IAVOM – High Summer Mix

Posted on July 26, 2026 by Eliza Waters

The most abundant time of year in my garden is here and today’s mix is proof of that. It is hard to limit myself when picking and I end up with a vase full every time I go out to select ‘just a few.’

Pink: coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), spider flower (Cleome hassleriana), flowering tobacco (Nicotiana alata). Yellow: Calendula officinalis crosses, Zinnia elegans ‘Envy’ and bronze fennel flowers (Foeniculum vulgare). Accents: purple Verbena bonariensis and gray-green poppy seed heads (Papaver somniferum).

A small second vase holds Zinnia marylandica ‘Zahara Salmon’ and Dahlia ‘Hypnotica Icarus’ and ‘Grandahlia Dark Red.’

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden who hosts the weekly garden meme In A Vase On Monday, featuring flowers from our gardens. Click the link to join the fun or see what others are sharing this week.

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Silent Sunday – Grandmother White Oak

Posted on July 25, 2026 by Eliza Waters

Ancient Dewey Granby Oak

(click link to learn more about this unique specimen)

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Wordless Wednesday – Mauve Poppy

Posted on July 21, 2026 by Eliza Waters

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IAVOM – Indecision

Posted on July 19, 2026 by Eliza Waters

I made two arrangements this week and couldn’t decide which one to post, so I’ll share both!

In the frosted fern vase, there are spikes of Chinese astilbe (Astilbe chinensis var. tacquettii), coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena), flowering tobacco (Nicotiana alata), anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) zebra mallow (Malva sylvestris ‘Zebrina’), Calamintha grandiflora and Achillea ptarmica ‘The Pearl.’

The second is various yellows in a blue vase:

Racemes of deliciously fragrant Ligularia dentata ‘The Rocket’ accompany gloriosa daisies (Rudbeckia hirta), Zinnia elegans ‘Envy’ and flower/seed heads of dill (Anethum graveolens) and bronze fennel (Foeniculum vulgare purpureum).

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden who hosts the weekly garden meme In A Vase On Monday, featuring flowers from our gardens. Click the link to join the fun or see what others are sharing this week.

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Silent Sunday – Waterlilies

Posted on July 18, 2026 by Eliza Waters
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Wordless Wednesday – Red Orchid Cactus

Posted on July 14, 2026 by Eliza Waters

Red Orchid Cactus – Disocactus ackermannii 

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IAVOM – First Dahlias

Posted on July 12, 2026 by Eliza Waters

It is always exciting when the first dahlia blooms, and this week I have two: Dahlia ‘Hypnotica Icarus’ and ‘Grandahlia Dark Red.’ Orange butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) is looking fine, but I’ve seen no butterflies, only ants, alas. My first self-sown white love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena) flowers are blooming this week as well. Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta) and a small dill flower (Anethum graveolens) complete the arrangement.

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden who hosts the weekly garden meme In A Vase On Monday, featuring flowers from our gardens. Click the link to join the fun or see what others are sharing this week.

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Silent Sunday – Bog Reflections

Posted on July 11, 2026 by Eliza Waters
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Wordless Wednesday – July Meadow

Posted on July 7, 2026 by Eliza Waters
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IAVOM – Summer Joy

Posted on July 5, 2026 by Eliza Waters

Last week’s heat wave, along with enough showers, made a lot of garden plants happy. It pushed others out of bloom and many more leapt forward to full-on summer.

Yellow and orange red-hot pokers (Kniphofia uvaria) dominate this week’s vase, accompanied by spikes of purple speedwell (Veronica longifolia). Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), evening primrose (Oenothera fruticosa) and a lemony day lily (Hemerocallis ‘Hyperion’) add yellow, and a single red-orange sweet pea (Lathyrus odorata) was added to vie with the orange red-hot poker. Wildflower fillers are daisy fleabane (Erigeron annuus), oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) and yarrow (Achillea millefolium).

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden who hosts the weekly garden meme In A Vase On Monday, featuring flowers from our gardens. Click the link to join the fun or see what others are sharing this week.

Posted in Country Gardening, My Photos | Tagged , , , , , , | 80 Comments