Warm and Cool Vases on Monday

I hadn't planned to do a post on cut flowers this week, because I simply cut the flowers and plopped them in vases. But the colors were so vibrant, I thought I'd share. The first vase includes mostly warm, vibrant colors that brighten their corner in the washroom.



A sprig of Dusty Miller (Jacobaea maritima) offers a bit of contrast.



'Zowie! Yellow Flame' Zinnias (Z. elegans) are the stars.



Also, a few warm 'State Fair Mix' Zinnias that compliment the color scheme.



Some sprigs of Lesser Calamint (Clinopodium nepeta) provide lacy structure.



False Sunflowers (Heliopsis helianthoides) frame the edges.



One warm spike of Gladiolus (G. grandiflora) crowns the middle.



And a few stems of Black-Eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta) offer structure and more warmth.



Next, I plopped the cooler-colored blooms in their own vase in a different washroom.



More 'State Fair Mix' Zinnias.



Many cuttings of 'Sensation Mix' Cosmos (C. bipinnatus), for their foliage and fabulous blooms, including white...



And pink.

Finally, I rounded up some Resurrection Lilies (Lycoris squamigera) and framed them with Ostrich Ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris).

What's blooming in your garden and gracing your vases? Join the "In a Vase on Monday" meme over at Rambling in the Garden. Thanks to Cathy for hosting!

Plentiful Mounds of Hydrangeas

Do you prune your Hydrangeas? I admit I haven't been careful about the timing of this practice in the past, for various reasons. But this year they've been so full of blooms--more than I can remember in previous years. And one of our shrubs is next to the sidewalk, so it must be contained. Some sources I've consulted recommend pruning around August 1 to encourage blooms for next year.

So I'm focusing solely on Hydrangeas for this post. I piled a bunch of cuttings in a large glass bowl for display.



They make an interesting mounded arrangement.



I added the teacup to show the size of the mound, although it's hard to convey through a photo.



Here you can see the large glass bowl and the blooms spilling over it.



I also grouped a few of the blooms--some with a little more color--along with some foliage, into a small display vase in the family room. They're so pretty and elegant.



OK, I fibbed. It's not just about Hydrangeas. The Gladiolas continue, and I plopped three stems in a vase in the restroom. Gosh, these were easy arrangements. And the flowers keep coming...

I'm linking in with Cathy's In a Vase on Monday meme over at Rambling in the Garden. Head on over to see some amazing displays.

July 'Vases' of Plenty

At this time of year, the options seem endless for floral arrangements. It's such a dramatic contrast to midwinter; although the slim pickings of midwinter help me appreciate the plenty of July. The flowering annuals I started from seed are great companions to perennial offerings.



In the arrangement at the start of this post, I used Hosta flowers at the top and back to help frame the collection. I don't know the variety; all Hostas in the garden were here when we moved in more than two decades ago, and they weren't marked.



Also framing the arrangement are Glads (Gladiolus grandiflora hybrids). I planted the corms in the garden after the last frost in early May.



Foliage from Hosta and Hydrangea (H. macrophylla) anchor the background of the arrangement.



Purple Coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) add beautiful structure. 



A couple of 'May Night' Sage sprouts (Salvia x sylvestris) dot the sides.



Perhaps the stars of the grouping are the various Zinnias (Z. elegans) from the cutting garden, which I grew from seeds started in the sunroom in March.



The Zinnias shown here are 'State Fair Mix,' although I also have 'Zowie Yellow Flame' and 'Giant Purple' in the garden.



The Cosmos (C. bipinnatus 'Sensation Mix') flowers are so very plentiful and delightful. Their seeds were planted directly in the garden in early May.



I also added some Hosta flowers and Cosmos foliage to this second vase.



Finally, I've continuously placed single, tall Glads in this slender vase, which seems perfect for their regal stature.

I'm linking in with Cathy's In a Vase on Monday meme over at Rambling in the Garden. Head on over to see some amazing arrangements.

Cut Flowers Aplenty

While I could spend hours arranging cut flowers, indecision and abundance are guiding me toward "quick creativity" lately. Not as "perfect" as it could be, but this arrangement serves the purpose for a happy display.



In addition to Hydrangea foliage, I included yellow and orange Gladiolus...



Various shades of Zinnias...



Bright pink Cosmos, and...



Spikes of Liatris.



About a week ago, I used similar flowers in this arrangement, also featuring Rudbeckia branches and Hosta flowers.

So many cut flowers; I feel rich with options. Have a great week!

In a Vase on Monday is hosted by Cathy at "Rambling in the Garden."