In a Vase on Monday: Ensemble Casts

My garden's floral display is in the process of transitioning from spring to summer.  The spring bloomers are either fading or have been used too often already in my weekly vases.  Most of the summer bloomers are either just getting started, still in bud, or unable to serve starring roles on their own.  So my vases this week consist of ensemble casts, with each element collaborating with the others and no one plant playing a starring role.

My first arrangement is all about the blues in my garden.

The Agapanthus throughout the garden, most of which I inherited, already have bloom stalks and the first buds have begun to unfurl.  They started me off with blue flowers joining in from other corners of the garden.

Back view: Other contributors included stems of Ceanothus, Consolida ajacis (aka larkspur), Salvia, Billardiera (aka Australian blue creeper, formerly classified as Sollya heterophylla), and various sweet peas, finally making an appearance 

Overhead view: I added Nigella papillosa to add a touch of white

Top row: noID Agapanthus, Billardiera heterophylla, and noID Ceanothus
Middle: Consolida ajacis, Nigella papillosa 'African Bride', and Salvia 'Mystic Spires'
Bottom: I sowed seeds of 5 varieties of Lathyrus odoratus, including 'April in Paris', 'Lord Nelson', and 'Royal Wedding' but I can't definitively account for the one on the far right

My second arrangement started out as a hodge-podge but, in the end, I found I liked it more than I'd expected to.

I started the second arrangement by harvesting the remaining sturdy stems of a pink Alstroemeria I inherited with the garden and the white snapdragons not yet too blemished by rust, then threw in several stems of ivy geraniums (Pelargonium peltatum)

Back view: I added stems of Nigella and Calendula just because I'll be pulling out both in the near future to free space in my cutting garden

Overhead view: I added 2 stems of immature Daucus carota to see if the flowers would open when cut at this stage.  The Daucus self-seeded once again this year.

Clockwise from the upper left: Abelia grandiflora 'Radiance', Antirrhinum majus, Callendula officianalis, noID Alstroemeria, Daucus carota 'Dara', Nigella papillosa 'African Bride', and Pelargonium peltatum (which is more dark pink than red as it appears in my photographs)

My sweet peas got a late start this year and, with one significant heatwave already registered, followed by a shorter, more moderate heatwave less than two weeks later, I don't expect them to hold up long so I've been cutting them almost as quickly as the flowers appear.  It also appears that birds are beheading a lot of the blooms even before I can cut them.  For those reasons, I popped a lot of shorter stems into a third vase for the kitchen island.

Their scent is of course wonderful with Lathyrus odoratus 'April in Paris' contributing the strongest note

The past weekend's weather couldn't have been better (except perhaps if we'd received a miraculous overnight rain shower).  It looks as though that trend may continue through next week.  I'm hoping that'll be the case anyway.  For those of you in the US, best wishes for a pleasant Memorial Day!

For more IAVOM creations, visit the leader of our merry band, Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.

All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: Summer Skies

I started tearing my cool season cutting garden apart this weekend.  I'm only halfway through the process, partly because I took the time to package a lot of the floral material to give away to neighbors, but I held some of it back for this week's IAVOM arrangements too.  I stole the name of this post from the name of the larkspur I cut down: 'Summer Skies'.  Although our morning marine layer is still in place, we're getting more sun and blue skies in the afternoon.  According to Sunday's Los Angeles Times, a "heat dome" is expected to settle over California later this week; however, it's possible that coastal Southern California may be spared.  I can only hope that's the case - early June is too soon for a major heatwave.

I paired stems of larkspur 'Summer Skies Mix' with 3 tall stems of Agapanthus for a wispy blue and white arrangement

Back view, showing off Salvia 'Mystic Spires' and Prostanthera ovalifolia (aka mint bush)

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Centranthus ruber 'Albus', 2 variations from the Consolida ajacis 'Summer Skies Mix', noID Agapanthus, white and blue variations of Nigella papillosa, Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata', and Salvia 'Mystic Spires'

My second arrangement incorporated some of the Nigella from the cutting garden but otherwise consisted of blooms from elsewhere in my garden.  The wild carrot (Daucus carota) is very plentiful at the moment.

