I'm tardy in joining in the "Vase on Monday" meme. July has been crazy, but I've managed to snap a few photos of simple combinations, from the beginning of the month to the end.
I often plop deadheaded snips, and bits and pieces in vases during the growing season, and this month is no different.
My handy kitty litter bucket filled with a couple inches of water in the bottom is a great, cheap tool for gathering the remains of the day. This first group was from the beginning of July. It included unnamed Asiatic lilies (Lilium spp.), Hosta stems, Bugbane (Actea racemosa), Drumstick Alliums (A. sphaerocephalon), and Weigela (W. florida) foliage.
I had a bag of glass gems, so I added them to the bottom of a glass pitcher--for a little visual interest and to help hold the stems in place.
I also added criss-crossed tape at the top of the pitcher for support.
I knew the foliage and flowers would cover the tape.
Next, I plopped deadheaded 'Zowie! Yellow Flame' Zinnias (Zinnia elegans) in a very simple vase with deadheaded Coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea), 'May Night' Salvias (S. sylvestris), a small stem of 'Supertunia Vista Bubblegum'
Petunias (P. hybrid), a little sprig of purple Angelonia (A. hybrid), and more Drumstick Alliums. Some of these flowers had flopped over due to gardener mishaps and the effects of the elements.
Finally, I recently rescued the 'Stargazer' Lilies (Lilium orientalis) before the rabbits could eat them. I clipped off the tops of two very tall stems of Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata) and added Hydrangea foliage for more green. The Hydrangeas were a little droopy, but later recovered.
'Stargazer' is so dreamy and has a very long vase life. Plus, the scent is incredible!
Summertime is a great opportunity to use deadheaded blooms and dribs and drabs of plant material in floral arrangements. Even if you're pressed for time, if you keep it simple, it won't be overwhelming, and it's better than throwing all the lovelies in the compost pile--that can wait until they're spent.
Check out the "In a Vase on Monday" meme over at Rambling in the Garden for smiles and floral arranging inspiration. Thanks to Cathy for hosting!
Beautiful flowers . . .
ReplyDeleteVery, very nice arranging, assortment!
I love the arranging part . . .
Wish all flowers had an 8ndoor lifetime like the Star Gazer Lily!
I know: The 'Stargazers' last so long! Thank you, Lynne. I enjoy the arranging part, too, but lately I seem to be short on time, so I'm doing really simple ones this summer. One of the joys of gardening is having cut flowers readily available. :)
DeleteOh, to have such a plethora of lilies! However, impressed as I am by those flowers, I like the combination of the zinnias and coneflowers even more - those sherbet colors are delicious.
ReplyDeleteI love the lilies for cut flowers. I planted them early on when we moved here, and they've seemed to perform well and produce every year. I'm terrible about keeping labels, though, so the Asiatics go unnamed, as do my Daylilies. I do, however, know that the Oriental is 'Stargazer.' Zinnias are a long-time favorite for pollinators and cut flowers, too. :)
DeleteBeautiful, I like your lilies...
ReplyDeleteThank you, Endah! They seem to like their spot in the garden. :)
Deleteespecially enjoyed the way you described your florist artistry - choosing vases that match the blooms so well - adore heavy scented lilies but the round glass suits the zinnia & coneflower combo beautifully
ReplyDeleteThank you, Laura. Simple glass vases for summer seem to convey a cool drink of water. :)
DeleteOh what beautiful lilies! I love the first one with the bugbane. It is so striking with that height!
ReplyDeleteThe lilies always produce--they seem to like their location in the garden. The Bugbane is fun to play with. It has a strong scent, but it adds a nifty form to arrangements.
DeleteGorgeous arrangements from your garden waste! The fragrance of lilies is one of my favorite summertime treats. Mine are just about finished for the season but the memory will linger. Tape at the top of your container is a great idea!
ReplyDeleteMine are finished for the season, too. I didn't get around to posting about them until now, so this post shows arrangements over the course of July. ;-) The memory always lingers, doesn't it? I wish it would be enough during the winter months, but by the end of winter, memory--alone--isn't enough for me. ;-) I have to buy some cut flowers!
DeleteNot simple at all but simply stunning. Thanks for the tips on the glass balls and the tape.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Linda. I've done cut arrangements for church for years, so these seem really basic to me. It's been a busy summer! ;-)
DeleteI like your vases a lot. I love those big lilies. The vervain is one of my favorites too. Mine is also blooming but they are leaning due to me planting them in too much shade. Argh....
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lisa. The lilies are awesome for cut flowers--among the best! This is my first year with Blue Vervain: I've LOVED it for many years, but finally thought of a spot for it in the garden. I don't have much sun, so it's tricky. Mine are in a slightly shaded area, too, so I cut off the tops and now the shorter ones are blooming. :)
DeleteBeautiful!
ReplyDeleteHope you are having a wonderful week!
Thank you, Lea. Yes, it's a pretty good week. Hope your transition to August will be delightful, too. :)
DeleteYes, I don't have enough lilies to cut either, and so far I have only had any success at all with them in pots. The actea looks wonderful in a vase and I like the way you have gradually worked up the arrangements, well, all of them in fact. Most effective.
ReplyDeleteI had some trouble with rabbits eating them, so I put them behind wire fencing. They're in partial sun, facing west for me. They do lean toward the sun some, but it's over a white fence, so I like the look. Thank you for your kind words, Cathy.
DeleteMy current rescue vase is a bunch of Thai basil. Always determined to lean over the path and the woody stems break.
ReplyDeleteI like that term: rescue vase. That is often how it works for me. Thai Basil in a vase looks lovely and smells heavenly. :)
DeleteBeautiful!! Can you believe August is already here?
ReplyDeleteThank you, Carla! I'm trying to live in the moment, day by day. It's only the beginning of August! So many beautiful summer days ahead, and each one will be special! :)
DeleteI particularly like the Bugbane and the mass of lilies.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jason. The Bugbane has a distinct scent that can seem unpleasant, but I love the form. Lilies are always great in vases.
DeleteWow, your arrangements are both beautiful! And these came from deadheaded blooms? Your flower garden has to be amazing.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Deb! Some were ones that flopped over, some were deadheads, some were rescued from rabbit fangs. LOL. My garden is pretty wild, but I like it. :)
DeleteLovely arrangements, thanks for sharing that technique with the glass beads. I always find it very hard to get flowers to stay where I want them to stay. And in between vases you could play marbles.
ReplyDeleteThanks, and you're welcome. Yes, there are many uses for those glass beads. ;-) Actually, I think the beads could be really dramatic in a smaller clear glass vase. Has me thinking about future creations...
DeleteLovely arrangements, Beth! I'm not very good at flower arranging, so I especially appreciate the tips using the tape and the pebbles. I will have to try that. Do you have any suggestions for prolonging the life of the arrangement? There are some flowers that only seem to last a day in a vase for me. Now I wish I had brought in some Stargazers before they were all done!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rose. Oh, I'm sure your arrangements are gorgeous, too. Honestly, I don't do much to try to prolong the blooms. When I use the powdery preservative it doesn't seem to help. Sometimes I do plop them in hot water first, but not always. Also, I try to cut the stems on an angle to create more surface area for the water to penetrate. But more than anything, I try to use plants and blooms that tend to last at least a week. The Stargazers seem to have a very long vase life!
DeleteYou have great material - and then you make it look easy. Thanks for the tip about using tape!
ReplyDeleteLovely arrangements and gorgeous lilies. I must try the handy tape trick.
ReplyDelete