Magical September Flowers in a Vase on Monday

This may be the mildest and most beautiful September I've experienced. High pressure has dominated, so we've had clear blue skies, light breezes, and temps in the 70s and 80s (21-30C) all month. Some folks are eager for cooler fall days, but the conditions are perfect in my book.

Anyway, the garden is happy with a little help from the gardener with watering. And the flowers in the cutting garden continue to bloom with abandon.



The arrangement at the top includes various Zinnias (Z. elegans),



Foliage from Cosmos (C. bipinnatus) and Hydrangeas (H. macrophylla),



Blue Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum) blooms, which currently dominate the cutting garden, and

Cheerful Cosmos (C. bipinnatus) blossoms, which brighten any day.



The second arrangement is more typically summer "warm" in its appearance.



A few creamy white spikes of Mistflower add some sparks,



Along with more Zinnias that look like sunshine itself,



And a few sprigs of various Coleus (C. scutellarioides) foliage for more color and framing.

It's such a joy to have bright flowers and foliage from May through mid-October (or maybe longer this year?). And most of these were grown from seeds started indoors in March or tiny seedlings planted in the garden in early May. I will miss them.

Head on over to Cathy's blog, Rambling in the Garden, to celebrate "In a Vase on Monday."