I have two vases to share this week, as both are smaller than my usual arrangements. The first measures approximately 5″ wide x 8″ tall. 
To assist in arranging, I used a vintage glass frog from my mother-in-law’s collection. I was pleased to find that it fit perfectly into my small, hand-painted Ben Thomas Porcelain cup. With wide-mouthed openings, 
frogs come in handy.
My ‘Silver Mound’ artemisia (A. schmidtiana ‘Nana’) has budded and begged to be used. I love its delicate flowers and lacy foliage.
I thought it would look well with spires of pink and violet veronica (V. spicata). I then added a few stems of Johnny-jump-ups (Viola tricolor), lavender and pink sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus) and filled in with light pink cosmos (C. bipinnatus ‘Sensation Mix’).
The second vase is the result of my trimming a top-heavy sunflower that threatened to topple once the flowers set seed. I’ve been enjoying seeing goldfinches visit to pluck ripening seeds, but fat squirrels have found the patch and are ripping them to shreds and scaring off the birds. Naughty squirrels!
We’ve had some heavy downpours lately, so a lot of flowers are no longer standing upright, including the yellow zinnia that I cut and stuck into the top of the arrangement. I love the rich, gold color with the contrasting cobalt-blue glass vase.
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 
Good choices of vases
Thank you, Derrick.
Reblogged this on Anita Dawes & Jaye Marie.
Absolutely glorious!
Thank you for the compliment and the reblog! 🙂
They make a great contrast to each other.
They do, though it wasn’t consciously planned that way. The garden led me!
Both gorgeous Eliza. Ants seem to be eating my sunflower seeds – not a good thing at all. Love your pink flowers with the silver foliage, perfect mix.
Thank you, Christina.
I’ve never heard of ants eating seeds, but I reckon they do in other parts of the world. Ants around here farm aphids for their honeydew by placing them on plants – such a pain!
They do that here too.
Smart girl! They are both breathtaking…I would be happy to have either on my desk this morning!
How kind of you to say so, thank you, Marian!
Beautiful.
Thank you, Rupali.
Both so beautiful. But the blue vase with the sunflowers is really stunning.
Thank you very much, Sylvia. 🙂
The ‘Silver Mound’ artemisia is my favorite. You do great vase flower photography.
Aw, thank you for saying that, Maria. Muy amable!
Live these combinations! The violas add such a nice touch. Sunflowers in a cobalt blue vase is my summer go-to 🌻
Thank you, Val. I just love cobalt glass, wish I had more, but you don’t see it much for sale.
Wonderful as always!
Aw, thank you, Belinda!
Opposites yet equally lovely.
Contrast is good! 😉 Thanks, Laurie.
I thought the first vase would be my fave, but I love the contrast on the second one. I guess I’ll just have to love them both!
🙂 Happy to hear that – thanks, Sarah!
The pink flowers are so delicate and absolutely gorgeous. Calming. The second vase is like OKAY THE SUN IS OUT AND I’M REALLLLLY HAPPY.
Yes, the moods they create are really different, aren’t they? Sunflowers always make me smile. Thanks, Gigi.
Lovely bouquets…(Suzanne)
Thank you, Suzanne!
Oh those luxurious sunflowers! Simply beautiful.
Thank you, Loree!
More sunflowers please! Especially nice in that blue vase. What a pretty painted mug!
Thank you, Kathy! 🙂
Such gorgeous flowers.
Thank you, Fi!
Gosh, the sunflowers were a shock after the pastel colours of the first vase! Both are gorgeous, in their own very different ways. Forgot to say that I used a frog in my vase today too – in the wide rimmed vase they would not have stood up otherwise. Thanks for sharing
Thank you, Cathy. Variety is the spice of life!
Perfect vase choices for these arrangements – gorgeous!
Thank you very much, Mary!
Two very different vases but both wonderful testimonials to summer, Eliza! Although I love sunflowers, the first vase is my favorite. I like how that shape of the pink cosmos flowers mimic the shapes of the blue flowers painted on the mug.
Thank you, Kris. I hadn’t noticed that, you’re right!
I am not sure which vase I like best. The PInk Cosmos are a sentimental favorite, my mother always had them when I was growing up -however, I love the blue and yellows together and the sunflowers are so wonderful. A tossup.
Thank you, SQ! they set different moods, don’t they?
Love them both, but the first one is simply stunning!
Thank you so much, Anca!
Yin and Yang! Brilliant!
Thank you! Sorry about the delay in my response – your comment was in spam – ?? I don’t know why!
Both vases are lovely and the silver artemesia always adds something to a bouquet. I like both arrangements–you have such an eye! The contrast of the blue and yellow is wonderful and the softer colors of the mug arrangement are perfect as well. I admire you supply of frogs!
Thank you, Lisa. The two are quite different!
Frogs are available on eBay, if you want one. They are a green alternative to foam. 🙂
I have a ceramic bowl with a built in frog lid. I haven’t used it much as in my mind it requires a little mound of a bouquet. You, no doubt, would know exactly what to do with it!
🙂 Send me a photo of it via email and I can make some suggestions.
( so strange, this didn’t get “timed” into my mail till 2:43 pm?! 🤔…south of Boston) ….gorgeous vases & flowers! Goldfinches are so wonderful, enjoying the seeds. From the birdseed, I have many sunflowers that are between 1 ft & 2 or 3 feet…growing in pots or gardens.
Thank you, Alice. Strange delay, I wonder if WP is up to something or it’s just plain ‘Monday weirding.’
Delicate and bold. I like them both. 🙂
Thank you, Judy. Good descriptions. I had thought feminine and masculine! 🙂
You are an artistic genius when it comes to flower arrangements. I’m never quite sure what to say in a comment since I’ve already used up “beautiful!” and “stunning” and similar words. Guess I’ll have to use them again. 😀 Both arrangements are beautiful and stunning!
I like those words and use them a lot myself. 😉 Thanks, Robin!
Your vase is so lovely, Eliza! I like the full rounded form you achieved with the frog. I was hoping for that with my vase with holes in the top but haven’t achieved it yet, maybe I need to put several stems in each hole. The sunflowers look amazing with the blue glass, too, mine are still growing taller and hopefully will bloom someday soon. I tried direct-sowing this year and few came up and are slow.
Thank you, Hannah. My sunflowers are a hit or miss, too. Once the hot days came on, they took off. Hope yours come along.
Your sunflowers are lovely, especially in the blue vase, but I like the first arrangement even more with its soft and silvery look and the pink flowers. Gorgeous!
Thank you, Cathy. I’m kind of leaning the same way. 😉
Perfect purples… but I love vases of sunflowers. (I’ve been rescuing torn branches from heavy multi-headed plants this week too)
Thank you, Allison. I usually like to leave them to set seed for the birds, but when they break, it’s my gain!
The first vase is so gentle & feminine, the second so energetic! I’m voting for energetic today.
🙂 Thanks – something for every mood!
The arrangement in the floral cup is so lovely. I’m a definite newbie when it comes to arranging flowers, so enjoying seeing others artistry. Thanks for the inspiration!
Thank you, Joanne. I hope you practice your own arrangements and one day join IAVOM. 🙂