I paired the abundant wild carrot stems with Alstroemeria and ivy geranium (Pelargonium peltatum)

Back view

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: noID Alstroemeria, Daucus carota 'Dara', Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', Nigella papillosa, and 2 varieties of Pelargonium peltatum in burgundy and dark pink

I considered creating a third arrangement using a Hippeastrum that surprised me by blooming in a neglected pot on my south side patio.  I decided to leave it where it was because the flower stalk and the individual blooms are so big I was afraid they'd overwhelm just about anything I paired with it.

The individual flowers of the Hippeastrum are larger than my open hand.  The bulb, purchased in 2022, was sold as 'Appleblossom' but its coral color suggests otherwise

I did cut sweet peas to fill a small vase on our kitchen island, though.  The remaining sweet peas, on vines extending well above my head, are slated for removal as I clear the third raised planter in my cutting garden this week.  While the flowers only last a few days, their scent is heavenly and I'll miss them when they're gone.

Lathyrus odoratus 'April in Paris', represented by the ivory flowers with lavender edges, is as highly scented as it's reputation claims

My fingers are crossed that we sidestep the worst effects of that heat dome.  I really need to get my summer-flowering plants in the ground as soon as possible but temperatures in excess of 100F (38C) won't help there.

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

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

In a Vase on Monday: Excess Flora

Although temperatures remain on the cool side thanks to our morning marine layer, I can already see signs of the shift toward summer.  The first Agapanthus flowers have already opened, lily flower stalks are up, and several of my dahlia tubers have sprouted.  Space for the latter is limited until the current contents of my cutting garden are cleared.  I've given flowers away now and then since the start of spring but Mother's Day seemed a good opportunity to step up my game.

I relied solely on the sweet peas, larkspur and love-in-a-mist flowers dominating the raised planters in my cutting garden to fill a dozen plastic bottles.  I left them on the curb with a note wishing passers-by a happy Mother's Day late Saturday afternoon and all of them were gone by 10am Sunday morning.

I made up a floral arrangement for a neighbor last week and liked it enough to create something similar for our own dining table this week.

The ever-blooming Grevillea 'Superb' has been working overtime on flower production, leaving even its sturdy stems dragging on the ground in some cases

Back view: The peach foxgloves have also been producing stalk-after-stalk of flowers.  Even the Aeoniums are obstructing paths with dense sprays of flowers.

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Aeonium haworthii 'Kiwi Verde', Alstroemeria 'Inca Sundance', Digitalis purpurea 'Dalmatian Peach', Grevillea 'Superb', Leucadendron salignum 'Chief', and Leucospermum 'Royal Hawaiian Brandi'

I swung to the other side of the color wheel for my second arrangement, taking advantage of the first blooms of the Echium gentianoides I planted in the fall of 2022.  I'd almost forgotten about it and, when I saw the foliage, I momentarily mistook it for a Euphorbia.

This Echium has the brightest blue flowers of any plants I've grown in the genus.  It's foliage has narrow white stripes and leaves unlike any other Echiums I've seen.

Back view: The Echium's buds start out pink so I considered pairing it with pink flowers but settled instead for white accents

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Centranthus ruber 'Albus', Consolida ajacis 'Summer Skies Mix', noID white Lathyrus odoratus, Echium gentianoides 'Tajinaste', and Nigella papillosa

I recycled leftovers from last week's arrangements and combined them with some of the material I cut for this week's vases for a third arrangement.

The "leftovers" included Alstroemeria 'Claire' and Argyranthemum 'Grandaisy Dark Pink'.  The newer ingredients included Nigella papillosa and Dorycnium hirsutum (aka hairy canary clover)

I've still got more flowers than I know what to do with.  I'm planning to clear out the raised beds of the cutting garden within the next three to four weeks so, absent an early heatwave, I anticipate giving away more flowers before the month is out.

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

 

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

In a Vase on Monday: Going all in on pink

A close friend stopped by on Saturday bearing gifts.  These included peonies!  She knows I love them and that I've had next to no luck growing them so, if they're available locally as cut flowers near my birthday, she brings me a bundle.  This year's bundle may be the best yet.

 

There were 5 peonies in the bundle, all of which were still in bud when my friend purchased them earlier that morning.  One was already opening when she arrived at my house but, even tucked into my cool, dark laundry room, all were fully open when I arranged them on Sunday.

