The garden is at its zenith and while we have some weeks ahead of us, I’m aware that the bonanza won’t last forever, which only serves to heighten my appreciation.
I cleared my garden paths of the abundant tangle of flopping stems, mostly white flowering tobacco (Nicotiana alata) and yellow/orange calendula (C. officinalis).
A large clump of heartleaf aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium) also needed trimming, so that became my lacy greens. 
Nothing goes to waste if I can find a vase for it (which as you might have guessed, I have plenty)!
The special features this week are tall stems of Ligularia ‘The Rocket’ as well as golden zinnias (Z. elegans ‘County Fair Mix’) and dahlia (D. ‘Tiki Torch’).
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 
Gorgeous.
Thank you, Gigi. If I lived closer, I would make one for you. 🙂
no way you could let those beauties go to waste when there is a vase handy!
Absolutely… 😉 thanks, Ann!
Wow, that’s a stunner! The nicotiana must smell beautiful. I love that Dahlia too. And the vase! The whole thing is wonderfully warm and glowing on this cold wet night. I have some spring flowers which have survived the hail and I will post them soon. 🙂
Thank you, Cath. Glad to provide a bit of summer warmth to your wintry evening. 🙂
Fabulous and fun! Looks like a fireworks display.
Thank you, Marian. Yes, a bit like golden Roman candles!
Reblogged this on Anita Dawes & Jaye Marie and commented:
stunning…as usual!
Thank you very much!
A vase of sunshine – and there is that lovely Ligularia again:)
Thank you! 🙂 Yes, it deserves a spotlight this week.
Spectacular!
Thank you very much!
So sunny and happy and I love the frilly Dahlia.
Thank you, Alice!
So fresh and lovely, Eliza.
Thank you, Cynthia.
That will bring warmth and light into the house, Eliza. A beautiful sunny arrangement.
Thank you, Joanna. That it does!
Nice colors and forms. Your tobacco reminded me that my mother raised cotton in her garden just to see what would happen. We lived in west central Illinois. It did form a cotton boll.
That’s pretty neat. Did she cut and dry it? Apparently, it can be used in dried arrangements. Thanks for your visit, Jim.
I was quite young and don’t recall what she did with it. I remember seeing white cotton inside.
Mom was often growing unusual things. We had 9 kids and her garden was huge. She was very smart and curious.
Wow, 9 kids. There were 7 in my family. It isn’t often I meet folks with more than that! 🙂
POW! This one grabbed my attention right away Eliza. It looks like a color explosion.
Ha! Thanks, Kim. 🙂
This is gorgeous! I am trying to find the right word for it – luscious? I am also thinking decadent. Something about its size, it just looks big and beautiful.
Thank you, Sarah. I do feel like in the garden these days I have ‘an embarrassment of riches!’
But it is a well-earned embarrassment of riches! That garden didn’t just happen!
True, true. 😉
Gold, indeed, and just as precious. What a lovely glow!
Thank you, Laurie! 🙂
A treat for the eyes! I think we’re all hoping that this wonderful summer stretches into Fall.
Thank you, Belinda. I read on the weather site that they are expecting above normal temps. through Oct. so summer just may linger. First frost for us used to be in late Sept., now it’s shifted to a month later. Climate change is real!
The weather/seasons are no longer predictable. We’re in the midst of one of the hottest, driest summers after one of the longest winters in years. Must admit I’m enjoying the sun!
Yes, me too. I’ll take the warmth over the cold any day!
Love that rocket!
Yes! 🙂 It is looking splendid in the shade garden right now.
I didn’t know that tobacco had such a pretty flower. I checked Google and discovered there are a number of different kinds. Your display looks absolutely beautiful.
Thank you very much, Bun. Nicotiana is a large genus… one of my favorite species is the little green-flowered bells of N. langsdorffii. I grew it once but it didn’t self-sow as I had hoped. 😦 Ah, well.
Oh well, next time… 🙂
Yes, there’s always next year!
Beautiful, elegant, arrangement
Thank you, Derrick!
A vase of summer ‘Rocket’, I grow a similar one, it is a spectacular plant.
It does very well in my shade garden at a time when not much else is blooming except Cimicifuga, which while lovely, isn’t as big a statement.
That’s a gloriously warm combination, very fitting for high summer. Does the nicotiana keep its scent in a vase?
Thank you. The scent of the N. is more subtle than it is outside, but similarly, is stronger at night.
Gorgeous, I love it.
Thank you, Chloris.
Summer in a vase, Eliza! I can only wish my garden was half as exuberant during the summer months. I love the dahlias but its the zinnia that really drew my eye.
Thank you, Kris. It’s the first time I’ve grown either of them in many years. Bugs and slugs love ’em. Now I’ve discovered earwigs in the dahlia blossoms. It’s always something, right? 😉
Always like your flower arrangements Eliza
Thank you very much, Diana. 🙂
Gorgeous, I love that Ligularia, spikes are hard to come by where I live. Love the sunny colors.
Thank you, I think your flower palette is wonderful all the same!
A ‘proper’ bouquet. Fantastic. Would look great in a hotel entrance lobby. So welcoming.
I would find a comfy sofa there and sit and stare at it for an hour or so. Coffee too of course.
Do you serve coffee maybe 🙂
What a marvelous compliment -thank you, Joanna. Yes, I’d definitely serve you a cup of coffee! 🙂
The shape of the vase was perfect for your display – you have a good eye as the result is so well balanced. Thanks for sharing
Thank you, Cathy.
Eliza, this vase is wonderful. The ligularia really shines and everything else goes great with it. Your dahlia (D. ‘Tiki Torch’) is beautiful too.
Thank you, Susie! 🙂
Magnificent array! I do love the golden colors that shout summer.
Thank you very much, Dor!
Oh my. This is elegant and loose and a little bit wild. Wonderful.
Thank you, Lisa, sounds like a description of my personality! ;-D
Ah, it’s going to come out in the creativity!
Gorgeous golds! Soon the goldenrod will be giving way to golden leaves 8-|
All too soon! Thanks, Heather. 🙂
Glorious! The Ligularia looks great in a vase. Those zinnias are so pretty too. 🙂
Thank you, Cathy!
As always, Eliza, your arrangement is simply gorgeous! I am so impressed by your commitment to your Vase on Monday postings! I always look forward to seeing what your artistic hands come up with:-)
Thank you kindly, Stephanie. The possibilities are endless. 😉
This vase shouts look at me and you’ll see the beauty of summer. 🙂
🙂 I think you may be right!
In your vase white and gold look so well together!
Thank you, Anca!
This one reminds me of a Gibson Girl with really really big hair. Beautiful (bien sûr)!
And I confess taking a long look at yet another of your beautiful vases. I’m tempted to start calling you the Imelda Marcos of vases.
Too funny! 😀 Thank you, you may be right.
That vase I believe was a typical ‘florist vase’ from the 40s or 50s. I think it was my grandmother’s.
Reblogged this on A Dose of Inspiration and commented:
I love how you make use of just about everything in your garden and appreciate deeply, the fleeting life all around. That is a wonderful life lesson that can apply to life in general. The vibrant yellow\orange color is beautiful! ❤😀 Thank you for sharing your wisdom & beauty!! 💚
Celebrating summer🌞
It is!