In A Vase On Monday – Summer Serenity [color filter: Instant]
The first two of an all white gladiolus collection planted in early summer have begun to open. In a season when bright hot colors usually dominate, these clean, fresh flowers evoke a sense of purity and calm.
In A Vase On Monday – Summer Serenity
Each white flower is accented with purple pollen grains and violet brushstrokes at the throat.
In A Vase On Monday – Summer Serenity
These purple attributes are reinforced in the design by the amethyst swirls of a Caithness glass bud vase and spires of lavender-blue Russian sage.
In A Vase On Monday – Summer Serenity
The camera enunciated a pale yellow characteristic that barely registers when viewed in person, but which complements nonetheless.
Materials
Flowers
Gladiolus
Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian sage)
Vase
Caithness glass bud vase
In A Vase On Monday – Summer Serenity
Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting and giving us a chance to release our flower arranging passion. Visit her to discover what she and others found this week in their gardens to place In A Vase On Monday.
pbmGarden 
Cool and serene; gorgeous and the blue of the Perovskia really does add that extra dimension.
Thank you. I’ve been concerned about you and Richard. Hope you’ve been away having fun. Will head over to see your vase now.
You are certainly right that your vase is the opposite of Cathy’s! I find gladiolas a difficult flower to use in a vase and you’ve really managed to make them part of a group. Usually they seem to shout and take over. A beautiful arrangement.
You know Linda, I agree. Glads are beautiful but difficult–they’re heavy and don’t flex at all. They may work better bunched together in a nice tall vase. I sacrificed quite a bit of the unopened buds at the top to get them to balance. I was so excited to see these two bloom because we had a deep heat wave just as they shot up and were forming flowers. Amazing something so pure could survive 100 degrees/ 108 heat index.
I have never seen a white glad. It is so elegant. Happy IAVOM.
Thanks Lisa. I bought white glads on sale back in 2001, the first summer we moved to this house. I probably wouldn’t have tried them but they were the only color left. They are long gone now but for some reason I had them on my mind this year, remembering them fondly.
Beautiful! Love that combination of colours – so sophisticated! 🙂
Thanks Cathy. Love the way white flowers can fit any mood.
Yes, I recognise that vase as Caithness immediately as it is so distinctive 🙂 Your gladioli are astonishing, just so WHITE, and then to have that subtle detailing too… Wonderful, and the perovskia is the perfect foil – don’t know I have never got round to getting any of that. Love the angle of the uppermost part of the taller gladiolus stem – it just sets the arrangement off. Thanks for sharing, Susie
Cathy, I thought the angled part of that stem looked like someone with arm overhead waving. Glad you noticed it.
I don’t think this arrangement could be more perfect, Susie. Even the way the Perovskia weaves its way around those pristine Gladiolas adds grace. I love that vase too.
Thank you Kris. Initially I had all the Perovskia up tall, but it worked out better trimming it lower. Of course, it’s dropping petals everywhere now, not a long-lasting choice.
Oh, perfection! This is so beautiful, Susie, you really have a gift for arranging.
So kind of you Eliza. I just love flowers and enjoying getting to play with them.
I know the feeling! 😉
How peaceful and pretty.
Elegant as always Susie.
Thanks Brian. It helps gladiolas have innate grace themselves.
A change of pace for summer, love it.
Thanks. Just as I wondered if there’d have to be more zinnias in my vase this week, I spotted the glads opening.
Glad to see them? Ha
Yes, summer serenity is a good thing! And your vase and arrangment…wonderful! I must grow glads again next summer!
Thanks Beth. I heartily recommend growing them. Used to go out every morning with my grandmother to cut gladiolas for a vase, so my love for them goes way back.
What an elegant composition, the vase is just perfect.
Even though words such as elegant, perfect, serene have already been used..here they are again elegant, perfect, serene….
Thanks so much Noelle.
Beautiful gladiolus. The next town over where I live has a gladiolus days festival every year and I fell in love with them ever since I moved here a few years ago.
Cool.
Calm, cool and elegant…perfect antidote to our triple digit temps.
You’re having unusual heat aren’t you? Some extremes here too. Need rain.
Elegant hotel lobby material! :oD
Such simplicity but elegantly sophisticated. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you. So glad you like it. Most often I prefer simplicity.