Physostegia virginiana (Obedient Plant)
Monday brings the chance to practice flower arranging by joining in Cathy’s weekly challenge In A Vase On Monday, where the goal is simply to fill a vase using materials gathered in one’s own garden.
Having been away for a long weekend, I was not sure what I would find blooming this morning when I ventured into the garden. I had been at the beach visiting with a group of special college friends. I had a great time. We picked right up where we had left off last year, talking and laughing, reminiscing and reflecting and laughing some more.
After weeks without rain my husband reports it rained for three hours the day I left. (Perhaps I should take some more trips to offset droughts.) Unfortunately this rain came too little and too late and the garden seems tinged with melancholy as many summer plants begin to die back.
One corner filled with a North American native, Physostegia virginiana (Obedient Plant), is an exception. This pass-along came into flower while I was away and, although I had gathered a few other flowers intending to create a mixed vase, these strong spikes of pink tubular flowers and buds are able to stand on their own with little assistance.
Physostegia virginiana (Obedient Plant)
I did include a tall stem of still green Autumn Joy Sedum, interesting on its own as well. A handful of Pink Muhly Grass leaves provided some extra height and loose textural contrast to balance the dense, tightly packed inflorescence of Obedient Plant.
Physostegia virginiana (Obedient Plant)
Materials
Hylotelephium ‘Herbstfreude’ Autumn Joy (Stonecrop)
Muhlenbergia capillaris (Pink Muhly Grass)
Physostegia virginiana (Obedient Plant)
The vase is a beautifully crafted black and red glazed pot I bought in a silent auction at an art show in my home town a dozen or more years ago. It measures 10 inches (25.4 cm) across at its widest point and is 11 inches (28 cm) tall.
Physostegia virginiana (Obedient Plant)
Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting. Discover what she and others are placing In A Vase On Monday.
pbmGarden 
Susie it seems we were both admiring Obedient and grasses this week…love how yours look just by themselves in that stunning vase!
Thanks Donna. It is amazing the Obedient Plant can look so fresh and happy in this weather just as other plants are succumbing to the dry, hot conditions.
Such an elegant vase, Susie! Thanks for sharing it!
Thank you Anca, happy you liked it.
The vase is a treasure, complemented perfectly by your posy.
I adore that vase. This is the first time I’ve actually ever used it to hold flowers. I keep it on display in an out of the way corner.
The Obedient flower is very striking and I think it does probably look at its best of its own with just foliage. Your vase is just wonderful, I really admire it. I’m glad you had a fun weekend and that you had a little rain.
Thanks Christina! I was grateful the obedient plant was flowering today so there could be something different in my vase this week, but it has a rather aggressive nature so I’m always trying to contain it. Glad it earned its keep today. We still need rain here, but I’m relieved there was a little. Even with watering I’ve lost a new gardenia and a camellia. Looking to next year…
Beautiful, graceful flow and structure to your arrangement this week. What a beautiful vase that is – a real gem!
Eliza, thanks for your kind words. The vase itself may be the focal point of the arrangement.
Oh, I just love that vase Susie. And a lovely arrangement that suits it perfectly.
Thanks Liz, I was crunched for time today but luckily the flowers just seemed to fit into the vase with little effort.
The obedient flower looks very similar to foxglove, (Digitalis) flower in the close up picture, beautiful marked tubular flowers.
I see the resemblance now that you mention it Brian. It is also called false dragonhead for its similarity to snapdragon.
I didn’t realize Obedient Plant could do well in drought, I’ve been losing a few plants too, and planting some plants now that do well in dry soil so hopefully next year they will fill in some. The Obedient Plant looks great on its own, it has so much green that it works as its own foliage filler too, but looks good with the grass, and the dramatic vase.
Hi Hannah, hope you get some rain soon. It’s sad to lose plants to the weather. This is the best the Obedient Plant has done in many years.
That is a beautiful display in a beautiful vase.
Thanks Malc. Caught the obedient plant just as it’s at its best, nice and fresh. I don’t usually pay it much attention but certainly appreciate it this year.
I used to grow this all over , up North, and somehow forgot about it down here! So I will definitely be planting…thanks for the reminder. Such a great end of summer plant!
My mother’s cousin gave me this plant many years ago, many. Some years I have tried to get rid of it because it can spread too much, but glad for now to have it.
Gosh – I wouldn’t have guessed the gorgeous vase was as large as this so I can see how it is sometimes useful to mention dimensions. I can also see why you chose to focus on the Physostegia as its simplicity is its attraction – thanks for sharing 🙂
Cathy, yes, it is helpful to know the size of the arrangement, especially if no other props are used in the photos. When Christina visited here this summer she recognized one of my vases, but couldn’t get over how much smaller is was in real life.