of some kind or she was bringing me a "present."  It was quickly evident it was the latter.  When she reached the dining room rug, she sat down, opened her jaws and released a lizard.  The lizard was very much alive and skittered away so quickly I had only a general idea of its direction.  Pipig herself lost track of it and, disgusted (or perhaps just confused), she soon turned tail and walked back through the cat-flap to her catio.  My husband and I conducted a search, moving some furniture and checking underneath appliances with a flashlight, but we couldn't find it.  I returned to flower arranging, hoping that the lizard would reappear on its own.

As my purple foxgloves were developing crispy brown edges, I created a second arrangement including them and other flowers in related colors.

While the short stems of the foxgloves set the color scheme, the flowers of Monarda 'Peter's Purple' stole the show

Back view

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Abelia grandiflora 'Edward Goucher', Delphinium 'Pacific Giant', Digitalis purpurea, hybrid Monarda 'Peter's Purple', Polygala fruticosa, and Scabiosa columbaria 'Flutter Rose Pink'

Fortunately, a few hours later, I sighted the lizard sitting in a floor-level windowsill staring out at the garden.  My husband and I managed to corral him using two small plastic storage containers and a piece of cardboard and I escorted him outside.  The house is once again lizard-free!

The lizard appeared stunned to find himself back outside, some distance from his point of origin in Pipig's catio.  Meanwhile, when I checked on her, Pipig looked annoyed.  Whether that was because I hadn't properly appreciated her gift or because she wanted an opportunity to wander around outside to look for more lizards, I can't say.

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

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

In a Vase on Monday: Funky and Frilly

I wasn't at all sure my first arrangement was going to look like much but earlier this week, when I nearly tripped over the single 'Purple 'Romagna' artichoke in my back border, I decided I "needed" to use it in a floral arrangement.  I'd actually planned to do so more than a month ago when I first saw the purple choke but I forgot about it and, when I next noticed it, it was more green than purple.  This week it was glowing a ruby-magenta color.  Some of the plants I'd envisioned pairing with it were disappointing but, overall, I'm satisfied with the arrangement even if the choke and its foliage stabbed me several times before I was done.

The arrangement deserved an unusual vase and this one, given to me as a gift a couple of years ago, fit the bill

The arrangement required a few touches of white to lift it up a bit, which was supplied by the first sprays of white flowers on Leptospermum 'Copper Glow' and two Renga Lily stems (Arthropodium cirratum)

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Allium sphaerocephalon (aka drumstick allium), Monarda 'Peter's Purple', Arthropodium cirratum, Gomphrena decumbens 'Itsy Bitsy', foliage and flowers of Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', and Cynara scolymus 'Purple Romagna'

My second arrangement is more conventional.  It made use of the Agapanthus blooms that are currently plentiful here but the inspiration was actually provided by two Delphinium stems that made it through last week's heatwave in my well-watered cutting garden.  While much of California and the US Southwest did indeed sizzle under the "heat dome" last week, my area got off relatively easy.  We peaked at 93F (33.9C) on Tuesday before settling into the low-mid 80s for the rest of the week, thanks to our persistent morning marine layer.  People complain about our "June Gloom" but I love it and I won't be at all sad if we get a "No Sky July" and a "Fogust" too.  After an exceptionally dry rainy season, we need all the moisture we can get.

The ruffled Shasta daisies gave the arrangement a little extra something

Back view

Top view: While photographing the individual elements in this arrangement, I was struck by how similar the innermost flowers of Orlaya grandiflora (Minoan lace) are when compared to Coriandrum sativum (aka cilantro/coriander) 

Top row: blue and white Agapanthus and variegated Helichrysum petiolare
Middle row: Coriandrum sativum, Orlaya grandiflora, and Leucanthemum x superbum
Bottom row: dark and light blue stems of Delphinium 'Pacific Giants' mix and Salvia 'Mystic Spires'

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

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

In a Vase on Monday: Picking flowers in the rain

It rained on Sunday morning.  If you've read my blog for any length of time, you know I get very excited about rain.  We get a lot less of it than many of you do, and rain in summer is particularly surprising.  I saw the forecast that said we had a 30% chance of precipitation but, unless I see predictions of 80% or higher, I don't put much stock in them so I was delighted.  Our rooftop weather system registered 0.07/inch, not a lot by any means but enough to fill my empty 50-gallon rain tank.  It drizzled as I rounded the garden picking flowers.  It was wonderful!  It provided a much nicer start to the day than walking out the back door straight into the path of a coyote as I did last Tuesday.

This week I had in mind exactly what I wanted to cut for today's vases and I actually stuck to my plan, more or less.  The flower-like bracts of the Leucadendron 'Safari Sunset' in my back garden was the inspiration for my first vase.

There are actually two Leucadendron here.  The cones and bracts of 'Safari Sunset' on the right are larger than those of 'Devil's Blush' on the left but about the same color.

I was happier with this mix of plants when they were in the jar I used while collecting the stems than I am with the finished product shown here.  Do you ever have that experience?

Back view: I cut the glossy green foliage of the cherry laurels (Prunis ilicifolia) grown as a hedge along one property line as I felt I needed a sharp contrast with the deep red of the Leucadendron.  The cherry laurels are in the process of developing their fruit but it's still green.  Stems with red fruit would've made a nice color echo.

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Leucadendron 'Safari Sunset', Abelia grandiflora 'Edward Goucher', Ammi majus 'Dara', Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', shaggy Leucanthemum x superbum, Prunus ilicifolia, and Scabiosa columbaria 'Flutter Rose Pink' 

My blue Lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum) are full of flowers at the moment but I was challenged to find something different to pair with them until I decided to cut stems of Cuphea ignea 'Starfire Pink'.  I'm not sure I've cut any of the latter this year even though I have ten of these shrubs in full bloom at the moment.  Hummingbirds and bees adore these shrubs.

It's hard to compete with Lisianthus but Monarda 'Peter's Purple' is giving it a good try.  This Monarda is the only one I've ever managed to grow in my garden.

Back view: The white Pandorea jasminoides (aka bower vine) was a last minute addition.  I had the stems arranged at the front of the vase at first but they didn't complement the Lisanthus as well as they do the Cuphea so I moved them to the back, where they look a little like the flounce on a skirt.

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Eustoma grandiflorum, Pandorea jasminoides, Monarda 'Peter's Purple', Cuphea ignea 'Starfire Pink', and Salvia leucophylla x clevelandii 'Pozo Blue'

As I had leftover stems, I threw together a third vase, which may be my personal favorite this week.  It's not as fussy as the other two arrangements, which makes it perfect for the kitchen island.

I used the extra stems of Abelia, Ammi majus, and Scabiosa here and tucked a few stems on Origanum 'Monterey Bay' in the back

The other arrangements took their places on the dining and front entry tables respectively.

For more arrangements created from floral and foliage materials found in the creators' own gardens, visit our IAVOM host, Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.


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