As a by-product of this year's heavier-than-usual rainfall, my back slope is now grossly overgrown. It's difficult to walk down there at the moment as plants crowd the narrow concrete stairway from both sides. On Saturday afternoon, I decided it was past time to cut back some of that exuberant growth. I've only made a stab at that thus far but, while I was there, I noticed that the Matilija poppies (Romneya coulteri) were blooming. Although I've repeatedly tried - and failed - to remove this plant since discovering what a thug it is, I can't ignore those lovely flowers. They don't last long in a vase but I cut the freshest blooms I could find and created an arrangement around them.
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| Even the freshest of these poppies shatter within 2-3 days, collapsing in a pool of ruffled petals and yellow stamens. They make quite a mess so I may regret my decision to cut so many of them for this vase. |
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| Back view: I used my peach snapdragons as filler material because those flowers were overdue for deadheading. The rust-resistant snapdragons aren't so resistant this year either. |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Achillea 'Moonshine', noID Lonicera (honeysuckle), Xylosma congestum, Antirrhinum majus 'Chantilly Peach', and Romneya coulteri |
My second arrangement is something of a disappointment. The purple foxgloves in my cutting garden have been begging for their time in the limelight and I had plenty of material to pair with them. I tend to lean toward combinations of plants that coordinate closely in color but I took that a bit too far this week. The resulting arrangement could have used more contrast to allow each element to show off against its companions.
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| All the stems I cut were tall so they demanded the heavy cut-glass vase. Unfortunately, the center of the arrangement ended up looking like a dying star forming a black hole. |
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| Back view: In retrospect, I should have skipped the Allium atropurpureum. I looked for more Arthropodium cirratum (aka Renga lily) but the single stem I'd included was the only one with open flowers I could find. |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Allium atropurpureum, Arthopodium cirratum (aka Renga lily), Coriandrum sativum, Digitalis purpurea 'Dalmatian Purple', Cotinus coggygyria 'Royal Purple', Nigella papillosa, Salvia canariensis var candidissima, and Orlaya grandiflora |
Our marine layer remains a persistent presence, seldom clearing before late afternoon. The high level of humidity it creates. combined with warmer afternoon temperatures, is encouraging mildew and rust among the densely planted flowers in my cutting garden, many of which now stretch above my head. I think it may be time to assemble bouquets to give away before the flowers lose their appeal.
For more IAVOM creations, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2023 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party