Unfortunately, the weather forecasters were right last week when they predicted a miserable record-breaking heatwave. For two days prior to the heatwave's arrival I spent early mornings and early evenings hand-watering sensitive areas of my garden. Even so, I was still scrambling on Saturday and again early Sunday to cover areas I'd missed on my initial rounds. As Sunday was supposed to be particularly nasty, I cut flowers for "In a Vase on Monday" early Saturday morning rather than Sunday as I normally do. In retrospect, I only wish I'd cut everything that was in full bloom in my cutting garden. Our temperature didn't drop overnight on Saturday - when I went to bed near midnight, it was still 100F (37.8C), down from a mid-day peak of 106F (41C), and when I got up in the morning the temperature was the same. It quickly rose over the course of Sunday morning and got stuck on 108F (42C) for most of the day. Other areas, like our inland valleys, had it far worse, though. The inland valley I grew up in peaked at 121F (49.4C) on Sunday.
Luckily, on Saturday I'd cut both of the Dahlia 'Einstein' blooms in my cutting garden, as well as several Zinnia stems and selected fillers from other areas of the garden.
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One of the two dahlia blooms was already a little past its prime on Saturday but there was no sense in leaving it in place to wither
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| Back view, featuring Zinnias |
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Top view
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Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia 'Einstein', Clematis terniflora, Coriandrum sativum, Gomphrena decumbens 'Itsy Bitsy', Melaleuca thymifolia, Polygala fruticosa, Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata', and Zinnia elegans (mostly 'Benary's Giant Lilac')
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The last gladiola in my cutting garden was already struggling so I cut that too and searched the garden for a few companions. Another of my 'Bright Star' Yuccas was in full bloom and, although I wasn't sure how its stems would hold up in a vase, I cut two of those as well.
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This is a photo of Yucca 'Bright Star' shortly before the heatwave began
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The last stem of Gladiolus 'Vuvuzela' took center stage
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Back view, featuring more Clematis stems
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Top view
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Clockwise from the upper left: Gladiolus 'Vuvuzela', Clematis terniflora, Yucca 'Bright Star', Liriope muscari, and Vitex trifolia purpurea
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The first bloom of Dahlia 'Belle of Barmera' has been opening every so slowly in the cutting garden and I'd hoped to include it with this week's arrangements but, as of Sunday evening, it still wasn't fully open.
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If it opens within the next day without shriveling in the heat, I may create another vase mid-week
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The heat isn't expected to abate significantly until Tuesday and even then it'll remain above average through the balance of the week. We haven't had a power outage thus far but our air conditioning has been running continuously. The window shades are down throughout the house so it feels a little cave-like. I've ventured outside several times but it isn't pleasant.
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Even my cat, Pipig, who hates air conditioning, wasn't willing to stick things out lounging in her screened catio and took refuge in a corner of the living room
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I hope your weather isn't as brutal! For more IAVOM creations, visit the meme's host, Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
My late addition:
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Featuring Dahlia 'Belle of Barmera', a late arrival, and Zinnia elegans 'Queen Lime Blush'
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All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
