In a Vase on Monday: Fuzzy Flowers

Since Leonotis leoanurus is currently making a splash in my backyard border, I thought I'd try using a little of it in my bouquet for "In a Vase on Monday," a weekly meme sponsored by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.  What I learned is that too many fuzzy flowers create a fuzzy arrangement that looks out of focus in photographs.  (Try to say that 3 times fast.)  My initial effort included both the flowers of the Leonotis, which look a little like orange tarantulas, and some equally fuzzy Ageratum houstonianum.  It was a bit much.

First attempt with Leontis and Ageratum in the vase

I pulled the Ageratum and was left with what I think is a somewhat more refined composition, although not one of my favorites.  Perhaps I should have removed the Agapanthus too and stuck with hot colors?

Second version, sans Ageratum

In addition to 2 stems of Leonotis leonurus, I used:

3 stems of Agapanthus (no ID)
3 stems of Bulbine frutescens 'Hallmark'
4 stems of Coprosma 'Evening Glow'
2 stems of an unidentified Hemerocallis (possibly 'Sammy Russell')
2 stems of Sollya heterophylla

Close-up of 2-decker flowers of Leonotis Leonurus

Close-up of Agapanthus, which are slowly beginning to wane in my garden

Close-up of Coprosma 'Evening Glow' and Bulbine 'Hallmark'

Close-up of the unidentified Hemerocallis

Close-up of the delicate blooms of Sollya heterophylla

I know the daylily won't last but there are several other buds on the stems and my hope is that they'll open at intervals over the course of the next several days.  I'd been wanting to try daylilies in a vase for some time and, seeing them featured in vase in a recent blog post by Loree of danger garden, encouraged me to take advantage of the current overabundance of red-orange daylilies in my garden.

Bouquet on the dining room table, where its colors complement a nearby picture on the wall

Please visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to see what she's cooked up this week and to find links to other gardeners' contributions.