In a Vase on Monday: A change in direction

Saturday evening I had a clear idea what I was going to do to fill two vases.  However, on Sunday morning I changed my direction on both.  Maybe the arrangements I'd originally envisioned will materialize next week.

The first arrangement I went with was inspired by Dahlia 'Lady Darlene'.  The plant produced its first two flowers late last week.  The first bloom was humongous and I couldn't deny it its time in the limelight.  In contrast, the dahlia I'd originally eyed for my first vase still has a little way to go before it's fully open.

The older, fully developed flower of 'Lady Darlene' is on the left and the newer bloom is on the right

I dressed up the back view with a single bloom of Dahlia 'La Luna'.  I also tucked in another, very short-stemmed Dahlia 'Excentric', visible on the lower left.

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Cuphea 'Honeybells', Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', Plectranthus scutellarioides 'Florida Sun Rose' (aka coleus), Dahlia 'Lady Darlene', D. 'La Luna', D. 'Excentric', Zinnia elegans 'Raspberry Limeade', and Z. e. 'Benary's Giant Wine'.  The last was a brighter, lighter version of the zinnias I cut last week but it has to be the product of the same seeds I sowed back in June.

The second arrangement features Dahlia 'Mikayla Miranda', which is one of my favorites.  It's currently producing a mass of flowers and I noted evidence that a grasshopper has been nibbling on the petals of a couple of its blooms so I decided to cut them before they were lost.

I added stems of Polygala myrtifolia (aka sweet pea shrub) and Symphyotrichum chilense to fill out the arrangement.  Some readers may recall that I tried to remove the aster in 2021 - well, 2 years of good rain brought it back.

This back view could have used a cleanup but so it goes

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt', Leucadendron laxum, Symphyotrichum chilense, Dahlia 'Mikayla Miranda, and Polygala myrtifolia

We were lucky to have lower-than-average temperatures from last Thursday through the weekend but they're expected to climb again as the workweek kicks off, possibly continuing through the end of the month and into September.  I gather that there's a nominal chance of monsoonal moisture blowing into Southern California, although absent that happening, forecasts continue to suggest a dry fall season.

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

All material © 2012-2024 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: Dahlias aplenty

While several varieties of dahlias have yet to make an appearance, those that have shown up are producing more than I can cut in one sitting.  I have three arrangements this week, all of which feature at least one dahlia.

 

Vase #1:

I've grown very fond of Dahlia 'La Luna' with its creamy petals highlighted with pale yellow streaks.  I planted the tuber last year and it did nothing.  For some reason, I neglected to pull the tuber when I cleared the raised beds in my cutting garden last fall.  To my surprise the tuber germinated this year and has gone on to bloom heavily.

Back view: I'm less fond of the yellow dahlia that was supposed to be 'French Can Can'.  My best guess is that it may be Dahlia 'Kelvin Floodlight'.

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Abelia grandiflora 'Hopley's Variegated', Cosmos bipinnatus, Zinnia elegans 'Lemon Peach', Dahlia 'La Luna', Hymenocallis festalis 'Zwanenburg' (aka Peruvian daffodil), Leucadendron 'Jubilee Crown', and noID yellow Dahlia

 

Vase #2:

Dahlia 'Labyrinth' was meant to have the starring role in this arrangement but Dahlia 'Summer's End' took center stage

Back view

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Abelia grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope', Leucadendron salignum 'Chief', Dahlia 'Summer's End', Zinnia elegans 'Benary's Giant Salmon Rose', and Z. e. 'Queen Lime Orange'

Vase #3:

I wasn't sure this arrangement featuring the prolific blooms of Dahlia 'Mikayla Miranda' would amount to much but it may be my favorite this week

Back view: The asters I diligently tore an entire bed apart to eliminate in the fall of 2021 are back!  I pulled a dozen stems up from the roots and added the flowers to this arrangement to fill it out.  

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia 'Mikayla Miranda', Zinnia elegans 'Benary's Giant Purple', Angelonia in mauve and white, and Symphyotrichum chilense

Since last Thursday, our temperatures have been very pleasant and that trend is expected to continue through this Thursday.  We even got a trace amount (0.04/inch) of rain on Saturday morning.  With the heatwave behind us (for now anyway), I've finally gotten out of the house to start tackling a long list of jobs in the garden.  None of them are very exciting but at least they give me a sense of accomplishment.

 

For more IAVOM creations, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.  For those of you in the US, have a pleasant Labor Day!

