I realized after supper that I needed to make a quick arrangement before the light faded. Being Memorial Day here in the States, red, white and blue would have been appropriate colors, but satisfactory blooms aren’t in my garden at the moment. I wandered around looking for inspiration until I spied the pink rhododendron and thought that might make a good start. It’s been a super year for my azaleas and rhododendrons. Perhaps the drought last summer spurred them into flower production and the mild winter spared the buds.
I added matching pink Geranium macrorrhizum blossoms, starry clusters of pale blue Amsonia tabernaemontana, and white bleeding hearts (Lamprocapnos spectabilis alba). A few grasses that were set to flower and variegated Lamium foliage finished the arrangement.
A second, small arrangement is rather whimsical, looking a bit like a multi-antennaed alien! I found a broken Allium aflatunense ‘Purple Sensation’ on the ground and added chive blossoms buds that I had on the kitchen counter.
Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In the Garden, who hosts a weekly meme to showcase arrangements created from our gardens. Wander over to see what gardeners all over the world are arranging this week.
Eliza Waters 
It’s always a pleasure to open this, the first post that comes up in my mailbox on a Monday Eliza. Delicate and feminine this week and love the whimsical mood. A lovely start to my day – thank you 😊
Thank you very much, Liz. Glad it brightens your day. 🙂
I so agree with this!!
Thank you, Kim!
Reblogged this on Purplerays and commented:
My first love? Nature. I couldn’t live without my daily immersion, walking in the woods, visiting our waterfall or sitting by the river watching the birds going about their business. It is where I connect to the “peace which passes all understanding.”
~ Eliza Waters
Thank you for reblogging! ❤
Both vases are very pretty Eliza; love the fun of the Alliums
Thank you, Christina. 🙂
Reblogged this on Anita Dawes & Jaye Marie.
Thank you for reblogging!
There is nearly always something in your arrangements that I haven’t seen before. The pale blue starry one for example, I don’t think we have that in the UK. Magically arranged, as always…
Thank you. Amsonia is a native US wildflower that has been adopted into many gardens. It is very well behaved, has a clear yellow fall color and forms a large clump, self-sowing modestly. 🙂
I wish we had some here…
When I googled ‘Amsonia UK,’ many sources came up for both plants and seeds. Here is one which offers seeds: http://www.seedaholic.com/amsonia-tabernaemontana-blue-star.html
Thank you Eliza, now I can have some in my own garden!
They make a really lovely cut flower, too. They have milky sap, so you need to hold a match to the end to sear it. It lasts well in a vase.
The muted colours fit Memorial Day quite well
Thank you, Derrick.
In your pretty vase, I don’t think a more meaningful flower than white Bleeding Heart could be used on Memorial Day.
I thought so, too. Thank you, Alice. 🙂
Beautiful, Eliza!
Thank you, Carrie!
Love the allium and chive creation to bring a smile Eliza 💛
Thank you, Val. Whimsy is good! 🙂
As always, a beautiful vase (and a bonus one!) to start my week!
Thank you, Sarah! ❤
The first arrangement is lovely, but my heart belongs to the second whimsical creation.
Thank you, Laurie. It was spontaneous fun. 😉
You always come up with such creative and lovely arrangements! Your allium alien made me smile – love it!
Thank you, Peter!
A pretty combination, Eliza – do let us know how long the rhododendron lasts in the vase as I have not tried it myself. Love the extra chive and allium vase 🙂
Thank you, Cathy. I have found both azalea and rhododendron to last quite well in a vase, although newly opened is best. This one was low-hanging and wide open, so I don’t expect it to last as long.
This is very sweet and pretty in pink and white. The bleeding hearts are so delicate. And your alliums are lots of fun.
Thank you, Alison!
Haha I love that Allium and chive arrangement! Beautiful as always Eliza…
Thank you so much, Julie!
I really like that second arrangement!
Thank you, Fi. Crazy is good!
Both are lovely Eliza. The white bleeding hearts look so pure and fresh.
Thank you, Susie.
Lovely arrangements Eliza. Pink and white are showing up in my garden now too. You have reminded me that I have an Allium that seems to have grown as a dwarf this year, so it will have to go in a mid-week vase I think!
Thank you, Cathy. I was surprised that this one has a nice scent – the bees certainly love them.
I faced the same quandary, Eliza – no red! I LOVE your bleeding hearts. Best wishes for a wonderful Memorial Day!
Thank you, Kris. The white bleeding hearts made up for it. 🙂
Both lovely, but I do particularly like your whimsical one:-)
Thank you, it was a fun one to do, released the inner child. 😉
Such delicate combinations. So spring-like.
Thank you, Lisa.
The Allium and chives ate wonderful. Brought a smile to my face. Nice weather here so I was in the garden most of the day.
Ah, a day in the garden – a splendid way to pass the time! Thank you for your visit, Linda.
The first arrangement is gorgeous, but I love the whimsical purple alien. Fun! 🙂
Thank you, Robin. Sometimes the kid just has to come out to play. 😉
The second arrangement IS like an alien!! I couldn’t un-see it once you pointed that out 😉 !!
Thanks, Christy! 🙂
I love the Allium, colors and textures!
Thank you, Amelia!
Another bud on the Heliconia!
Yay! 🙂
I love the allium arrangement–the whimsey of it is immediately appealing!
Thank you, Lisa!
Both are wonderful! I particularly like the whimsy of the first.
Thank you, Belinda.
What a lovely fresh arrangement that is – perfect for the time of year. I am always jealous of anyone with acid soil – I have to keep my acid lovers in pots which is never the same. Well done for saving that allium – a lot of my ‘arrangements’ start off with a beautiful flower that has been knocked over by the dogs!
Thank you, Julie. Our soil definitely tends toward acidic, so I must lime every year or so. Can you add sulfur to bring your acidity down?
Broken flowers always find a home on our kitchen windowsill. 🙂
Stunning, just stunning.
Thank you, Diane!
Your arrangements are so different from the average “same old 76” as people say. I like the grasses in this one. They are a surprise.
Thank you very much, Lisa!
Lovely.
Many thanks.