In a Vase on Monday: Flashy Lady

I still haven't run out of dahlias for In a Vase on Monday!  Some have grown ridiculously tall and two of those have either twisted their stems around their neighbors to catch the sun or collapsed on stems too weak to support the flowers.  However, my first arrangement features Dahlia 'Lady Darlene' which has blooms that stand tall and stately straight.  This 'Lady's' flowers are also on the flashy end of the dahlia spectrum, hence the title of this post.

When the temperatures were trending higher, the flowers of 'Lady Darlene' tended to be pinky-red and cream but she's showing more of her true colors, red and yellow, now that it's cooler

Back view: I wasn't sure what to pair with the dahlia's flowers other than feverfew until I realized that the red bracts of Leucadendron 'Blush' would make a nice complement

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia 'Lady Darlene', Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', Leucadendron salignum 'Blush', noID red Pelargonium peltatum, Tanacetum parthenium, and Zinnia elegans 'Raspberry Limeade'

My second arrangement features Dahlia 'Summer's End'.  The plant is the most prolific bloomer of all my dahlias.  

'Summer's End' has the tallest stems of any of my dahlias and most of them are twisted, which made arranging them a bit challenging

Back view

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia 'Summer's End', Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', Rudbeckia hirta 'Sahara', Tanacetum parthenium, Zinnia elegans 'Golden Hour', and a noID Zinnia

I've been filling a small vase on my kitchen island with stems of Dahlia 'La Luna' most weeks because those stems flop over under their own weight but this week both Dahlia 'Excentric' and Zinnia 'Benary's Giant Wine' are flowering heavily so they won the spot.

Top: views of the vase in place and from the top
Bottom: Zinnia elegans 'Benary's Giant Wine', Plectranthus scutellarioides 'Stained Glassworks Velvet', and Dahlia 'Excentric'  (with my go-to Leptospermum foliage thrown in)

A ridge of high pressure is expected to push temperatures back up again in our area this week.  While temperatures could zip back up to 100F (37C) in the inland valleys, it looks as though our area will stay in the low 80sF (28C) thanks to the persistence of the morning marine layer.  I hope that's right!

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

 

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

In a Vase on Monday: Catching up for lost time

Isn't it odd that even a five day absence seems like a dereliction of duty when it comes to one's garden?  As my July 19th post indicated, I had plans to tackle several jobs quickly upon my return from the Puget Sound Garden Fling.  I even had delusions of creating a late "In a Vase on Monday" post after snapping a few photos of an arrangement I'd hastily put together for the contractor who directed the replacement of our water pipes and the related repairs to our walls - or really his wife, who'd just had surgery.  I'd handled most of my garden's immediate watering needs and tidied up a few areas before general fatigue and then a positive COVID test put a crimp on all my plans early Wednesday morning.  Defying my symptoms and ignoring disapproving looks from my husband, I've put in an hour here and there since Wednesday but I can't claim I've accomplished much; however, I did cut flowers for IAVOM early Sunday morning when temperatures were comfortable.

I'd identified what appears to be the last of my lilies as a starting point.  The bloom stalk proved to be past its prime but I used its one presentable flower as my centerpiece.  Luckily, my dahlias are finally stepping up to fill the gaps in my garden's supply of flowers as summer temperatures wither the blooms that were prominent just two weeks ago.

The lily is 'Pretty Woman', which for some reason is pure white this year without the pink blush it's produced in prior years.  I paired it with the purple and white flowers of Dahlia 'Vancouver', the only dahlia I purchased "off the rack" from local garden center this year.  I cut all the blooms it came with immediately after purchase and it's coming out swinging with a fresh flush of blooms now.

Back view: I filled out the vase with stems of one of the few remaining foxgloves in my garden

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia 'Vancouver', Orienpet Lilium 'Pretty Woman', Digitalis purpurea 'Dalmatian Purple', Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', and Monarda hybrid 'Peter's Purple'

I filled a second collection bottle with an assortment of other flowers and foliage, originally planning to fold everything into a single second arrangement.  After some futzing, I decided I preferred to break them up into three (!!!) smaller, more carefully coordinated mixes.

The first of these centered on a single bloom of Dahlia 'Summer's End'.

I purchased a single Dahlia 'Summer's End' tuber in 2021 and it's performed well every year since.  It's a "waterlily" type.

Back view: I got lucky with a fresh flush of flowers from Callistemon 'Cane's Hybrid' which appeared seemingly overnight to offer the perfect accent

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Callistemon 'Cane's Hybrid', Cuphea 'Honeybells', Dahlia 'Summer's End', and Tanacetum parthenium

The next arrangement is even simpler, including just three elements.

Clockwise from the upper left: front and overhead views of the arrangement, Abelia grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope', Dahlia 'Creme de Cognac', and Daucus carota 'Dara'

The last remnants of the morning cuttings went into a third vase, which sits on the desk in my home office.

