The long holiday weekend that unofficially closes the curtain on summer in the US started with emotionally charged public memorials for two American icons,
Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, and
John McCain, the political maverick known for both straight talk and reaching his hand across the aisle. I followed Franklin's memorial through radio coverage but watched the televised service for McCain at the National Cathedral. Franklin's voice was unparalleled but I expect her influence will live on through the many vocal artists she influenced. I'd like to hope that McCain's integrity, respect for others, and emphasis on civility in political discourse will influence those who seek to represent us in national and international arenas too but, sadly, that seems far less certain.
When it came time to cut flowers and foliage for "In a Vase on Monday," I sought to shake off the tears and keep things light and bright. As has been the case for weeks now, the focal point of my first vase was a dahlia, in this case 'Strawberry Ice'.
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| Dahlia 'Strawberry Ice' becomes far more luminous as the bloom matures |
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| On this occasion, the back of my vase looks remarkably like the front |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left, this vase contains: Abelia x grandiflora 'Edward Goucher', Clematis paniculata (aka Sweet Autumn Clematis), Corokia x virgata 'Sunsplash', Agastache 'Ana's Hummingbird Mint', Gomphrena 'Fireworks', white and yellow forms of Zinnia elegans 'Candy Mix' and, in the center, Dahlia 'Strawberry Ice' |
I abandoned the dahlias when I put together my second vase, electing instead to use the last of my green Lisianthus.
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| I used the colorful foliage of Caladium 'Miss Muffet' to pull together the green Lisianthus and a variety of pink flowers |
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| The back of the vase shows off the last pink Lisianthus I was able to find along with some bedraggled coleus |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left, the vase contains: green and pink forms of Eustoma grandiflorum (aka Lisianthus), Fuchsia 'Galfrey Lye', Leucadendron 'Pisa', Plectranthus scutellarioides 'Redhead' and 'Chili Pepper', Zinnia elegans 'Benary's Giant Wine' and, in the center, Caladium 'Miss Muffet' |
For more Monday vases,
visit Cathy, our IAVOM host, at Rambling in the Garden.
Happy Labor Day to those of you in the US celebrating the holiday!
All material © 2012-2018 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
