Remarkably, we got a touch of rain late last week. It wasn't much, just 0.18/inch (4.6mm) but, as I expected nothing, it was appreciated. In what appears to be an unfortunate pattern, the low pressure system that permitted the rainstorm in the north to move into the south part of our state was quickly replaced by another round of Santa Ana winds and soaring temperatures. We briefly hit 87F (30C) yesterday and today could be warmer still. The winds can quickly wither flowers so on Sunday I cut blooms with relative abandon for In a Vase on Monday, the weekly meme hosted by Cathy of Rambling in the Garden.
The rain spurred another flush of blooms on the snapdragons in my cutting garden, inspiring my first arrangement. Thus far, the snapdragons are free of rust so I want to take advantage of them while I can.
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| I also took this opportunity to cut the last of my Narcissus, two remaining blooms of Leucospermum 'Brandi', and a single 'Lady Emma Hamilton' rose. I won the David Austin rose in a drawing at the Capitol Region Garden Bloggers' Fling in 2017. I received the rose in the spring of 2018 but it's produced fewer than a handful of flowers since. |
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| I dressed up the back of the arrangement with 2 stems of my 'Pink Meidiland' rose and added some height using stems of Leucadendron 'Jubilee Crown' |
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| Top view |
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| Top: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana' and Antirrhinum majus 'Chantilly Bronze' and 'Chantilly Peach' Middle: Leucadendron 'Cloudbank Ginny', L. 'Jubilee Crown', and Leucospermum 'Royal Hawaiian Brandi' Bottom: Narcissus 'Geranium', Rosa 'Lady Emma Hamilton', and R. 'Pink Meidiland' |
The first bearded Iris to bloom in my back garden prompted my second arrangement, although I admit I agonized awhile about cutting it. It looked beautiful on Friday following our brief rainstorm but Saturday's vicious wind did it no favors and I was afraid that the blooms currently in bud would suffer if I left it alone so, without thinking about it too long, I cut the stem and moved on.
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| This is what the Iris germanica 'City Lights' bloom looked like on Friday. It's a reblooming variety so I'm hopeful I'll see another bloom stalk this fall. |
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| The Iris wasn't looking its best by Sunday morning but I trusted that the buds were far enough developed to open even after the stem was cut. I grew the Nigella, Orlaya, and larkspur from seed. I'd collected the Nigella seed from plants I grew last year. |
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| The sweet peas tucked in the back of the arrangement were also grown from seed but they've been very disappointing. Almost all are the same dark blue color even though I planted seeds of 4 different mixes. |
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| Top view |
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| Top: Centranthus ruber 'Albus', Consolida ajacis (aka larkspur), and Delphinium elatum 'Cobalt Dreams' Middle: Globularia x indubia (aka globe daisy), Iris germanica 'City Lights', and Lathyrus odoratus Bottom: Nigella papillosa 'African Bride', Orlaya grandiflora, and Scabiosa columbaria 'Flutter Deep Blue' |
As usual, I cut too many flowers. The pink Alstroemerias I thought I could incorporate into the first arrangement didn't mesh with the prevailing orange tones so they went into a small vase for the kitchen island. When I couldn't cram everything I'd cut for the second arrangement into the vase I'd selected, the extra stems went into the kitchen island arrangement as well.
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| In addition to the noID pink Alstroemeria, this vase includes Orlaya grandiflora, self-seeded Lagurus ovatus (aka bunny tail grass), and Agrostemma 'Ocean Pearls' |
For more IAVOM creations, check in with Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2022by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party