Our last week of June… how fast the month has flown! A glorious month in the garden it has been for me. With the sundrops (Oenothera fruiticosa) sweeping the main garden, they were a must for this week’s vase, along with an abundant supply of lavender racemes of catmint (Nepeta racemosa), and yellow Carolina lupine (Thermopsis villosa). Additions of wild fleabane (Erigeron annuus) and yarrow (Achillea millefolium) give it a meadowy touch. *Note the backdrop in the above photo of the blooming Korean dogwood (Cornus kousa), drooping a bit from all the rain we’ve had this week, but it has bloomed for weeks, putting on quite the show.
Lastly, I had to share a small vase of my latest favorite native flower: Indian pink (Spigelia marilandica). Love at first sight, I had to have this one, finally found at a local nursery three years ago. It has now increased enough that I felt I could cut a couple of blooms. The flowers, arranged like Crocosmia or Freesia, blossom a couple at a time, giving a prolonged bloom time. Sprigs of coleus (Plectranthus), Agastache ‘Poquito Lemon Butter’ and leaves of dill (Anethum graveolens) and Geranium macrorrhizum complete the arrangement.
Thanks to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden who hosts the weekly garden meme In A Vase On Monday, featuring flowers from our gardens. Click the link to join or see what others are sharing this week.
Eliza Waters 
sundrops!? so wonderfully romantic 💛
Thank you, Heather!
a pleasure, Eliza, thank You!
I had never heard of Indian pink. Totally new to me. Thanks for introducing it!
My pleasure, Audrey, and thank you. I really love this plant!
Yarrow is delightful. An ornamental yellow variety bloomed outside here earlier. I should have brought it in. I really should grow more of it in the landscapes. So far, that particular yellow variety inhabits only one landscape (besides here) with the white Achillea millefolium like yours. I am not sure which I prefer. Each, as well as all other varieties, have their attributes. We just added some Oenothera fruticosa this year. Even though it is not native here, many insist that it is. Although several species are native nearby, only Oenothera elata is native here, and Oenothera fruticosa is native on the opposite half of North America.
Thanks, Tony. There are so many yarrow hybrids now, the orange/apricot/pink/reds are amazing!
Yes, but as they get replaced by their feral progeny with simpler yellow color, I find that the common yellow is just as pretty. I liked the red, but can not complain now that it is gone. (I could always bring it back if I really want to.)
Beautiful combinations, as always! I’ve just been introduced to Indian pinks. Great colors. Have you had it long enough to know how much it spreads? I have a dinky yard and always have take that into account.
Thank you, Ellen. It increases slowly. My 3-year plant is about 18″ wide. It prefers part to full shade and medium moisture. I recommend it!
Your vase is lovely, Eliza. I love all those yellows!
Thank you, Alys!
Charming
Merci, Sheree!
De rien Eliza
You have surpassed yourself this week Eliza. A veritable explosion of joy! I have just thrown out my last bunch of shop-bought flowers and as always the boat feels empty without them. I wish I could print off your vase and stick it on the wall!!
MJ
Ha, now that would be an idea! Thanks, MJ.
Fabulous vases Eliza, what a treat to see wonderful flowers! 💖 xxx
Thank you, Xenia! A pleasure to share. 🙂
Colors everywhere Eliza, a warm delight for my winter…even though we snuck a 20C warm sunny day today. It was delightful 🤗❤️🙏
Thank you, Mark. There’s no chance we’d see 20C in our winters!
It was gratefully received kind lady, with rumors of 2 more days over 20C to come. Yay! 🤗❤️🙏
What a bounty of flowers! They are a delight to see.
Thank you, Anne!
Ooh, that Indian Pink is gorgeous! I have never seen one before. I can understand why you fell for it. 😁 And your big vase is pure summer joy! Sundrops are not common here, but I must try to grow some from seed perhaps. Have a great week Eliza – can’t believe it is the last week of June already!
Thank you, Cathy. Native to the mid-Atlantic states, I was thrilled it was hardy in my more northern zone. I expect its popularity will grow.
Sundrops on the other hand is one of those plants that is a constant ‘giveaway’, gifted from one garden to the next. It increases quickly by stolons, but thankfully is very easy to rip out. My gardens are full of it!
Such beauty! A most enjoyable welcome to the day…and the week! Your tender nurture of your gardens and the beauty you create for the vases is so appreciated and enjoyed by so many. You love nature and nature loves you in return. Awe inspiring. 🙏🏻💜
Thank you very much, Carrie. Nature is where I am most at home. 🙂
Painting with flowers…what beauty! Indian ‘star’ flower would be a good name. Very intriguing. Sundrops are the perfect yellow.
Thank you, Alice! I often refer to the various gardens around the yard as ‘canvases.’ 😉
Boy, that Spigelia is something special. I see why you had to have it!
Yes! Plant lust, ha!
I can see why you love those Indian pinks and the coleus compliments it perfectly. Your meadow in a vase is so cheerful and summery — I love it!
Thank you very much, Barbara!
I love how you combine the native plants, wildflowers and flowers from your garden. Bothe vases are gorgeous.
Thank you, Donna! I love an informal look. 🙂
Every year when I go through the Missouri Wildflowers Nursery’s catalogue I see the Indian pink (it was the catalogue’s cover flower this year) and wonder if I should get it. But I get the impression it prefers shade to sun and my garden is full sun all day long, or at least until very, very late afternoon. Is your experience that it is more of a shade plant?
