Spring has suddenly become very busy. That's partly due to preparations for (gulp!) an upcoming home remodel; partly to a significant increase in the docent tours I'm conducting at my local botanic garden; and partly due to the demands of my own garden. I keep hearing there's an uptick in our temperatures on the horizon so I've been trying to prepare my garden for summer; however, thus far, temperatures have remained below average. Spring often turns into Summer without much warning here but maybe I need to slow down a bit and just enjoy the current season while I can.
Leucospermum 'Brandi' seems to be in a hurry as well. The shrub's full of mature flowers now so I decided to cut three for use in a vase this week. The flowers look like pinwheels so they fit the spinning theme.
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| The arrangement bears some similarities to one I created in late March but it includes an interesting new element in the form of Nigella orientalis 'Transformer'. (I misidentified the plant as Bupleurum in last week's Bloom Day post but helpful readers of my blog and Instagram posts pointed me in the right direction.) |
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| I planted both 'Transformer' and Bulpleurum from seed in the same raised planter. The latter has yet to make an appearance but 'Transformer' has a nice display going. |
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| The Ranunculus are just about finished, taken out prematurely after being buffeted by a few rounds of Santa Ana winds |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Leucospermum 'Brandi', Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Lotus berthelotii 'Gold Flash', Ranunculus, and Nigella orientalis 'Transformer' |
Last week I admired the Dutch
Iris Christina of
My Hesperides Garden featured in her IAVOM post, commenting that I'd like to have some in similar colors, only to be surprised by the appearance of two similar blooms in my front garden late last week. I planted the bulbs in October 2017 and all I remembered about them was that they were pale blue in color but they're actually a mix of blue and white with a touch of yellow at the throat.
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| According to my records, the Iris is 'Silver Beauty' |
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| I played off the yellow at the throats of the Iris with the addition of Phlomis fruticosa (aka Jeruselem sage) |
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| I added more light blue to the mix with the stems of the same Salvia I used last week |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Centranthus ruber 'Albus', noID self-planted Cotoneaster, seed-grown Orlaya grandiflora, Salvia heldriechiana, Phlomis fruticosa, Limonium perezii, Westringia fruticosa 'Morning Light' and, in the center, Iris hollandica 'Silver Beauty' |
For more Monday vases,
visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden. Best wishes for a happy
Earth Day!
All material © 2012-2019 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
