My peonies (Paeonia lactiflora) have come out in full force this past week and I have been enjoying them inside and out. Every time I walk by, I bury my nose in their soft petals and inhale deeply. Pure heaven!
To keep these lovelies company in this week’s vase, I’ve added racemes of silver speedwell (Veronica spicata var. incana) and common sage (Salvia officinalis).
Lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis) has also begun to bloom. I love that it has such a long season and I use it a lot as a filler flower. Its chartreuse blossoms go well with just about any flower combination.
The vase is a frosted pink glass one that I use quite a bit and has become a favorite of mine to use with pink and white arrangements.
Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In the Garden, who hosts a weekly meme to showcase what is blooming in our gardens. Wander over to see what gardeners all over the world are arranging this week.
Eliza Waters 
Your arrangement looks wonderful with the vase Eliza. 🙂
Thank you, Karen!
My favoite flowers. Just lovely Eliza~
Thank you, Cindy. Do they grow at the Holler or is it too warm?
Beautiful arrangement of the opulence of the peonies combined with the simplicity of the other flowers. I must try to find plants or seed of the A. molis so useful and always pretty.
Thank you, Christina. They do self-sow readily, so I expect you’d have good success that way if you can’t find plants.
your peonies are fabulous! I think the lace tablemat and in the background adds a perfect romantic element – how clever!
Thank you for noticing that, Ann. 🙂
Beautiful as always. Love the colour combinations:)
Thank you kindly!
Peony season is a wonderful time of year. Beautiful arrangement with a tremendous fragrance bonus. 🙂
Thank you, Judy. Beauty and fragrance, such a gift of nature!
Oh how lovely the flowers look 🙂 and you’ve got such amazing sense of colours!!!
Thank you so much, Aishwarya!
The scent IS pure heaven. A friend gave me a bunch from her garden and they waited in the car while we took a walk in the woods. When I opened the car door the perfume was so potent. I rode home inside the scent of paradise. What gorgeous arrangements you’ve made. To me, nothing is more beautiful than flowers picked from the garden. Thanks for the beauty on this grey, in many ways, Monday.
Thank you, Catherine, glad you found it cheering. Driving in your car with those peonies must have been an ethereal experience!
Thank you for your visit and comment. 🙂
Lovely as always!
Thank you, Belinda! 🙂
ditto, echo all of the above.. I dared once to bring peonies in, the ants soon had me putting them on the back veranda.. what do you do lady to keep the ants away
I really have no problem with ants. I gently brush or shake the blooms upside down after I cut them and most critters are happy to abandon ship. Happily, I notice quite a few ladybug larva on them, too. These I gently return to forage further. 🙂
It’s that time of year when my peony envy rears its ugly head! I really must add at least one peony to my garden! Wonderful, soft, delicious arrangement Eliza.
Thank you, Kathy. You really must add at least one – they are such a delight!
Just so very beautiful.
Thank you, Sylvia.
Looks like a Dutch still life. So lovely!
High praise indeed, I’m honored – thank you so much, Laurie!
Mmm, lovely! (That peony scent is wafting around my home too, but the season was far too short this year). A beautiful arrangement again Eliza!
Thank you kindly, Cathy!
Beautiful arrangement! Peonies are such special flowers.
Thank you, Peter. Peonies rank high on my list, for sure. 🙂
I absolutely love the frosted glass vase and the peonies you put in it….my peonies are delayed due to our cold snap of late now going on about 10 days….but I hope to fill a vase full of peonies soon!
Thank you, Donna. It is a happy time of year when the peonies bloom!
I’ve been waiting for the peonies! I am imagining their smell from here.
The living room is filled with their fragrance…so sweet!
Oh, I am jealous! Enjoy it! It’s farmers market day here at the office, so perhaps I can come up with a bouquet there.
I hope so!
No peonies! I took comfort in the presence of fresh strawberries, though. And new potatoes.
Those are GOOD comforts! 🙂
Very, very good comforts!
🙂
Beautiful peonies in such a Spring like arrangement. I like the smoked glass vase!
Thank you, Val. 🙂
Oh, what I wouldn’t give for a garden with peonies!
They are one of the pluses of living in a cold climate. We do have to put up with the cold part to enjoy these! 😉
Just perfect, your arrangement looks like an Old Masters oil painting in a museum in Europe.
Thank you so much – I feel flattered! 🙂
I would call this the perfect combination!
Thank you, Anca! ❤
Another gorgeous arrangement. It’s lovely to see peonies again. Ours are finished for the season.
Thank you, Robin. The peony season is too short, IMO, but it’s nice to enjoy them on other gardeners blogs. 🙂
More alchemilla – lovely! Gorgeous peonies too, and the touch of blue was inspired as it just ‘lifts’ the whiteness of the peonies
Thank you, Cathy!
How lovely and a beautiful arrangement
Thank you, Diana.
They are all gorgeous!
Thank you, Tiny!
Wow! Absolutely stunning.
Thank you, Gigi! 🙂
This arrangement was so full, Eliza, but it was really balanced. I like how you do that.
🙂 Thank you very much, Kim!
I do love peonies! So lovely.
Thank you, Fi. I think peonies rank high on everyone’s list. 🙂
Oh, so pretty Eliza. I do love alchemilla, such a simple plant with those soft greens and yellows… I stole a tiny seedling from somewhere last year and installed it in the front garden, and this year it has grown tremendously, but it is nonetheless relatively small and not flowering yet so I am enjoying it vicariously in vases like yours! It, and the salvia, really set off those peonies.
Thank you, Joanna. Soon enough, you’ll have tons of alchemilla – it’s a great plant to have in the garden.
Someone (my mother, I think) said it was brave/foolhardy of me to add alchemilla to my garden, due to the prolific self-seeding. Bring it on, I say!
🙂 They are easy to remove (as they are not stoloniferous) or give away extras to friends. If you don’t want them to self sow a lot, dead head them before they set seed. Easy-peasy! They are so worth it. 🙂
You are celebrating peonies too Eliza! How lovely they are. I think the alchemilla looks just perfect with it (but then it does with anything doesn’t it? Never steals the show. Lovely peonies, wish I could drown in them!
Thanks, Cathy. Ooh, a bathtub filled with peony petals, doesn’t that sound luxurious!
Such satisfying arrangement. I like the way the eye can travel round the four major stars of the show.
Forgot to say that you could grow Zéphirine Drouhin , a rose without prickles. I’m sure somebody will have told you this already. She was a clue in an Agatha Christie story .
Thank you very much. I’ve heard of roses without thorns, but have never looked for one. I appreciate you giving me a name to look for!
Thank you!
How absolutely gorgeous! I put some purple flowering mint clippings in a vase over the weekend and thought of you!
Thank you, Denise. So sweet of you to think of me, I’m honored. 🙂
I’ve been very remiss never having grown peonies Eliza but I’m enjoying seeing them featured in other folk’s vases. Yours are absolute stunners. I will have to remedy the situation and indulge in some plant retail therapy before too long.
Fall is an ideal time to plant the bare roots, so you have plenty of time to shop around. Although last year I noticed that a nursery had pots of them at half price at the end of June, just to move them out. That was a great deal!
Every week your arrangements seem to get more gorgeous. I love the table runner too.
Thank you so much, Brenda! I have quite a lot of table linen packed away. Your comment makes me think I should be bringing it out more. 😉
Another “oh, wow” arrangement. Stunning.
Thank you so much!
What combo!
Thank you, Maria.
Absolutely beautiful photographs – the clarity is amazing!
Thank you kindly, Steve!