About my garden

Monday 24 July 2017

In a vase on Monday - Jumble of summer



 I wanted to showcase these wonderful sunflowers 'Prado Red' so I chose a few other things to add in. In fact the sunflowers seem overwhelmed by everything else and fade into the background. 

Rudbeckia hirta 'Green Eyes' I was fondly imagining these to be green flowers but of course it's the centre which is green. The eye. Doh. Shame, I quite fancy a green rudbeckia. 
Amaranthus caudatus - just a few weeks ago these were tiny. 
Crocosmia - no name
There is some cosmos foliage at the back but  you can barely see it in this picture. I'm getting lots of lush foliage on some plants so I've whipped off the tops in the hope of encouraging flowers. It's good as vase filler but needs water straight away. 


This is a jumble of summer flowers, mostly pink. Starry Dahlia 'Honka Pink'.


 Pink Dahlia 'Classic Rosamund, white 'Bishop of Dover, pink and blue larkspur

 Some sort of scabious, first pink aster, Penstemon 'Sour grapes'. Varigated Caryopteris foliage. This is just coming into bud so I should have left it really. 
I'm very pleased to have the larkspur as I never manage to grow it very well. So far each plant has one flower stem but I'm hoping for side shoots. Do you pinch yours out? 

For interesting and intriguing vases from around the world visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden - In a vase on Monday. 

8 comments:

  1. Both arrangements are pretty, Alison, but I love the first one. I tried growing Rudbeckia 'Green Eyes', and that Amaranthus too as a matter of fact, but neither were all that happy or vigorous here. Those dark sunflowers add a dramatic element too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, I do like dark flowers and foliage but you could probably have too much!

      Delete
  2. You have given us two very pretty but very different vases...ah I am green with envy over Green Eyes..I think there is so much variety in annuals. I had not grown many before, so I have been encourage by your blooms which have weathered the rain very well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, I can certainly share some seeds. Rudbckia would be my No1 annual for late colour and cutting. It goes on for months.

      Delete
  3. I especialy like your first vase and those stunning rudbeckia (I have Irish eyes, which is similar) and that amazingly dark sunflower. I love amaranthus - it is just so tactile, and as you say it puts on a huge growth spurt once the flowers start. Peter Nyssen had sold out of Honka Pink and I ordered quite early - but it is good to see yours instead and I will try again this year. It is accompanied by lots of pretty blooms, and yes, I did pinch my larkspur out this year and they have done better as I had just single spikes before. Thanks for sharing, Alison

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. I think I was overwhelmed with seedlings this spring so somehow forgot the pinching out. Next year will be better!

      Delete
  4. Both lovely arrangements Alison, but that first one is so dramatic and definitely my favourite - I love those deep reds combined with the bright yellow and orange. The Scabious in your second vase is very pretty. I have a soft spot for them as they like my soil! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. These are lucky to be alive as I had to move them and it was touch and go for a while. Now they are doing well though.

      Delete

Thank you for visiting. I appreciate your thoughts and comments.
I'm sorry if you have trouble with leaving your comment, thank you for persevering.