My husband bought me a new vase on our
recent visit to the Huntington Botanical Gardens and, as I wanted to see what I could do with it, the vessel determined the choice of flowers this week rather than vice versa.
![]() |
| The new "standing leaf" vase is about 8 inches tall and wide but has a narrow profile |
I looked for plants that would complement the vase but not eclipse it.
![]() |
| Front view of new vase with lilies taking center stage |
![]() |
| I couldn't bring myself to cut another lily stem to adorn the back view so simple daisies had to do |
![]() |
| Top view |
I'd been hoping that my
Eustoma grandiflorum (aka Lisianthus) would be ready for picking but they've been slow to bloom this year. They're close but not quite there.
![]() |
| The columnar-shaped plants shown scattered about in the left-hand photo are all Eustoma planted in 2015 or 2014. The photo on the right shows buds just about ready to bloom. Most of the plugs planted this year also have buds but the plants don't look nearly as vigorous as the returnees. |
The noID pink lilies were my second choice. I received 3 bulbs with a purchase of other bulbs a few years ago and, while the beautiful
'Stargazer' lilies I planted shortly after we moved in have long since died out, these continue to return.
![]() |
| The lilies aren't scented or flashy and I generally think they look better in the garden than highlighted in a vase |
I selected just 3 other plants to accompany the lilies:
![]() |
| Clockwise from the left, the vase contains: noID lilies, Helichrysum petiolare (probably 'Silver Mist'), Leucadendron salignum 'Chief', and Tanacetum niveum |
As I wandered my garden in search of companions for the lilies, I'd cut a number of other plants on spec as well. Although I'd planned to construct a second vase of
Achillea 'Moonshine' and
Leucanthemum x superbum as both are available in quantity right now, my leftover cuttings pushed me in another color direction.
![]() |
| After all, there's also a large supply of Agapanthus in the garden |
![]() |
| Clockwise from upper left, the second vase contains: noID Agapanthus, Cuphea ignea 'Starfire Pink", Heteromeles arbutifolia (aka Toyon), noID lavender (probably Lavandula angustifolia), Origanum 'Monterey Bay', and Tanacetum niveum |
As the winds are up again and I'm wary about having my new porcelain vase take flight in the front entry (as 2 other vases have previously done), I placed it on the dining room table.
And the larger, heavier blue vase was placed in the front entry.
For more vases,
visit Cathy of Rambling in the Garden, the host of "In a Vase on Monday."
All material © 2012-2016 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
