For a couple of weeks it seemed as though fall had arrived, ahead of schedule no less. But a high pressure system moved in over the weekend, bringing the notorious
Santa Ana winds in tow, and our temperatures zoomed back up to summertime levels. Even though summer is intent to go out kicking and screaming, there are still signs that fall has arrived. Nighttime temperatures are significantly cooler and the cruise ships are back in the harbor.
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| While cruise ships operate year-round out of Long Beach (visible in the distance), the ships visit nearby San Pedro only during the fall and winter months |
However, as the high temperatures are expected to extend through the early part of the week, cutting flowers for "In a Vase on Monday," the meme hosted by Cathy of Rambling in the Garden, became something of a rescue operation. This week I'm more likely to regret what I didn't cut to fill a vase than anything I did cut. The flowers of
Eustoma grandiflorum (Lisianthus), which has been mounting a come-back, were among the first to get snipped.
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| I picked this as the front view but either side of this vase could serve as the focal point |
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| The back view has its own personality |
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| Top view |
There are a few stems of the blue-flowered
Eustoma in bloom but I thought they would overpower this vase so I left them in the garden and will hope for the best. I stuck with softer colors:
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| Clockwise from the left, this vase contains: pale yellow Eustoma grandiflorum, Achillea 'Moon Dust', Erigeron glaucus 'Wayne Roderick', Hebe 'Purple Shamrock', Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Silver Magic', Verbena bonariensis, and white Zinnia 'Profusion' |
The last
Eustoma I planted in June are finally coming on. Sold as Lisianthus
'Cherry Sorbet', they're a dark, moody pink.
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| I think the flowers of Eustoma grandiflorum 'Cherry Sorbet' look more like roses than any other variety of Lisianthus |
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| Back view |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the left, this vase contains: Eustoma grandiflorum 'Cherry Sorbet', Abelia x grandiflora, Gomphrena globosa 'Fireworks', Hebe 'Wiri Blush', flowers of a noID ivy (which the bees LOVE), Pennisetum 'Fireworks', and Pentas 'Kaleidoscope Appleblossom' |
A few stems of the pale pink
Eustoma also made a comeback but, after clipping them, I decided they didn't do anything for my second arrangement so I put them in a small vase on the bedroom mantle.
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| Pale pink Eustoma grandiflorum 'Mariachi Pink' with dark pink Zinnias |
The first vase landed on the dining room table.
And the dark pink arrangement sits on the table in the front entry.
For more Monday vases,
pay Cathy a visit.
All material © 2012-2016 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
