I picked this little bouquet as I walked along our trail by the river, gathering a few pretty flowers I saw, ending with some chartreuse flowers of Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla mollis) from the garden.
It started with a stem of Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), an invasive wetland species here, that I pull whenever I see it on our land. Seeds often are washed downstream and germinate, so they show up occasionally.
Matching its pink color, I picked some native Flowering Raspberry (Rubus odoratus), a stem of yellow Fringed Loosestrife (Lysimachia ciliata), and a cheerful bunch of Daisy Fleabane (Erigeron annuus) to finish.
Below is more eye-popping color from two arrangements I created for a talk I gave on herbs this week. Can you believe these are mostly edible? 
I’ve teamed up with my yoga instructor to create a series of outdoor, socially-distanced workshops entitled ‘Yoga in the Garden.’ As you can see from the wet background, the weather was intermittent showers with mist in between, reminding me of UK weather. We were somewhat soggy by the end, but it was fun all the same. We haven’t met since March, so it was nice to see some of the other regulars. There will be two more workshops to come and hopefully, the weather will be better.
The Mason jar on the left was a hostess gift for the woman who shared her backyard for the class and the right held small, bunched ‘favors’ tied with raffia for the participants.
Bright red Beebalm (Monarda didyma) predominates, joined by yellow and orange Calendula (C. officinalis), purple Mealycup Sage (Salvia farinacea) and Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia). White umbels of Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota) and Dill (Anethum graveolens), Poppy seedheads (Papaver somniferum), along with sprigs of Spearmint (Mentha spicata) and Garden Sage (Salvia officinalis) for greens. A bit of Lady’s Mantle was added as filler.
In A Vase on Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden. Click the link to see arrangements made by other gardeners around the world.
Eliza Waters 
Beautiful arrangements as always, Eliza. 🙂
Isn’t it a shame that some of the prettiest flowers can also be invasive? We have several species of invasive plants here in Australia as well.
Thank you, Joanne. ❤
I suspect anywhere there are humans there are invasive species. We can't seem to help ourselves. 😉 Have a good week ahead!
I had to look up Rubus odoratus. I had not heard of that before.
It’s a great native here, loved by bees.
All are very beautiful. Is there a chance you might share your herb talk here?
Thank you, Anne. Maybe I should do a video, eh? 😉
I would love to know more about herbs!
Would you like a copy of my handout? It is basically notes I read from, but you’re welcome to it if interested. Send me an email (on my About page) with yours and I’ll send it on over.
Thank you very much indeed!
Beautiful, I have Lady’s Mantle and pink today as well.
Yes, and lovely it was, too! Many thanks, Sandra.
Beautiful vases and arrangements Eliza and it sounds like you held a wonderful workshop! 🤗💜 xxx
Thank you kindly, Xenia. It was fun to do. 🙂
Lovely contrasts. 😊
Thanks, Irene!
My pleasure. 😊
Happy Monday, my dear Eliza! What a beautiful way to start my week! 🙂 xoxoxo
Thank you so much, Marina! ❤
🤗😘
Lovely arrangements Eliza. I’m so happy you have yoga in the garden 😀
🙂 Thank you, Val. They go together like peas and carrots. 😀
One of my favorite combos 💛
I am so jealous! You have enormous talent and I, unfortunately, am lacking. 😔
Just a matter of training, I got an early start. 😉 Thanks much, hope you are staying cool!
I like your wildflower bouquet. I didn’t know you could eat bee balm. Is it the flowers that are edible?
Thank you! The leaves and flowers are edible. The native Americans taught the colonists to use the leaves for tea. The individual flowers look wonderful in salad.
Lovely arrangements, I like the way the first looks wild and that’s enhanced by the rustic-looking vase.
Thank you very much, Andrea. I have a set of two of the filigree silver vases and they are very old, well over a century. Very special!
Lovely as always. Yoga in the garden sounds wonderful. Hope the weather is better next time.
Thanks much, Laurie. You and me both! 😉
Such lovely bouquets…you do have a talent to combine flowers in very attractive bouquets. (Suzanne)
Merci beaucoup, Suzanne!
Your arrangements never disappoint, Eliza!
Thank you so much, Sandy! x
Sure!
A wonderful way to use an invasive, Eliza, and such a beautiful arrangement. Also liked the bee balm arrangements and the creative idea for outdoor workshops. Inspired post, thank you.
Thank you very much, Jet! ❤
Is the bigger purple flower the raspberry, Eliza? I couldn’t work it out. What a lovely informal collection you made for that first vase and how pretty too are those you made for the workshops too – the monarda makes a great focal point, doesn’t it? I am glad the workshop was a success, despite the weather
Thank you, Cathy. Yes, the large pink blossom is the flowering raspberry. Bees adore it.
Not a fruiting raspberry though?
It has a large single 1″ fruit, rather tough and flavorless.
Such beautiful colors in your bouquet banquets.
🙂 Thanks, Alice.
All your arrangements are so thoughtfully arranged, Eliza. Love the complementary colors in the first and the vibrant reds in the last. Amazing that they are mostly edible- would certainly perk up a salad. 🙂 🌺
Thank you, Jane. Edible flowers are esp. fun in salads – chives, nasturtiums, heartsease, lavender and beebalm come to mind.
Beautiful arrangements. UK purple loosestrife is slightly different to yours, thinner, smaller flowers but extremely invasive.
Thank you, Jill. It has taken over large swaths of wetlands here, and while beautiful in bloom, it displaces native species and the fauna that depends on them. Sad to see.
