In the fall, I planted Dutch Iris 'Eye of the Tiger' bulbs on a whim. The flower was described as blue and bronze and I know there was a photo attached to the bag but, when the plants started blooming last week, I wasn't in love with the flower.
I haven't made a decision about whether or not to leave the bulbs in my back border to multiply but, as one of my tests of garden worthiness is whether a flower works in floral arrangements, I challenged myself to use it for "In a Vase on Monday," the meme hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden. It took me a while to locate suitable companions but, if I walk around my garden enough times, I can usually come up with something. I'll leave you to judge how I did.
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| Abelia 'Kaleidoscope' picked up the bronze color in the lower petals of the Iris. Leucospermum 'Goldie' echoed its yellow spots |
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| Back view: I used stems of Lavandula stoechas and Salvia discolor to play off the Iris standards |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Abelia grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope', Lavandula stoechas, Salvia discolor, Iris hollandica 'Eye of the Tiger', and Leucospermum 'Goldie' |
My second arrangement was inspired by the first foxglove blooms in my cutting garden. I planted plugs of Digitalis purpurea 'Dalmatian Mix' in November. In the past, the mixes have always yielded flowers in shades of pink, purple, or white but, thus far, all those coming into bloom are peach-colored. In prior years, I've had to hunt for specimens in that color but not this year.
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| I'd intended this as the front of the arrangement, however, in the end, I felt both sides were equally presentable. Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream' and G. 'Superb' are prominent in this view. |
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| The other side of the vase highlights Leucospermum 'Brandi' (recycled from one of last week's arrangements) and Ranunculus |
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| Top view |
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| Top: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Agrostemma 'Ocean Pearls', and Argyranthemum 'White Butterfly' Middle: Digitalis purpurea 'Dalmatian Peach', Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream', and G. 'Superb' Bottom: Heuchera maxima, Leucospermum 'Royal Hawaiian Brandi', and Ranunculus 'Salmon' |
We've been given a 99% chance of rain for Monday, although, as I prepare this post under nearly cloudless skies, that's a little hard to believe. Still, my fingers are crossed for a good, solid soaking as our all-too-short rainy season nears its end.
For more IAVOM posts, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2022by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party