IAVOM – Pure Joy

Posted on September 28, 2025 by Eliza Waters

Give me a large vase with plenty to fill it and I am one happy camper!

We finally had two days of rain last week and while welcome and needed, several plants of heavy Love-lies-bleeding (Amaranthus caudatus) toppled. Since frost is expected fairly soon, rather than prop them up, I took the loppers to three of them. Thus, the cascading basis of my vase this week.

White frost asters (Symphyotrichum pilosum var. pringlei) and purple Verbena bonariensis top this 32″ (80 cm) arrangement, while Dahlias ‘Debora Renae’, ‘Chilson’s Pride’, ‘Ice Tea’ and collarette ‘Giggles’ fill the middle, with just a few pink spider flowers (Cleome hassleriana) tucked in-between.

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 other happy campers are sharing this week.

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Silent Sunday – Autumn Still Life

Posted on September 27, 2025 by Eliza Waters
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Wordless Wednesday – Tobacco Hornworm

Posted on September 23, 2025 by Eliza Waters
Tobacco Hornworm Larva (Manduca sexta) in my garden
Adult Male Tobacco Hawk-Moth (Wikipedia image)
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IAVOM – Aster Season

Posted on September 21, 2025 by Eliza Waters

I pulled out my two-toned pocket vase for a turn this week. Here’s the other side:

White frost asters (Symphyotrichum pilosum var. pringlei), lavender heart-leaf (S. cordifolium) and large purple Aster x frikartii ‘Monch’ provide a filler base for Dahlias ‘Ice Tea’ and collarette form ‘Giggles,’ as well as Zinnia elegans ‘Aurora’ (cream and orange mix) and Calendula officinalis hybrid mix. Purple Verbena bonariensis and rich cobalt Salvia guarantica provide accent.

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.

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SssSilent SssSun-day

Posted on September 20, 2025 by Eliza Waters
Three Eastern Garter Snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis) in the woodshed
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Wordless Wednesday – Day’s End

Posted on September 16, 2025 by Eliza Waters
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IAVOM – Let’s Party!

Posted on September 14, 2025 by Eliza Waters

I went big this week, hauling out my tallest vase to accommodate some long stems that I had the urge to cut and put on display up close.

Providing a focal point, the deep burgundy Dahlia ‘Debora Renae’ matches the love-lies-bleeding (Amaranthus caudatus) flowing down the sides. Dahlias ‘Lemonade’ and ‘Ice Tea’ then add drinks to the party! All three dahlias are new to me this year.

Golden sneezeweed (Helenium autumale), looking like floppy sun hats, add a bit of fun. White garden phlox (P. paniculata) and dancing spider flowers (Cleome hassleriana), along with sprays of purple Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia, syn. Salvia yangii) add a celebratory finish to the arrangement. Too bad I didn’t have party hat props for Cathy!

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.

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Silent Sunday – Radiant

Posted on September 13, 2025 by Eliza Waters
Dahlia ‘LaBella®️ Maggiore Rose Bicolor’

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Wordless Wednesday – Daily Harvest

Posted on September 9, 2025 by Eliza Waters
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IAVOM – Warm and Rosy

Posted on September 7, 2025 by Eliza Waters

Warm colors continue to dominate my choice of vase materials, as rich red and carmine catch and hold my eye. In a rose glass vase, I’ve put a sprig of red coleus (Plectranthus scutellarioides), cascading love-lies-bleeding (Amaranthus caudatus), cherry zinnia (Z. angustifolia ‘Cherry Profusion’), pink-bicolor spider flower (Cleome hassleriana) and a few stems of purple vervain (Verbena bonariensis).

A second vase features yellow, orange and purple hues– marigold (Calendula officinalis), orange zinnia (Z. elegans ‘Aurora’), orange cosmos (C. sulphureus), purple vervain (Verbena bonariensis), love-in-a-mist seed heads (Nigella papillosa), a sprig of feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) and bronze fennel foliage (Foeniculum vulgare).

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.

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