At this time of year, with new flowers appearing every time I turn around, it isn't easy to hone in on choices for inclusion in a vase. I generally pick one thing to serve as a centerpiece and then wander my garden without any larger plan in mind in search of suitable companions. This week, I started by clipping the stem of the last of the three Hippeastrum 'Aphrodite' I planted as bulbs in November. Wind has been a persistent companion in my garden for weeks now and it prematurely withered the blooms of my second 'Aphrodite' and I didn't want to see the third plant experience the same fate.
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| In contrast with the other two 'Aphrodite' stems this one was surprisingly short |
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| Back view: I'm not sure how well the flowers of Arbutus 'Marina', shown here dangling down the sides of the vase, will hold up in an arrangement but we shall see. Arbutus is known as the strawberry tree because the flowers form red berries that look a little like that fruit. |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Anemone 'Mistral Rosa Chiaro', Arbutus 'Marina', Hippeastrum 'Aphrodite', Sparaxis tricolor, and Tulipa 'Lady Jane' |
The soft tones of Leucospermum 'Spider Hybrid' have been calling me for a couple of weeks now and I couldn't stop myself from cutting the one flower in full bloom; however, to avoid cutting off other buds, the stem ended up shorter than I'd have liked, just like the Hippeastrum in the first arrangement.
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| I stuck with a soft peachy-orange palette to complement the Leucospermum |
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| Back view |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Grevillea alpina x rosmarinifolia, Leucospermum 'Spider Hybrid', Narcissus 'Geranium', N. 'Sunny Girlfriend', and Sparaxis tricolor |
I had leftovers from one of last week's arrangements, as well as a fistful of Leucadendron stems I'd held onto after pruning those shrubs last week, which I used for two other simple vases.
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| The vase on the kitchen island (left) contains two Leucospermum 'Goldie' stems saved from last week's blue and yellow arrangement. The vase on the living room mantle (right) contains stems of Leucadendron 'Safari Sunset' and L. 'Jester', stripped of their lower leaves to look more like flowers. |
The other two vases took pride of place on the dining room table and the front entry table respectively.
For more IAVOM creations, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2021 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