I wanted to embellish the peonies without in any way competing with them.  I also needed plants with tall stems so I focused on 2 clusters of particularly vigorous Alstroemeria.

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left:  noID pink Alstroemeria, Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple', Orlaya grandiflora, and pink and white peonies

The materials in the second arrangement came entirely from my garden.  The inspiration was the "purple" snapdragons in my cutting garden, which badly needed cutting back to promote another flush of bloom.   The snapdragons certainly don't look purple but they look redder than they are in these photos.  I'd call them a dark cherry pink.

I'd originally designated this as the back view of the arrangement but I decided I preferred  its uncluttered appearance to the other, fussier side

Newly designated back side, dressed up with Hebe 'Wiri Blush' and Nigella papillosa

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left:  more noID pink Alstroemeria, Antirrhinum majus 'Chantilly Purple', Cuphea hybrid 'Starfire Pink', Hebe 'Wiri Blush', and Nigella papillosa

While I can't say my sweet peas are blooming with abandon, they're definitely more prolific than they were two weeks ago.  I've given three jars of sweet peas mixed with larkspur (Consolida ajacis), love-in-a mist (Nigella papillosa), and white lace flower (Orlaya grandiflora) to neighbors and friends.  I've also cut more for myself this week.

This small vase on my kitchen island contains only sweet peas and larkspur.  The sweet peas visible in this shot are Lathyrus odoratus 'Oban Bay', 'Blue Shift', and 'Erewhon'.

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: Just peachy

On Saturday, I noticed that the Matilija poppy (Romneya coulteri) on our back slope was sporting five blooms.  Although I've tried to remove the thuggish plant twice, even enlisting my husband's help to dig it out once, it inevitably reappears, producing tall, sprawling stems topped with fragile blooms beloved by the bees.  I headed down the slope early Sunday morning hoping for at least three intact blooms and came back with only one but I was committed to a white and yellow arrangement so I persevered.  Some peach colors infiltrated the mix as I tried to fill it out.

Although the Matilija poppy was the inspiration for this arrangement, the 'Golden Celebration' rose assumed the lead role

Back view: I used stems of Argyranthemum frutescens and Pandorea jasminoides to add the touches of white I'd originally hoped to get from the poppies

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Abelia grandiflora 'Hopley's Variegated', Achillea 'Moonshine', Alstroemeria 'Claire', Romneya coulteri (aka Matilija poppy), Antirrhinum majus 'Chantilly Peach', Argyranthemum frutescens 'White Butterfly', Pandorea jasminoides, and Rosa 'Golden Celebration'

 

We had another stretch of hot weather late last week, with temperatures reaching 90F (32C).  The seemingly constant pattern of flip-flopping temperatures has stressed many of my plants.  My cool season flowers, like the foxgloves, sweet peas and larkspur, were slow to get going but now seem to be ready to throw in the towel.  The larkspur made an especially poor showing this year and I decided I'd best make use of the remaining presentable blooms before they're gone.

With the addition of a beefy stem of Delphinium elatum 'Morning Light', the arrangement was off to a lop-sided start but I did my best to give it better balance by adding numerous stems of Consolida ajacis (larkspur), Orlaya grandiflora, and Nigella papillosa

Back view

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Consolida ajacis, Delphinium elatum 'Morning Light', Lathyrus odoratus x belinensis 'Erewhon', noID white Lathyrus odoratus, Nigella papillosa, and Orlaya grandiflora

 

Nine of my dahlia tubers have sprouted thus far and I've already moved seven of these from their temporary pots into their summer homes, the raised planters and half barrels that make up my cutting garden.  As I remove the cool season plants, the space they occupy will be filled by other dahlia tubers and the zinnia and sunflower seedlings I've grown from seed in plastic pots.  Summer is breathing down our necks here.  Southern California had its first major wildfire last week and, on the heels of that, there was a smaller fire less than five miles from my home in a nearby park.  Swamped by over 80 firefighters and assisted by water drops from helicopters that flew directly over our house a couple of times, it burned just ten acres before it was extinguished.  Luckily no structures were damaged but it was a stark reminder of the challenges summer poses.

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

 

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