The annuals are starting to go a bit wild lately, happy with all the hot weather and sporadic rainfall, filling the garden beds to the point of bursting. A cloudburst Saturday evening pushed a few stems into the paths, so I decided to clip my way through and use the clippings for a vase. Love-lies-bleeding (Amaranthus caudatus) has such a funky flower, like red-pink dreadlocks, and the plant is over 6 feet tall.
Pink spider flower (Cleome hassleriana), purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) and zinnia (Z, elegans ‘Aurora’) add bulk. While anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum), flowering tobacco (Nicotiana alata) and seed heads of love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena) add accent.
A second vase of natives offers an even wilder look in yellow-gold with a couple of blue accents: goldenrod (Solidago sp.), black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), woodland sunflower (Helianthus divaricata), yellow foxtail grass (Setaria sp.), anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) and seed heads of love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena).
Thanks to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden who hosts the weekly garden meme In A Vase On Monday, featuring flower arrangements from our gardens. Click the link to join the fun or see what others are sharing this week.
Eliza Waters 
Well, yes, you really went wild on these. I actually prefer the second vase because goldenrod is a new one for me that I happen to be quite fond of now.
Thanks, Tony. Not sure why goldenrod has been overlooked all these years (though it can be a thug if a stoloniferous variety), I love it in arrangements.
Neat soft pink, then a burst of yellow light Eliza. Doesn’t matter where you go in that garden it speaks no matter the color 🤗❤️🙏
Thank you, Mark. Food for the soul!
Your home must be a delight with such lovely flower arrangements. I purchased a bunch of yellow roses and gazanias this morning to brighten our home as I have no ‘cut-worthy’ flowers in our garden as winter draws to a close.
I have arrangements everywhere, any flat surface will do, lol! I think a bouquet of flowers feeds the soul. Necessary!
Spring must be not too far off for you. We’re getting our first chilly nights this week, around 7C tonight!
You must have a fabulous garden
Merci. It keeps me busy, certainly my happy place!
gorgeous
Thank you, Catherine!
I have no words for these 😍
Thank you, Rupali!
Both vases are very pleasing with such a variety of flowers.
Thank you, lots to choose from these days. 🥳
super lovely Eliza
Thank you, Dymoon!
Such bountiful blooms…great ones. (Suzanne)
Thank you, Suzanne!
Love it when annuals go wild!
Yes, nature’s last hurrah! 🙂
Endless possibilities with all you have to choose from! These are both very wild and free, and fun to look at.
Thank you, Barbara. The first one looks a bit animated with amaranthus arms and a zinnia face! 😀
A zinnia face topped with a flower bonnet! 🙂
😀
I love these “wild” IAVOM!
Thank you, Hien, it is a bit of a jungle out there!
Eliza, these are exquisite! The combination of colors, shapes, and textures is just beautiful. I have trouble growing amaranth in the ground (spindly, weak, bug eaten) but it does well in large pots here and I’m hoping to harvest some of those dangling ropes for Christmas decor this year.
Thank you, Lynn! They love full sun, something I have less of with each passing year as the trees get larger and shadier. Thanks for reminding me about drying some later when they mature and darken.
Wild and Wonderful!!
Thank you, Sandy!
I especially love the first vase and wish I had a place to grow Amaranthus caudatus, there’s really nothing else like it!
Thank you, Loree! Deer kept me from growing it, but with the fence, I’m dreaming of bigger and more tropical looking for next year. We’ll see!
Wild? We say beautiful!
Thank you, Monika. Nature gallops, and I toddle… 😉
I used to grow amaranthus every year but haven’t done for a couple of seasons, so it was a pleasure to see yours today – saying that, a self-seeded one has appeared this year, so I may get to cut that for IAVOM. Your pink vase is so refreshing, but the abundance in your second vase is something else! Glorious!
Thank you, Cathy! I stopped growing amaranthus because deer love it. But now that the garden is fenced in, I can grow the tasty stuff without worry.
Your arrangements are wild this week but then isn’t that to be expected as we move into late summer? Just yesterday I was bemoaning the fact that I once again failed to sow Cleome seeds, not to speak of sunflower seeds, this year. I’ve tried sowing Amaranthus only once but it didn’t show up until the following year! I have to try it again and work on the timing issue.
https://krispgarden.blogspot.com/
Thank you, Kris. Some years are more exuberant than others. The heat and just-enough rain has made all the difference. Isn’t it amazing how large plants can grow from such tiny seeds?!
I love some explosive color!! Celebrating the summer in all its glory.
Thanks, it is pretty exuberant, a bit of floral fireworks to celebrate the height of summer. 🙂
Two fabulous vases Eliza, celebrating summer! The first one is beautifully pink – I don’t normally like Amaranthus, but it fits perfectly with the pale pink Echinacea and Cleome and the zinnia. And the last vase reminds me of mine from last week. The combination of yellow and blue/purple is always lovely, and I am fascinated by that foxtail grass. 😁
Thank you, Cathy. I do love the wild look. 🙂 Foxtail grass is a noxious weed that always wins, even though I try to pull most of it. Not recommended for planting! 😀
These are awesome. I love your Amaranthus.
Thank you, Susie. It is a pretty crazy plant!
Love it, Eliza! 💖🧡💚
Thank you, Susan!
Stunning wild vases Eliza, what a treat to see! 💛 xxx
Thank you, Xenia. Summer is really putting on a show in my garden. So many choices!
Both are gorgeous, what bounty 😊
Thank you, Belinda. I do feel spoiled for choices!
Wow! Wonderful combos 🤩
Thank you, Ellen! 🙂
A fine harvest from your tidying after the rain. The Love-lies-bleeding is wild, all right! So are the pretty goldenrod and helianthus.
Thank you, Tom. Informal is the way I tend to arrange. Just following what nature does, lol!
The pink-themed vase is lovely, but those yellows brought a happy smile!
Thanks, glad to hear it, Linda. I have to say the meadowy look is probably my favorite style.
Lovely, Eliza!
Thanks, I just love messing with flowers. 🙂
So pretty and I love that grain here too!
Thanks, Euniice!
Wonderful array of flowers.
Makes even the coldest of mornings here Down Under feel that little bit warmer.
Thankyou for that, Eliza.
Wonderful array of flowers.
Makes even the coldest of mornings here Down Under feel that little bit warmer.
Thankyou for that, Eliza.
My pleasure, Vicki. The season must be getting on to spring for you there. Soon!
Such beautiful bounty! My hanging and potted annual flowers are starting to peter out, with the exception of the Mandeville which continues to thrive. Gorgeous photos.
Thank you, K. I’ve started to see subtle changes as things respond to the shorter days. But we still have a ways to go, thankfully!
Beautiful pair of arrangements, Eliza. I like that dab of lavender in all that sunny yellow of the second arrangement.
Thank you, Tina. So much fun to create!
Your vase runneth over.
I can’t help myself! 🙂
Beautiful! as always
Thank you!
Such amazing bouqettes!
Thank you, Maria!
Wowza!!! You and your friends in the yard have been busyyy💖💖💖so beautiful
Thank you, Danielle. Definitely my favorite playtime!
Love the wild yellow-gold vase!!🙂
Thank you!
Very wild and very colorful. Wondered why you ‘hadn’t posted’..you did…I haven’t ‘been mailed’ several! Saw in ‘recent posts.’
Sorry about the WP glitch. Always a mystery as to why that happens. Glad you followed up!