As always, lovely arrangements, Eliza. You have quite the talent for combining shapes and colors.Regarding non-natives and invasives. At least picking them cuts down on seed distribution and as long as they are there we might as well appreciate and enjoy them. I am mostly photographing natives but won’t ignore a lovely non-native when the opportunity arises…like Oxeye Daisies. 🙂
Thank you, Steve. As you know, most of the plants that now live here in our area came from elsewhere. The horse is out of the barn, and I doubt she is going back in. I make an effort where I can, like with garlic mustard and loosestrife, but I throw in the towel when it comes to bittersweet and knotweed. Too late!
We just had some garlic mustard show up by the compost bin next to the garden. It won’t last long. I understand it is pretty tasty but I won’t be trying it. There a conservation area here in Amherst with a lot of Japanese Knotweed and the town has apparently thrown in the towel as well.
Only young tender leaves, the first greens of spring, are worth eating. It gets pretty bitter after that. Every year I gather it off our land where I find it, scouring for weeks for the tiniest bloom. One seed head can yield 10K seeds, so I try to get before then. I fool myself thinking, ‘I’ve got it all’ but the following spring proves me wrong. 😦
We have the same problem with Wild or Prickly Lettuce-Lactuca serriola. If we don’t find it in time they are prolific like Garlic Mustard.
Yup. Fleabane is equally prolific, but at least it is native, beloved by goldfinches and is pretty to look at. I love it even if I yank hundreds of seedlings every spring. 🙂
Eliza, I love all your flowers this week and am delighted to hear of your Yoga in the Garden. Makes me smile to imagine how much fun that must have been.
Thank you, Susie. Yoga has enabled me to continue gardening without pain or soreness, such a gift. To combine the two loves is wonderful!
All beautiful vases. Hope sun shines for your next workshop.
Thank you very much, Karina! Me, too!
I admire people who can create beauty with flowers. Unfortunately…it seems to be a skill or talent that one is born with.
Don’t underestimate yourself! Once you learn the basics, it is pretty easy, and the only one you need to please is yourself. 🙂
Nice words of encouragement!
Both are lovely arrangements, Eliza. I love the color of the Lythrum – it’s too bad it’s invasive. Good for you and your friends for discovering a way to meet safely (for exercise yet!) during this pandemic.
Thank you, Kris. Once the weather cools, who knows what we’ll do, but we’re going for it while we can. 🙂
Loved all the arrangements and how wonderful you were finally able to get together and create this new series!🙂 I always try to go out walking early and have wandered past several yoga classes in the park lately.🙂
Thank you! For now, we can be outside, so we’ll take advantage of the weather while we can.
The first bouquet is beautiful, and I LOVE the vase. The next ones are amazing especially since some of it is edible. Love the idea of combining gardening and yoga. 🙂
Thank you, Judy! It is a good combo, for sure. 🙂
Seems like using an alien invasive wildflower in a bouquet is a good way to go. If it were edible, people could eat it to reduce the numbers.
Too bad it isn’t edible. Apparently, they are experimenting with a European beetle that eats this plant, but I worry that even if they think it won’t eat any other plant, I doubt they have seen what it likes out in the real world. One problem begetting another. 😦
Great combinations all Eliza!
Gracias, Maria!
Lovely! I should have enjoyed your talk on herbs Eliza. Is Queen Ann‘s Lace also edible? I still have much to learn but having immersed myself in the garden so much this year I think I am making progress. Wish we had someone giving talks near us… the nearest is a 90 minute drive from here. Wishing you better weather for the next meetings. 😃
Thank you, Cathy. QAL is edible, but one must be certain of its ID, as it also resembles poison hemlock. It is biennial, so flowers the 2nd year. First year plants are recommended for eating, as they get woody in the 2nd. Flowers/leaves can be put in salad, seeds and roots added to soups.
I wish you did live closer, wouldn’t that be fun? My next talk is Friday on creating a pollinator garden. Ought to be fun as it is a cause I am passionate about!
I will have to try some QAL. Have fun with your next talk Eliza!
Thank you!
Both are lovely, I love your native flowers. The monarda in the second vase is partcicularly eye- catching. Yoga in the garden is a great idea.
Thanks much, Liz. Yoga and gardening fit hand in glove. 🙂
Ah SO gorgeous Eliza! ❤ I'm curious, how does bee balm do when cut, does it last very long? I have tons of it in my flower bed, but I've never thought to cut them for putting in a vase.
Thank you, Julie. 🙂 Beebalm is a very long lasting cut flower, esp. if you cut them young with plenty of buds set to open. The petals can be put in salads, and you can make tea from the leaves.
Good to know, thanks! Have you tasted the tea from the leaves? That’s right up my alley. 🙂
I don’t recall harvesting my own, but probably have had it. Monarda citriodora is commonly called Lemon Mint and is preferred over the others for tea. In general, herbs are best harvested just before they bloom when their oils are the strongest. For that reason, I cut my Lemon Balm down and let it regrow in order to keep that strong flavor.
How gorgeous! I really like the idea of those edible bouquets.
Thank you, Fi!
Beautiful floral arrangements Eliza! Enjoyed seeing them!
Thank you, Reed!
All beautiful, Eliza and the “edibles” are quite intriguing!
Thank you, Belinda!
Lovely bouquets, lovely photos! I love the top color combination especially.
Thank you very much, Cindy!
Yoga in the garden sounds great, not a bad idea to keep that one going for next year and beyond! The arrangements are beautiful, and the walk along the river sounds perfect. Have a great weekend 🙂
Thank you, Frank. I just finished my talk on the second of the yoga garden series on creating a pollinator garden. It was great fun and well received. We can save the planet one garden at a time! 🙂
Gorgeous … every flower, every arrangement … WOW!
Thank you, Denise!