Early Sunday morning, we had our first frost. Saturday afternoon, I spent four hours in the garden harvesting what I could save of beans, basil and flowers and ended up with five arrangements. I plan on featuring one at a time over the next weeks to prolong the joy of sharing them. I really miss having a garden full of flowers to create with and winter feels lean without them.
I picked every Dahlia bud and blossom in the patch. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to ID a couple as they were gifted to me.
“What’s in a name? that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” ― William Shakespeare
Also included are white and pink/purple Spider Flowers (Cleome hassleriana), pink and white Garden Phlox (P. paniculata) and white and pink Zinnia ‘Cut and Come Again.’
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 
That is summer for sure! You inspire me, I think I’m going to go out and pick some flowers myself today. Have a great new week!
Oh, good! Glad to inspire 🙂 Wish I could stroll right along with you. Wildflower gathering is so meditative. ❤
Such pretty arrangements
Thank you, Sheree!
Sorry about your frost. That is a good rescue job
Thank you, Derrick. It is bittersweet letting the garden go for the year, as you well know. 🙂
🙂
Beautiful arrangements.
Thank you!
Such a beautiful vase Eliza, the star dahlia looks especially gorgeous. So glad you could rescue these flowers from the frost! 🤗
Thank you, Xenia. Me, too. It is the end of season grand finale!
Looking forward to seeing the rest of your rescues!
Glad to oblige – thanks, Anita!
And now the temps will get back to ‘normal’ leaving a less colourfull garden for early autumn…oh well. Gorgeous dahlias!
Yes, ain’t that the truth? I guess now we have to focus on foliage rather than flowers. 🙂
Thanks, Chris.
It feels good to come to In a Vase on Monday and admire the beautiful arrangements you always manage to display.
Thank you kindly, Hien. Much appreciated!
You certainly have some beautiful flowers left. I am actually up north and am also experiencing frost. While back home we are having a Tropical Storm Watch.
Just so you know, the winds are projected to be 25kts with gusts of 35kt today. It’s not yet raining, and surge at the coast and around the lake is the biggest problem. In short, it’s not much different than some of our normal autumn/wintertime weather. Enjoy the frost, you lucky person!
I’m not too worried about the storm, as we are far inland.
Thank you! You must be enjoying the frosty temps after your hot summer. Fall is a time of contrasts, enjoy the rest of your visit.
What beautiful arrangements! FYI, your dahlia without a name is “Tahoma Moonshot”. (I wonder where they come up with these names?).
Thank you! I’ll amend the post. 🙂
Dazzling dahlias! But early frost—noooo! I understand your disappointment. Flowers add so much joy!
Thank you, Ellen. Yes, we haven’t a frost this early in years. It is so hard to say goodbye to my garden. I miss them already!
I am so pleased you will continue to treat us to your beautiful arrangements over the next few weeks: I find them inspirational.
Aw, thanks, Anne. I’ll be stringing the posts out for our mutual enjoyment. 😉
Your bouquets are gorgeous. If I could add one thing to my life, it would be a picking garden like my grandmother’s. You certainly make good use of yours!
Thank you very much. Fresh cut flowers are such a joy to have in the home. 🙂
Such a joyful bouquet, Eliza! Thank you for coloring up [or should I say purpling/pinking up] my day!! xoxo
🙂 Thanks, Marina!
😘🤗
Glad you saved these beauties, Eliza. I hate to see the blooms go.
Thank you, Sandy. Our fall/winter season is WAY too long, right?
Yes, although fall tree colors ease the transition to the gray of winter.
Ooops, way to early for frost! But your vase is glorious and captures the beauty of the season. Happy autumn days 🙂
Thank you, Annette! Same to you. 🙂
Gorgeous Dahlias! That star-shaped one is amazing. Even though my Cleome was watered, it certainly didn’t last as long as yours. It’s the season of farewells……to flowers, hummingbirds, Monarchs, the warm weather. Enjoy when you are able to…then there’s next year.
Thank you, Alice. Transitions can be challenging, particularly when we’re heading towards cold and dormancy!
Oh, so the frost has seen off all your blooms… and it’s only September…🙄 That’s sad – but what bountiful vases you will have for the next few weeks. I particularly like the effect of the white cleome in today’s
Thank you, Cathy. We’ve been spoiled in recent years with the warming trend that CC has brought, but not this year, right on time traditionally, heartbreaking all the same.
What a summery vase. Wonderful that you saved some flowers.
Thank you, Noelle. Winter is so long here!
Always sad when frost nips such beauty. Look forward to seeing the other bouquets in the upcoming weeks.
Thank you, Laurie. Transitions!
Yup. Actually, I like fall very much. Soup weather. And the beauty of those blazing leaves is sheer delight.
Frost, wow. So early! Well, early for where I am… I can’t imagine. Good job harvesting what you could, it would be a shame to let it go.
IKR? It kills me to let all those flowers go to ruin. I will enjoy what I gleaned this week.
What a spectacular rescue you performed, Eliza. Seems early for frost. Hope you managed to save what’s left of your garden. The end result of these beautiful arrangements is a great start. 🙂
Thank you, Jane. Years ago, the 3rd week of Sept. was generally when we had our first frost, but in recent decades with CC, it has moved later. Perhaps the lack of exhaust particulates in the atmosphere this year may be the cause? One can only speculate.
