It's most definitely still summer, although I can't help dreaming that autumn is just around the corner. It's been warmer this past week and humidity has been running higher than normal, making the heat more unpleasant. Traditionally, Southern California has been known for its dry heat but it seems that, like so many weather trends, that may be a thing of the past. Our temperature hit 90F (32C) for a time yesterday afternoon but, as summers go, it hasn't been bad here thus far. (In contrast, the inland valleys are seeing much higher temperatures.) However, it's still very dry. My collected rainwater is long gone and, realistically, we won't see rain until late October or November. I have to think twice before I water anything given the need to conserve water state-wide.
My first arrangement this week is a mixture of spring and summer flowers. One of the Hippeastrum bulbs I planted in my front garden last fall surprised me with a bloom last week. I grew these bulbs in the ground in my former garden with no difficulty but I've had a hard time getting them established in my current garden. When I didn't see any blooms this spring, I thought I was out of luck again but perhaps the bulb just needed extra time to settle in. I hope this success signifies that I've finally found the right spot for them.
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| Hippeastrum are commonly referred to as Amaryllis even by bulb sellers, but they're a different genus than the true Amaryllis, although both are part of the Amaryllidaceae family. This one is 'Zombie'. I inadvertently managed to break one of the flowers off the main stem so I popped it into a tiny vase. |
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| The back view is dressed up with Zinnia 'Queen Lime Orange', grown from seed |
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| The top view shows off strawflowers (Xerochrysum bracteatum) grown from a single seedling received as a gift from blogger friend Denise of A Growing Obsession. She gave me four seedlings but the rabbits apparently ate the three I planted in a backyard bed. |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Abelia grandiflora 'Hopley's Variegated', Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Hippeastrum 'Zombie', Leucadendron 'Jester' (pale pink rather than red as it's planted in shade), Xerochrysum bracteatum, and Zinnia elegans 'Queen Lime Orange' |
My second arrangement is channeling an autumn mood with colors of red, gold and brown. The centerpiece is a new-to-me Echibeckia, which is an intergeneric hybrid of Echinacea and Rudbeckia.
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| I bought the Echibeckia 'Summerina Orange' on a whim a few weeks ago |
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| Back view, filled out with a couple of stems of Leonotis leonurus |
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| Top view, showing off the feathery plumes of Pennisetum 'Rubrum', which are only just beginning to make their annual appearance in my garden |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Echibeckia 'Summerina Orange', Lantana 'Lucky Orange', Leonotis leanurus, Pennisetum advena 'Rubrum', Plectranthus scutellariodes 'Pineapple'(aka coleus), and a prop celebrating summer harvest season |
As usual, last week's most presentable leftovers went into a small vase to brighten our kitchen island.
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| Eustoma grandiflorum (Lisianthus), Tanacetum parthenium, and Leucadendron 'Jubilee Crown' all have long vase lives |
For more IAVOM posts, visit our host, Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2021 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