 

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

This week's projects

This week, while temperatures were still on the cooler side, I tackled a project I've been dreading for a long time.  I dug up two plants in one of my back garden borders, the native California asters (Symphyotrichum chilense) I'd planted in 2016 and the Liriope spicata I'd planted in 2014.  Both were rampant spreaders.  I can't claim I wasn't warned in either case.  However, particularly in the case of the aster, I thought low-water conditions would keep the plants in the manageable range.  What I didn't factor into the mix was the extent to which even one year with significant rainfall could cause the plants to take off - or how awful the aster might look when our drought conditions returned with a vengeance.

The problem wasn't evident in this wide shot taken in late June

This closeup photo, taken in early June, does a better job at illustrating the problem.  The mass of aster stems can be seen swallowing up plants, including a white-flowered Alstroemeria, my dwarf Jacaranda, and even the troublesome Liriope growing along the edge of the pathway. 

This photo, also taken in early June, shows the aster's march across the breadth of the border.  The aster's stems had already started to move across the flagstone path in search of new territory in the border on the east side of the garden.  However, as everything was still green, it was easier to tolerate.

The asters start flowering in July and reach their peak in August.  They looked better in 2019 (as shown here) than they've looked in subsequent years.

This is what the area looked like in early September.  The aster stems on this side of the border looked as though they'd been torched.

The problem is that the aster's rhizomatous underground stems spread everywhere, including under other plants.  Removing those stems meant digging up a lot of other plants in the process. 

I ended up taking out far more plants then I'd hoped to in the process of getting out the aster and Liriope roots.  The Lirope wasn't ugly like the burned out aster stems but it's intrusion on other plants has been a problem for a long time and, as the aster and Liriope were intertwined, it made sense to deal with both at the same time.

Both plants had engulfed the dwarf Jacaranda 'Blue Bonsai' so I had to work very carefully in the area surrounding it to avoid damaging the tree's roots.  I had a similar problem in the area around the fountain, where a lot of Dutch Iris bulbs are planted.  Did I get all the aster and Liriope stems?  That's unlikely but I hope I've at least halted their advance and that careful monitoring will allow me to manage future appearances as they arise.

In addition to losing other plants in the process, I turned up a lot of bulbs that I hope to replant soon.

I couldn't avoid upturning the small Freesia bulbs (left) but I managed to avoid unearthing all but a few of the more deeply planted Iris bulbs (right)

I've already bought a few plants to fill the empty spots in that bed, and I have a trip to a couple of my favorite garden centers to the north planned for early this month.  Next week, I have a truckload of mulch scheduled for delivery too.

My recent purchases include Lomandra 'Platinum Beauty' and Phylica pubescens (aka featherhead).  I couldn't pass them up as they were more reasonably priced than I've seen in the past.

My other project this week was much simpler and more pleasant.  It involved potting up some new - and not so new - plants.

I received four new Mangaves I'd ordered by mail this week.  Two of them are included here, both in blue pots to coordinate with the large succulent bowl I put together three weeks ago.  An Aloe and another Mangave I purchased earlier as a pup joined this collection outside the back door.

Clockwise from the upper left: Aloe 'Marsha Leyhew',  and xMangave 'Aztec King', 'Black Magic' (pup), and tiny 'Praying Hands'.  'Praying Hands' is a hot ticket right now and hard to find in anything but a small size.  You can see a mature specimen here.

I put together another collection of pots on the small south side patio.  Two more of the mail order Mangaves were included here, as well as one I recently received from a friend.  I also cleaned up and repotted a Cryptanthus.

Clockwise from the upper left: Cryptanthus bivittatus (aka earthstar) and xMangave 'Crazy Cowlick', 'Frosted Elegance', and 'My Dog Spot'.  I'm a little in love with 'Frosted Elegance' at the moment because it glows.

It's turned hot again here.  I sweated (literally) through the process of carefully extricating the underground aster stems in the area surrounding the fountain yesterday morning when our temperature jumped more than 10 degrees Fahrenheit over the previous day's temperature.  It's expected to remain on the excessively warm side for at the next several days at least.   When the truck arrives with my mulch delivery next Wednesday, I'm hoping it'll be cool enough to work in the garden but that remains to be seen.  In the meantime, I'll be focusing on indoor activities.

Enjoy your weekend!

