With the advent of summer solstice, many of the flowers I associate with warm, summer days have started blooming and it is hard to pick just a few with so many vying for my attention.
Caroline Lupine (Thermopsis caroliniana) has started its reign in the big garden (you can see its blurry, yellow mound to the right of the arrangement above). Smaller, secondary buds of the Peonies (Paeonia lactiflora) are now blooming, which make them perfect for vases.
A branch of Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia ‘Carousel’) begged to be included, though it seems more red than pink in the photos. I love the pattern that looks like stitched smocking.
Thermopsis, Daisy
Purple Catmint (Nepeta racemosa) is a favorite addition for vertical accent and fillers of Daisy Fleabane (Erigeron annuus) and Ox-eye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) complete my first vase of summer.
I’m joining other gardeners at Rambling in the Garden’s In a Vase on Monday in creating arrangements from our gardens. Click the link to see what other gardeners are featuring this week.
Eliza Waters 
Ethereal Eliza.
Thank you, Cindy!
What a lot of beautiful blooms you have to choose from!
Thank you, Anne. As the summer progresses, it gets harder to choose just one vase to feature. At least the cat has grown up a bit from last summer and seems to be less interested in toppling them.
Garden of Eden 🌼🌸🌼
🙂 Thank you, Karen. My yard this time of year is definitely a paradise. ❤
Such a gorgeous collection!
Thank you, Anita!
Absolutely gorgeous. I love the peonies, I keep planting more so that I have enough to pick, but still I can’t bear to pick them. The kalmia is divine, does it need an acid soil?
Thank you, Chloris. Years ago, I realized that by not bringing flowers inside, I was missing out on hours of pleasure. But as you know, things increase, so after 30 years here, there is lots to pick and give away.
Kalmia needs acidic soil and does really well on poor, sandy soils in part shade. We often see them in the wild on the edges of oak and pine woodlands. They are magnificent right now at peak bloom.
THE AROMA FROM THE LUPINS THIS YEAR ELIZA ARE MAGNIFICAT, CHINA
china.alexandria@livingthedream.blog
Thank you for reblogging, China!
Reblogged this on LIVING THE DREAM.
Lupine looks so happy and Kalmia is gorgeous. What a pretty combination. I have Daisy Fleabane coming up in many surprise spots.
Thank you, Alice. Daisy Fleabane’s recipe for success – it blows everywhere and every seed germinates! 😉
Fabulous!
Thank you, Karina!
Sheer perfection!
Thank you, Liz!
Lusciously beautiful, Eliza – I love all of the shapes and colors!
Thank you very much, Lynn!
Gorgeous, Eliza. So wonderful to see lupine, too. ❤
Thank you, Robin. That Thermopsis really puts on a show!
Really gorgeous!
Thank you, Noortje!
Who needs a lot of words when one has beautiful flowers, a skill for arranging, and gorgeous containers? This is a great way to start my Monday! 🙂
Thank you very much, Judy! 🙂
Eliza, you have a wonderful garden filled with flowers! Those yellow Lupines are beautiful. I planted Lupines from seed this year, but they have not flowered yet.
Thank you, Hein, that I do! I love being surrounded by beautiful flowers. 🙂 Lupines are biennial, so your seedlings of this year will most likely bloom next year.
Just lovely, Eliza. I love the Mountain Laurel and haven’t seen those flowers before.
Thank you, Dawn. So there are MLs in Au?
I’m not sure. I’ve never seen them before but that doesn’t mean much lol I know nothing about gardening.
I’m with Judy. Exquisite!
Thank you, Laurie!
So lovely. I sighed deeply when I saw this Eliza! The yellow lupins are gorgeous. 🙂
Thank you, Cathy, so kind of you to say. ❤
So lovely, Eliza! 😍 What a wonderful gift to have so many beautiful blooms at your fingertips!
Thank you, Julie. True, I am quite blessed. 🙂
Oh ya! That’s a lovely summer mash-up!
🙂 Thank you, Loree!
Lovely combination, Eliza! I envy your growing lupine – they find it too hot here.
Thank you, Peter! Thermopsis is native to the South, so you might have success with growing this one.
I was sighing too… or rather somewhere between a sigh and an oooh! I like the stitching comparison for the mountain laurel, I love the peonies and the yellow lupins are very uplifting.
Thank you, Susan. Peonies are such a wonderful garden plant, I only wish their bloom lasted longer.
Your vase is a lovely way to toast the arrival of summer, Eliza. Peonies and yellow lupine – oh my!
🙂 Thank you, Kris. It finally feels like summer now, too, like a switch was thrown.
Love the vase and beautiful summer flowers!🙂
Thank you!
I love your yellow lupine! I have never seen it before and it makes a most striking addition to your vase. I haven’t bothered with lupines for over 30 years, because I never liked how they get so ratty looking after blooming. Does this variety do that too? Does it tolerate hot, humid weather?
Thank you, Cindy! This is not a true lupine (Lupinus), but a Thermopsis, which is native to the South. I assume it would do well in heat and humidity. I don’t understand why we don’t see it offered more often. It is a great plant!
Wow Eliza! Love your flower images!
Thank you so much, Reed!
Each flower contributes to an extraordinary bouquet. Beautifully done Eliza!
Thank you very much, Belinda!
Mountain laurel (the state flower of Pennsylvania) is rad! We grew it on the farm years ago, but there was no market for it here. The stock plants are still out in the arboretum.
Interesting the regional differences. How is their drought tolerance in your area?
I do not know because the only ones that I have ever worked with are those at the farm, and they get somewhat regularly irrigation. They do not get much, but they do get it regularly.
Such a joyful feeling of summer and celebration.
Thank you, Sandra!
Oh this might be my favorite of all time! Living in Pennsylvania the Mountain Laurel is very prevalent and so beautiful. Yours is very red, which I don’t think I’ve seen laurel quite so red before. Thank you for sharing. Really beautiful combination of flowers.
Thank you, Sylvia! This is a hybrid called ‘Carousel’ so is different than the wild white/pink one. Your woods full of them sounds wonderful.
Thanks for your visit!
Wow – your flowers are just beautiful!
Thank you, Fi!
So perfectly gorgeous, I envy the Lupines and others. Happy Summer.
Thank you, Amy!
I love your vase, especially the Thermopsis. I planted a small pot two years ago and it’s quite huge now, with flower buds just forming. I think I like anything with the name Lupin….
Thank you, Chris. My original plant is now 6′ in diameter! More a annual shrub than perennial. A second division I put in a couple years ago is already 3′ across. I love that it isn’t biennial like Lupines, it lasts indefinitely.
love the flowers.
Thank you.
I really like the sense of informal profusion – lovely colours too.
Thank you, Carol.
pretty flowers, nice arrangement. are those the kalmias i got from nasami?
Thanks, no those are out back mostly.
Gorgeous!
Thank you, Rebecca!
Just gorgeous! The pattern on the laurel is beautiful.
Thank you, Adele! The laurel has been stunning this year, must be all the rain we had last summer.
These are so beautiful and give me ideas of flowers to plant in my own garden. You have quite the eye for arranging!
Thank you very much, Jen!
Lovely and joyful! 🙂
Thank you, Donna!
Very summery … just beautiful!
Thank you, Denise!
Such a beautiful collection! 🙂 ♥
Thank you!
You are so talented with your flower arrangements. Just beautiful!
Thank you kindly, Wendy!
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Thank you!