Cathy at Rambling In The Garden generously invites us to share an arrangement every Monday using materials collected from our gardens.
From the Zinnia Cut and Come Again collection I picked dozens of colorful blooms yesterday, but only one zinnia found its way toward the back of today’s design, a rare white one.
Having planned to focus on foliage this week I collected a large piece of Gold Dust Aucuba and an arching stem of Sarcococca.
For color there are Angelonia and everlasting sweet pea.
Materials
Flowers
Angelonia angustifolia ‘PAC – Angelos Bicolor’
Angelonia angustifolia ‘Purple’ (Summer Snapdragon)
Angelonia angustifolia ‘White’ (Summer Snapdragon)
Lathyrus latifolius (Perennial Sweet Pea)
Zinnia Cut and Come Again (Zinnia elegant pumila)
Foliage
Aucuba japonica ‘Variegata’ (Gold Dust Aucuba)
Sarcococca ruscifolia (Fragrant Sweet Box)
Container
Porcelain Ikebana vase, Georgetown Pottery, Maine. Triangle Black Wave (6.5 W x 6.5 L x 2H)
Hope your late summer garden is bringing you joy.
Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting and giving us an opportunity to share flower designs across the world. Visit her to discover what she and others found to place In A Vase On Monday.
Susie, your arrangement today is simply gorgeous. I love how you’ve used the foliage, I would have expected the Acuba to be too heavy (I’ve never managed to make it work). But it fits perfectly with the much airier blooms.
Thanks. With more time I’d probably have removed a leaf or two from the Aucuba. It feels a bit heavy. Had planned to have only a dot of color among the green foliage but couldn’t stop adding flowers!
The colours of the angelonia are delightful and the three shades are brilliant together. And what an asset sarcococca is for its bright foliage – I completely forget to use it outside the wonter season, and the aucuba too for that matter. The curl of sweet pea is a nice touch too – thanks for sharing it all
Thanks Cathy. My sarcococca is planted under a tree to give it the shade I heard it needs, and I barely every notice it.
And despite being close to the back door mine is tucked away, partially behind a wall, which is why I forget about it
I love it! Beautiful purples and whites. The unexpected magenta zing of the sweep pea makes the arrangement sing!
Thanks Peter, I adore that little sweet pea because it came from a very special relative many, many years ago.
What a beautiful arrangement Susie…each element is perfectly poised. Thanks for the close ups..the structure of flowers is so beautiful.
Thanks Noelle. I agree flowers are fascinating up close.
Gorgeous, I particularly love the Angelonia.
Thanks, the Angelonia has been helpful keeping some color in my garden this summer. It’s very happy this year.
Since you are one of the few people who often uses a low, Japanese influenced vase, I always look forward to seeing when and how you use it. Somehow, whatever you put in it seems perfect.
Thanks Linda. Some day I’d like to study Japanese arranging, but for now I just enjoy the practice almost as a meditation.
Lovely as always! Is there a secret to growing Angelonia as successfully as you do? Mine are never nearly as impressive (as you may guess from the fact that I’ve seldom featured them in an arrangement).
Kris, Angelonia just seems to thrive in this area. Wet or dry weather seem to be fine with it.
I am a rare lover of Gold Dust Aucuba (used some in a client’s garden this summer) I think it goes well with many things like the Zinnia and Angelonia. Love it.
Agreed, Gold Dust is nice for interesting foliage.
Your arrangement fairly explodes from the vase. I admire the way you manipulate the stems to create that effect.
Thanks Ricki, these arrangements come together quickly using the Ikebana vases.
Angelonia is so pretty in a vase, isn’t it? So airy and graceful. I wish it had a slightly longer vase life, but it is so lovely for a few days. Great arrangements, as always!
Thanks Beth. Angelonia is such a good worker outdoors. It’s a little tricky to use in vases but nice for variety from my zinnias! Take care.
The bicolor Angelonia is so lovely – your arrangement reminds me of those painted ceramic dishes from the Victorian era. Beautiiful!
How lovely of you Eliza.
I’ve never seen bicolor Angelonias like those. Very nice.
The bicolor angelonia is new to me this year. It performs well (as do the others). Carefree works for me.
Angelonia is not something I am familiar with. It is intriguing.
It is an annual, used extensively here in commercial landscaping–needs no care.
Beautiful collection and variety of flowers and foliage arranged to perfection.
Thank you Cindy!