Are zinnias the
Energizer Bunnies of the garden? I think they might be. I dug out the last of the dahlia tubers last week but I haven't had the heart to pull out the remaining zinnias even though I need their space in the cutting garden for my cool-season floral crop. As flowers in my garden are getting harder to come by, the zinnias also came in handy when it came to making up arrangements for
In a Vase on Monday, the popular meme hosted by Cathy of
Rambling in the Garden.
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| The zinnias were joined by other flowers that just keeping on giving, two of the large-flowered Grevilleas that literally bloom year-round |
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| I used berries of Auranticarpa rhombifolium to dress up the back of the vase. These berries look like tiny pumpkins to me. |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream', Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', berries of Auranticarpa rhombifolium, Grevillea 'Superb', Coleonema pulchellum 'Sunset Gold', and Zinnia elegans (a combination of 'Queen Lime Orange' and 'Benary's Giant Salmon Rose') |
The bush violets (
Barleria obtusa) have burst into bloom right on schedule. They always appear in late October/early November. Their bright blue color looks out of step with traditional autumnal colors but the flowers are welcome nonetheless.
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| Beautiful as they are, the bush violets often look a little ungainly in a vase |
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| The violets might look better by themselves but I usually can't leave well enough alone |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the top: Barleria obtusa. Abelia grandiflora 'Hopley's Variegated', Lavandula multifida, and Plectranthus ciliatus 'Zulu Wonder' |
As I cut too much to stuff into my first vase (again), I ended up with some leftovers so, despite my relative flower shortage, I have three vases this week.
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| I grabbed a few neon-pink zinnia blooms to embellish the leftover stems |
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| The bright pink zinnias were late arrivals but their centers play well off the color of the Leucadendron bracts |
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| From left to right: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Leucadendron salignum 'Summer Red', and Zinnia elegans (possibly part of the 'Benary's Giant Wine' mix) |
We hit yet another roadblock with our remodel last week and had to order more wood to complete our new floor.
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| The living, dining and kitchen area floors are done but the front entry and hallway are not. The shortage has to do with the fact that the flooring subcontractor didn't use all the small pieces throughout when he established the layout pattern. |
Hopefully, the extra wood order will be in at the end of the week or, worst case, the following week and we'll still finish by Thanksgiving. Fingers crossed.
Visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for more IAVOM creations.
All material © 2012-2019 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
