Wordless Wednesday

Posted on July 8, 2020 by

Silver Spotted Skipper

Silver Spotted Skipper on Lantana
Lantana
Helichrysum, Lantana, Bidens
Helichrysum, Lantana, Bidens
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In A Vase on Monday – Sundrops

Posted on July 6, 2020 by

Flower arrangementSundrops (Oenothera fruticosa) are bright and beautiful in the garden right now. In a contrasting cobalt blue jug, their gold color just pops.

Bachelor buttons (Centaurea cyanus) and Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia) provide additional blue. White Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) and Daisy Fleabane (Erigeron annuus) are fillers.

I’m linking with Cathy’s In A Vase on Monday at Rambling in the Garden. Click the link to see more arrangements from gardener’s around the world.

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Silent Sunday

Posted on July 4, 2020 by
Katydid instar

Katydid nymph missing a left rear leg, but its mandibles work just fine

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Wordless Wednesday

Posted on June 30, 2020 by

Bromus inermis (Smooth Brome)

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In A Vase On Monday – New Dawn

Posted on June 28, 2020 by

flower arrangementMy ‘New Dawn’ rose is having its best year yet– a tumble of delicate pink blooms cascade down its canes, covering the arbor.

 

‘New Dawn’ Rose, white Foxglove, Carolina Lupine
Lavender, Carolina Lupine

Likewise, my Carolina Lupine (Thermopsis caroliniana), is peaking this week with dozens of yellow racemes. I don’t know why this isn’t more commonly grown, as it is spectacular.

 

Rosa ‘New Dawn’

I added a stem of white Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea alba), several stems of Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) for contrast, and several Daisy Fleabane (Erigeron annuus) as filler, all arranged in a bed of fragrant, white privet blooms that grow wild in our woods. While an invasive species here, the fragrance is pleasurable.

I’m linking to Cathy’s In A Vase On Monday meme at Rambling in the Garden. Click to see what other gardener’s are arranging this week.

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Silent Sunday

Posted on June 27, 2020 by
Rosa 'New Dawn'

Rosa ‘New Dawn’

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Wordless Wednesday

Posted on June 23, 2020 by

beetle on flower

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In A Vase on Monday – Peonies, Foxgloves

Posted on June 21, 2020 by

flower arrangementWith the advent of our first heat wave of the season, the last of my Peonies are being pushed to their end. I await their blooming all year and their bloom time always seems to go by much too quickly.

 

 

Peony
Peony, Foxglove, Veronica

I cut them to bring in to set upon the diningroom table and on the side table next to me to enjoy while I work. Even though they drop their blown petals all at once with a big sigh, which then I have to clean up, I never mind. There is the gift of fragrance in those soft, fallen petals that clings to my hands.

 

 

Mallow, Peony, Foxglove

Today’s arrangement mainly features Paeonia lactiflora and Foxgloves (Digitalis purpurea). Pinwheels of wild, white Musk Mallow (Malva moschata alba) and Daisy Fleabane (Erigeron annuus) fill around them. Spikes of purple Speedwell (Veronica incana) and green trimmings from Russian Sage (Salvia yangii) provide additional vertical accents.

I’m linking to Cathy’s meme In A Vase on Monday at Rambling in the Garden.

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In the Garden – Solstice

Posted on June 20, 2020 by
Geranium 'Biokovo'

Geranium ‘Biokovo’

Solstice Greetings! On this longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, my gardens are full of many splendid flowers, so I decided to share a random few here with you.

Cranesbill Geraniums are great performers in the garden and I have several varieties including G. ‘Biokovo’ shown above, G. macrorrhizum, G. ‘Johnson’s Blue’, G. renardii, G. cinereum, G. phaeum, G. sanguineum, and G. lancastriense (below). I guess you could say I’m a big fan!Geranium lancastrienseLikewise, I have several varieties of Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris, A. kurdistanica, A. chrysantha and A. buergeriana var. oxysepala, which I featured in a recent vase).

Aquilegia ‘Blue Barlow’
Aquilegia ‘Nora Barlow’
Aquilegia buergeriana var. oxysepala

Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) are coming on strongly in both purple and white, with crosses between the two. Lamb’s Ears (Stachys) are enticing bees and Veronica “Crater Lake Blue’ are charming us with their cobalt-blue starry flowers.

Digitalis
Lamb’s ears and Veronica Crater Lake Blue’

Lastly, the Queen of June flowers, Paeonia lactiflora have been wonderful this year. I love their fragrant, voluptuous blossoms and have cut several vasefuls over the past two weeks. Now down to the smaller, secondary buds, I will celebrate every last one.Peony

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In A Vase on Monday – Mostly Blue

Posted on June 14, 2020 by

Cornus kousaI meant this to be mostly blue and purple, but I got distracted while out picking– easy to do! I started with Lamb’s Ears (Stachys byzantina), Catmint (Nepeta racemosa) and cobalt blue Speedwell (Veronica ‘Crater Lake Blue’) to go with my Japanese porcelain vase.

Veronica ‘Crater Lake Blue’
Columbine (Aquilegia)

Then the Korean Dogwood (Cornus kousa) was looking wonderful, so a few blossoms were selected. The Japanese Lantern Columbine (Aquilegia) had to be shown as well. I wandered by some common Oxeye Daisies (Leucanthemum vulgare), which begged to be included, so in they went, too.

Maybe my next arrangement will be more controlled… though I make no promises!Nepeta racemosaLinking to Rambling in the Garden‘s In A Vase on Monday.

 

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