The vase contains the first flower of Rudbeckia hirta 'Sahara', Tanacetum parthenium, and seedheads of Helichrysum 'Icicles'

For more floral and foliage creations visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden, who leads the merry band of IAVOM contributors.

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

In a Vase on Monday: Floral Accents

There REALLY isn't a lot of floral color in my garden right now.  Yes, there are a few - mostly short - flowers here and there but, with the exception of the Coreopsis 'Redshift,' there's nothing much available in sufficient quantity to make an impact in a vase.  Most of the flowers also don't coordinate well with one another.  I considered constructing a vase solely with foliage material but, after cutting a mass of colorful coleus 'Honey Crisp,' I was able to find a few flowers that provided a nice floral accent to the variegated foliage of the coleus (Solenstemon scuttellarioides).

Close-up of Coleus 'Honey Crisp' showing the peach, yellow and green upper surface and its pink and purple undersides

The first floral accent I hit on was Gaillardia grandiflora 'Goblin,' which is very short.  The taller look-alike Gaillardia 'Arizona Sun' hasn't reappeared this year, which is unfortunate.  After a couple rounds of our property, I also picked up:

• Gaillardia 'Mesa Peach' (2 stems) - short and barely visible in the photo at the top of the post 
• Helianthus annuus 'Lemon Queen' (1 stem) - planted late from seed in the vegetable garden, this appears to be the only 'Lemon Queen' to show her pretty face
• Pennisetum glaucum 'Purple Majesty' (1 stem)
• Tanacetum parthenium 'Aureum' (2 stems) 
• Zinnia (2 stems) - planted from seed, I have no record of the small flowered variety that has survived our water limitations

Close-up of Helianthus 'Lemon Queen' and Pennisetum 'Purple Majesty'

Close-up of the 2 small Zinnia flowers, surrounded by Gallardia 'Goblin' in flower and in bud

Once again, the bouquet landed in the front foyer to greet everyone who comes through the door.

Please check in with Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to see her floral creation and to find links to photos of bouquets created by other participating gardeners.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: Itsy Bitsy Bouquets

Before any discussion of floral bouquets, itsy bitsy or otherwise, I want to report that, this past weekend, we actually got a bit of rain out of the monsoonal moisture that has hung over the area for weeks now.  It was by no means a drought-ending deluge but it was certainly a great improvement over the 3-minute drizzle we got several weeks ago.  Maybe I could learn to put up with the miserable humidity if we could just get a little rain out of it on occasion - those of you in the sub-tropical areas of the US south and southeast that contend with this humidity year after year have my utmost respect.  In any case, the rain felt like a minor miracle and has put me in a much more positive frame of mind.  On to the subject of this week's floral arrangement...

Other than tickseed and feverfew, my garden doesn't have much to offer in terms of flowers for cutting right now, at least not for a conventionally sized vase.  My response to the challenge to create a vase for Cathy's "In a Vase on Monday" meme at Rambling in the Garden was to go small.  Yes, I could have stopped at one itsy bitsy bouquet but I didn't - I filled all 3 of my tiny colored glass vases (all roughly 4-inches/10 cm tall and 2-inches/5 cm wide).

Here's the first, which is my favorite, although it may have the shortest shelf life:

The centerpiece is Hemerocallis 'Cordon Rouge,' but the bouquet also includes one of the last stems of Digiplexis 'Illumination Flame,' flowering stems of Abelia 'Kaleidoscope,' Tanacetum parthenium 'Aureum' (golden feverfew), and 2 varieties of Zinnia.

Hemerocallis 'Cordon Rouge,' a reblooming daylily variety, recently started its 2nd bloom cycle

Digiplexis 'Illumination Flame' appears to have bloomed out but it may surprise me yet again

Eustoma grandiflorum 'Echo Blue' is the focal point of the second bouquet.  The flowers aren't quite as full as those of Eustoma grandiflorum 'Borealis Blue' but they're still gorgeous.

Close-up of Eustoma grandiflorum 'Echo Blue'

This bouquet also features Catananche caerulea (aka Cupid's Dart), one stem of Veronica 'Vernique Dark Blue' (recently purchased to occupy a pot), more feverfew, and a few pieces of flowering thyme.

Close-up of Catananche caerulea

The star of the third bouquet should be the Echinaceas, 'Magnus' and 'Cheyenne Spirit,' but I think Pentas 'Kaleidoscope Appleblossom' upstages them.  This bouquet also includes Pentas 'Nova,' Coleonema pulchellum 'Sunset Gold,' Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum,' and, again, feverfew.

Close-up of Pentas 'Kaleidoscope Appleblossom' photobombed by Echinacea 'Cheyenne Spirit'

The plumes of Pennisetum setaceum Rubrum look almost like fur

You may have noticed that I usually photograph my vases in the kitchen.  I haven't found a better backdrop.  The surfaces are white; it has lots of natural light as well as numerous pot lights; and the counters are usually clear (except when my husband is cooking).   This week one of my vases found a place to stay in the kitchen while the other 2 migrated to other areas of the house.

