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."

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."