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

In a Vase on Monday: Not a lot of choices

Although many of the dahlias in my cutting garden have buds, they're still taking their time to develop into blooms.  Dahlia 'Gitt's Crazy' was close but I decided it wasn't quite ready.  Meanwhile, many of the plants elsewhere in my garden shut down as temperatures rose into the low 90sF last week.  Overall, by comparison to most summers, things haven't been bad along the Southern California coast this year (although the inland areas haven't been as lucky).  We haven't even hit 100F (37.8C), much less had one of the more severe heatwaves that have become common in recent years.  We're still miserably dry and water restrictions are a looming issue but, as we don't usually get rain during summer months, we can't anticipate any changes on that score until late fall or winter.  And by comparison with Northern California and other areas of the Western US experiencing persistent wildfires and areas of the Southeast US currently facing Hurricane Ida, I know we're fortunate.

Dahlia 'Akita' produced one dramatic bloom this week, which I found I couldn't ignore even though it was already past its peak.  My challenge was to put a different spin on the arrangement so it didn't look like a replay of the one I created two weeks ago.

Once again, 'Akita's' bloom was easily 8 inches in diameter.  The creamy notes at the flower's center were more noticeable in this bloom than those I used in my earlier arrangement.

Back view: I played off the cream colors in the dahlia bloom, using Grevillea 'Superb' and zinnias in the 'Queen Lime' series as accents 

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Abelia grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope', Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Leucadendron 'Safari Sunset', Dahlia 'Akita', Zinnia elegans 'Queen Lime Blush' and 'Queen Lime Orange', and Grevillea 'Superb'

Several of my seed-sown sunflowers finally bloomed last week so I cut two stems, combining them with the native aster that's slowly burning out in my back garden.

I sowed a few varieties of sunflowers in plantable pots in early June and planted the viable seedlings out in late June.  Those in the well-watered cutting garden did fairly well but those in my south side border all died of thirst.

Back view, dressed up with a few strawflowers

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Helianthus 'Lemon Queen', Symphyotrichum chilense 'Purple Haze', Xerochrysum bracteatum, and Zinnia 'Profusion Yellow'

For more IAVOM creations, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.  Best wishes to all in the vicinity of Hurricane Ida's path this week.

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

In a Vase on Monday: Dark & Dramatic or Light & Bright?

I did a lot of aimless wandering in my garden Sunday morning, undecided about what to cut to put into a vase this week.  Somewhat to my own surprise (if not perhaps those of you who are regular visitors), I ended up with three very different arrangements.

The first features a bloom of what I bought as a Dahlia 'Penhill Dark Monarch' tuber, which it almost certainly is not.  'Dark Monarch' is supposed to be a mix of deep pink and plum with a hint of cream (as you can see here).  Instead, my flower is very red, with a base color similar to that of the Dahlia 'Akita' I featured last week but with a very different form.  It doesn't bear a resemblance to any of the dahlias I ordered as tubers.

I cut the dahlia before it was fully open and it looks as though the interior petals could have more white than the outer petals like Dahlia 'Special X Factor' or 'Contraste' but I'll be amazed if it develops pink highlights and that red base color turns a plummy purple.  But I could be wrong... 

Back view: I stuck with red-toned flowers and foliage to accent the mystery dahlia, including what I think is the last of Daucus carota 'Dara'.  'Dara' has popped up in some areas I didn't sow seeds, at least not deliberately, so I won't be entirely surprised if I find the plants all over the garden next year.

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia that isn't 'Penhill Dark Monarch', Zinnia 'Queen Red Lime', Daucus carota 'Dara', Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', and Penstemon mexicali 'Mini Red Bells'

My native aster is in full flower, although many of the flower stalks are scorched.  I'm itching to start digging it up, which is going to be a massive task as its rhizomes have spread through a large portion of one border; however, I won't start that until cooler temperatures are in the long-term forecast.  In the meantime, I expect I'll be using the presentable stems a few more times if I can manage not to repeat myself too often.

This is a larger scale version of a mix I've used in a small vase for our kitchen island.  It features the rose-like flowers of Eustoma grandiflorum (Lisanthus), which are waning now.

Back view

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', lavender and white Eustoma grandiflorum, and Symphyotrichum chilense 'Purple Haze'

I currently have a plethora of Zinnia 'Queen Lime Orange' flowers in my cutting garden.  I cut cut them to encourage the stems to branch, accenting them with some of the old standbys from elsewhere in the garden.

A few stems of Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream' provided the perfect accent for the colors in the Zinnia

Back view

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Abelia grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope', Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream', and Zinnia 'Queen Lime Orange'

Do you have a favorite?  For more IAVOM creations, visit Cathy in Rambling in the Garden.

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