Yes, mine gets only a bit of early morning sun. It prefers part to full shade.
Thanks for the info, I was afraid of that, but at least I now know for sure.
The Indian Pink is indeed a very lovely flower. I have never seen it before…Lovely bouquets as usual (Suzanne)
Thank you, Suzanne. IP is native to the mid-Atlantic region, but fortunately is hardy further north.
So beautiful. I wish my garden had some summer blossoms now-most of the flowering was late spring and now that the heat has taken center stage I see the I’ll have to live vicariously for blooms through gardens like yours.
Thanks, Monika! There are xerophytic plants to give you summer color: lavender, coreopsis, sedum, hardy geranium, yarrow, santolina, penstemon and salvia are some perennial choices. You might see if a local nursery has good native choices, which are suited to the climate. Annuals such as marigolds, verbena, pelargonium, fan-flower, euphorbia and lantana are drought tolerant, too. You might want to double check toxicity if the Ranch gang are nibblers. 🥰
Yes, all the plants in the garden are xeric (and pet safe). Several clumps of lavender are in bloom now though the buds are smallish compared to the coreopsis and volunteer snapdragons which are about the only flowers that could qualify for vases. One of the challenges with my garden is the large shade trees which aren’t exactly conducive to loads of bouquet quality flowers. Unless one count the Moonshine yarrow that doesn’t spread like regular yarrow. A few years ago I installed a ‘garden in a box’ offering from the water department that contained all xeric plants to replace rather large swath of turf. They tend to bloom early though. July is the month when things have mostly stopped flowering except for potted plants which get watered daily by hand. August will usher in the plumbago with it’s pretty blue flowers but again, certainly nothing that qualifies for bouquet vases. Will just have to enjoy yours. 😉
🙏🏼
Really like the second image, interesting the coleus bloom and the name “Agastache ‘Poquito Lemon Butter’” of the cultivar
Gracias, Maria!
Simply stunning, Eliza — thank you for sharing them here!
Thank you, Debbie!
That is a nice selection of flowers. I have tried to grow Indian Pink here. Do your make it through the winter or do you bring them in?
Thanks! Indian pink is rated zone 4-9, and it has overwintered for the past 3 years here with no problem. It arises later in the spring than other plants, so I must be careful rooting around in that area early on.
I’m in the new zone 9, but still consider it 8 here. It didn’t seem to enjoy our summer.
It might need to be in your shadiest, coolest and moistest spot. Is your hose pipe in the shade? That would be ideal.
Oh wow! I absolutely love the first vase.
And then the second feels so exotic.
Both of them are beauties, Eliza.
Thank you, Dale! 🙂
You are most welcome!
Gorgeous, Eliza! I love the blue, white and yellow combo for summer. The Kousa is fabulous!! I have never seen an Indian Pink, very cool and love the Agastache name. My purple one just expired, not sure why?!
Thank you, Amy. My C. kousa is about 20 years old and is really coming into its maturity, so fabulous to look upon from the second floor.
I’ve never had luck with Agastache returning… they always seem to die overwinter. I buy new every spring as pollinators love them.
I often think the best thing in the garden is age, a different perspective on aging. That was my first Agastache, maybe they are really annuals, it was pretty.
Both arrangements are wonderful, although I’ll admit to a preference for the first one as that’s a color combination I adore. And you used several genera found in my own garden, if different species of each. I’ve never grown sundrops but I need to try some.
Thank you, Kris. Oenothera is a large genus, many from the Southwest. I think mine is an eastern native, but it is a tough one.
That’s definitely a meadow in a vase! I too can see why you fell for the Indian pink, which makes your second little vase really striking, particularly when you combine it with that coleus which is the perfect accompaniment
Thank you, Cathy. I wanted to pick something that would complement its red color and the coleus fit the bill quite well. 🙂
Wow! I know that’s kind of a simple comment, but really, just Wow!
🙂 Thanks, Gary!
If you ever consider doing a class on combining flowers for a vase, sign me up! Yours are always so gorgeous.
Ha, you’re too kind. If you’re ever in western MA, stop by for a few pointers. 😉
I will keep that in mind. 😉
Gorgeous color combination and lovely flowers.
Thank you!
Beautiful arrangements, love the primrose yellows. I saw Spigelia marilandica for the first time this weekend in the native species section of a local nursery, a fascinating flower. And lovely images of it!
Thank you, Tom. I expect it will grow in popularity, it is so striking and unusual.
Love the flowers, vase and staging. The Korean dogwood is spectacular. Glad you’ve had a wonderful June.
Thank you, Susie. It has been a pleasant one!
Fabulous 💐
Thanks, Val!
So much to appreciate and admire! Just lovely, Eliza 😊
Thank you, Belinda! 🙂
Your vase is spectacular! I love the variety of purple, white, and yellow flowers.
I’ve never considered using coleus in a small vase, but I see it works well. Ours have taken off in this heat. Thank you for the inspiration.
My pleasure, thank you, Alys. Of course, coleus will root readily and you will have a new plant to pot out. 🙂
The Indian Pink is amazing! I’ve not heard of it, let alone seen one, before. And your main vase has everything that’s also blooming in my garden 🙂 Love it!!
Thanks, Chris. I love that plant!
“Sundrops” also gets used in Texas as a common name, but for a different Oenothera species.