The pig in the kitchen (which holds tea bags rather than cookies) approves of the Lisianthus

The toad prefers daylilies

The pink vase landed on a living room side table, where I hope those Pennisetum blooms will not prove too tempting for Pipig the cat to ignore

What have you got in a vase this week?  Go to Cathy's site to see her composition and to find other gardeners' creations.

All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: Stargazer Lilies

I have only 2 varieties of lilies in my garden, one is an unnamed light pink variety that bloomed exceptionally early this year and the other is Lilium 'Stargazer,' which I planted from bulbs the first year we lived in our current house.  In the border, the plants have a very formal appearance that make them look a bit out of place, which may explain why I'm not particularly hesitant about cutting them for a vase.  I'd hoped that their bloom period would coincide with the appearance of white roses or white Lisianthus, but this didn't happen so I had to look further afield for suitable companions.

Here's what I used this week:

• 2 stems of Lilium 'Stargazer'
• 3 stems of Asparagus 'Sprengeri' (at least I think that's what it is)
• 3 stems of Cuphea ignea 'Starfire Pink'
• 2 stems of Pentas lanceolata 'Nova'
• 2 stems of Tanacetum parthenium 'Aureum'
• 1 stem of Solenostemon scutellarioides 'Kong Jr. Green Halo'

The 'Stargazer' lilies are smaller this year than last - too little water perhaps

The asparagus fern I inherited with the house works well in bouquets if you can put up with its tiny thorns

Cuphea ignea 'Starfire Pink' has proven to be drought tolerant as well as pretty

Pentas 'Nova' grows taller than other varieties, although I think it wants more water than it has been getting

'Kong Jr. Green Halo' coleus is doing well in a pot in partial shade

My bouquet ended up on the dining room table this week, as part of a possibly fruitless effort to keep my cat from chewing on the asparagus fern.  She doesn't jump on the dining room table (at least I've never seen her do so) but she does like to hang about in the foyer.

I had some floral rejects again this week, which ended up in my small pink glass vase.  I cut more of the Amaranth I featured last week and, while it linked with the color of the lilies, it added a somber note to the combination that I didn't care for.  The Amaranth was paired with 3 more stems of the Echinacea 'Cheyenne Spirit' and the 'Inky Fingers' coleus from last week, which was still in good condition.  I placed it on the foyer table even though it's small in scale.

These are my contributions to Cathy's "In a Vase on Monday" meme at Rambling in the Garden.  Visit her webpage to see what she's put together this week (while traveling) and to find links to other floral concoctions.

In a Vase on Monday: It started with a rose...

There aren't many roses in bloom in my garden at present and those that do appear don't last long so, when I saw that 'California Dreamin' had a bud opening, I clipped it and, as Cathy at Rambling in the Garden does, I wandered about my own garden looking for suitable partners to go in today's vase.  I didn't start this week's project with selections in mind as I often do.  I wasn't even sure there was much out there that I hadn't already used in one form or another.  So I was surprised how well this vase came together.

Unlike many of my bouquets, this one was no struggle to photograph.  In fact, this one wasn't capable of producing a bad photo.

Photo taken from above the bouquet looking downward

This bouquet may be my personal favorite thus far.  Here's what I used:

• 1 rose bud ('California Dreamin' rose)
• 3 stems of Bulbine frutescens, yellow variety
• 1 Dahlia 'Fringed Star'
• 2 stems of Digitalis x mertonensis 'Polka Dot Pippa' (with the persistent aphids removed)
• 1 stem of Grevillea 'Superb' containing 2 mature flowers
• 3 stems of Leucadendron salignum 'Chief' 
• 3 stems of Origanum 'Monterey Bay'
• 2 stems of the always useful Tanacetum parthenium 'Aureum' (aka golden feverfew)

Close-up of 'California Dreamin' rose

Close-up of yellow Bulbine frutescens with Digitalis x mertonensis below

Close-up of Dahlia 'Fringed Star,' which has a lot less pink than than the photo attached to the bulb package

Close-up of Grevillea 'Superb,' the blooms of which start out a yellowish peach and turn pinkish coral as they age 

Back of the bouquet, which highlights Leucadendron salignum 'Chief' and Origanum 'Monterey Bay'

The vase in this case is a decorative teapot given to my mother-in-law by one of her neighbors several months prior to her death.  I brought it home last year when my husband and I cleared her home for sale, planning to use it to hold flowers.  This is the first time I've done so and, even though it isn't a family heirloom, it reminds me of her.

What better place for a teapot masquerading as a vase than the kitchen.  It brightens the mostly white space, doesn't it?

The lemons from the tree at the bottom of our slope even make a nice accent

If you have a vase of flowers collected from your garden sitting on a countertop this morning, post a picture and link up to Cathy's "In a Vase on Monday" meme at Rambling in the Garden.