Oh my! So pretty. Dahlia ‘Outta da Blue’ is outstanding.
Thank you, Susie. That one is great for cutting, nice long stems.
Good feature. The stems are short on most of mine this year, despite cutting them back early on.
Beautiful floral arrangements Eliza! Enjoyed seeing them!
Thank you, Reed! Much appreciated.
Eliza, gorgeous mix, I am about to search for that Zinnia. And maybe some Cleome! Is your house like a florist? Did you lift the Dahlias?
Thank you, Amy. I can send you Cleome seeds – I have literallly a million of them! White or pink, or both? Yes, I have to lift dahlias in order to keep them for planting next year. I might keep a few and put the rest out for ‘adoption.’ Zinnia ‘Cut and Come Again’ is a good one for arranging with nice long stems and a good mix of colors. There is one that was neon pink – so hot next to an equally bright orange. Pastels, too.
Yay, I would love to try both. Cleome I love them in vases. Thank you. Interesting about that Zinnia mix. I have Zinderella started from seed. Hurricane Teddy is blowing by today and not good for any seed planting! Hope he stays away from you.
Ok, will do. I hope we don’t get wind, but we could sure use the rain. Too dry!
I have a feeling a soaking rain band is in your future. We got one while walking dogs this morning. Canines and humans drenched. We have 20 mph winds, not too bad and you are more inland…
Oh that first frost is never welcome or timely whenever it comes Eliza 😢 Ours usually strikes sometime in November but was early next year. You managed to save some real beauties there and produce a most lovely vase.
Thank you, Anna. Gardeners always get what a loss this feels like! It is always an adjustment to get used to fewer flowers to pick and enjoy.
I intended to say out first frost was early last year! 😂
We rescue our tomatoes when the frost is coming and the green ones get wrapped and ripen in the basement. You certainly made some fine rescues for this post and looking forward for those to follow. Mary Beth grows dahlias but chooses not to pick them. Maybe she will for tonight.
Thank you, Steve. I grab as many as I can because they will just go to waste otherwise. I used to cover them, but the zinnias simply can’t grow when it is this cold.
I’m sure the end of the gardening year – if such a thing was even conceivable here! – would make me quite melancholy. I’m glad you stored images of your other 4 vases to brighten future Mondays. We need to get you a greenhouse to help with those cold minter months!
Thank you, Kris. It is a mental adjustment I must make every year. I do have a sunspace, but it gets rather chilly in there at night, sometimes down to 45, so tropicals are out. Lots of succulents and cacti, but they aren’t zinnias and other cut flowers that I love. Looking forward to April already, ha!
Wow, if that’s your garden’s last “hoorah” before the frost sets in, it’s magnificent! I look forward to seeing your other photos during the coming weeks. 🙂
Thank you kindly, Joanne!
Pretty cool color. The cleome looks like very late agapanthus.
Thanks, Tony. Yes, it has that same airy structure.
It will be a treat to savour these arrangements. I never knew that I liked dahlias, but they are beauties.
Thank you, Andrea. There are so many styles and colors of dahlias, it is hard to pick only a few to grow. Their perfect flowers are addicting!
Gorgeous! Lucky you could get to pick so much before the frost hit. Great idea to spread the vases over several weeks too. 😃 Look forward to seeing the others.
Thanks, Cathy. I want to make summer last a wee bit longer. 😉
Love the outta da blue and dinnerplate dahlias!!🙂 It was a shock to have the early frost and I’m glad you were able to save some flowers for the coming weeks, but really wish it had missed your area so you could enjoy your beautiful garden longer.🙂
Thank you kindly, S. It is a kind of shock and takes a few days to adjust. Even the perennials (except for the stalwart asters), are looking tired. Probably why I love asters so much!
How very lovely! We have had a slight frost here too.
Thank you, Fi. We’re slipping into hibernation mode, but first, the glories of autumn!
Beautiful Eliza but i can understand hiw much you will miss them. Im sure you enjoy the beauty if autumn and winter too though. I so love the seasons change at this time of year.
Thank you, Alison. The seasons are all lovely, but the warm ones are my favorites, as I love being outside. 🙂
Absolutely lovely arrangement, Eliza. I love the quote and really need a sign for my garden when I can’t remember the name of a particular flower. 🙂
Thank you, Judy. Hehe, I use that quote a lot more than I used to! 😉
What a charming display – lovely picture!
Thank you, Meg!
Oh gosh – that seems early. Those flowers were not ready to be frozen in their prime. I’m glad you managed to harvest your flowers and beans first.
“What’s in a name?” What a thing ends up getting called often influences how people perceive and react to it. That’s why opposing political groups often use different names for certain things.
True…
A beautiful farewell to summer! I think we’ll all miss your garden, Eliza 😏.
Thank you very much for that kind comment, Belinda. 🙂
I love your arrangements, Eliza. They are always so beautiful. I’m glad you saved some arrangements so that we can enjoy them over time. ❤
Thank you, Robin. Sharing them is a joy doubled. 🙂
The bonanza of cut flowers forced on you by the frost is celebration of summer in a way. I hope that having so many beautiful arrangements of rescued flowers helps as you adapt to the prospect of the winter garden.
Thank you, Carol. It’s nice to be surrounded by the last of summer’s flowers. It does ease the sting a bit.
What a great quote from Shakespeare to honor this flower.
🙂 Thank you!