We expect to be beset by another heatwave beginning today and continuing through the workweek. The forecasters say it won't be as nasty as the heatwave of July 6th that sent our temperature here up to 110F (43C) but then they didn't anticipate an event like that in early July either. I've been giving the most vulnerable areas of the garden extra water in advance of this new heatwave in the hope of stemming further damage. Whether it'll be enough remains to be seen.
I was tempted to cut just about every bloom I had but I restrained myself - I'd like to have some left to cut in future weeks, especially as my dahlias and zinnias have been slow to get a move on. I found a few new
Agapanthus blooms in the shadier areas of my garden on Sunday morning and cut those on the assumption that I'll get more enjoyment out of the pristine blooms in my dining room than I'd get from seeing withered stalks in the garden.
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| While Agapanthus was the starting point for this vase, the real stars may be the white and purplish blue Lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum), which starting blooming in earnest this month despite the earlier heatwave |
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| I used some of the Lisianthus left over from last week's vase to dress up the back of the vase |
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| Top view: The bi-color Lisianthus (center) surprised me. I planted it last year but I don't remember it blooming last summer. |
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The vase contains, top row: Abelia 'Hopley's Variegated', noID Agapanthus, and Crassula pubescens ssp radicans
Middle row: 3 varieties of Eustoma grandiflorum
Last row: Duranta erecta 'Sapphire Showers', noID lavender, and Prunus laurocerasus |
As my
Gaillardia are blooming profusely, I cut some of them to create a simple arrangement for the front entry.
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| The stems of the Gaillardia blooms are frustratingly short |
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| Back view featuring 2 varieties of Leucadendron, some taken from another of last week's arrangements |
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| Top view |
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The vase contains, top row: Gaillardia 'Fanfare Citronella' and variegated Lantana 'Samantha'
Bottom row: Leucadendron 'Safari Sunset' and what I think is L. salignum 'Devil's Blush' |
For more Monday vases,
visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden. I'm off to do more hand-watering before the heat soars.
All material © 2012-2018 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
