Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share an arrangement every Monday using materials collected from our gardens.
Along with a small sampling of recent summer blooms, two stems of white gladioli engaged my attention for several hours as I assembled and refashioned. When at last I declared myself done I had created three vases to share with you.
Vase One
Most of my time was spent on this first vase. My mind was set on having the draping Angelonia angustifolia ‘Angelface Blue’ and spidery Cleome as a base for the gladioli. The small peony on the left is from last week’s vase.
In A Vase On Monday – Vase One With Gladiolus
Gladioli have been surprisingly robust this year in the garden, returning from bulbs planted in previous years. Of the duo used in today’s vase, one is very pure and white; the creamier other has purple anthers and a trace of color at the throat of each blossom.
In A Vase On Monday – Vase One With Gladiolus
When I bought angelonia in early spring to line the paths of the meditation circle, I chose purple and white. One bicolor made its way into the flat.
Angelonia angustifolia ‘PAC – Angelos Bicolor’
Vase Two
The idea for the second vase was simply to give home to flowers that did not make it into the first—another gladiolus and several stems of garden phlox that began flowering this week. It was assembled in just a couple of minutes with a curving line of echinacea used to enliven the design.
In A Vase On Monday – Vase Two With Gladiolus
The echinacea is not one of the special hybrids but several of its flowers emerged with deep pink petals.
In A Vase On Monday – Vase Two With Gladiolus
This gladiolus is another with purple accents.
Gladiolus
The magenta of the phlox is a jarring color but its presence is strong.
Phlox paniculata ‘Robert Poore’ (Garden phlox)
Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower)
Vase Three
The third vase is a redesign of the first, with the bicolor angelonia and cleome shifted right, the darker purple ‘Angelface Blue’ brought together on the left and a soft, barely pink (almost white) hydrangea filling the space beneath the gladioli. I find this iteration the more successful of the two.
In A Vase On Monday – Vase Three With Gladiolus
Grouping similar colors makes their impact cleaner and more direct.
In A Vase On Monday – Vase Three With Gladiolus
Here are the two starring gladioli for comparison.
Gladiolus
One with the purple anthers…
Gladiolus with purple accents
…and the pure white one.
Gladiolus — pristinely white
In A Vase On Monday – Vase Three With Gladiolus
Materials
One
Angelonia angustifolia ‘Angelface Blue’ (Summer Snapdragon)
Angelonia angustifolia ‘PAC – Angelos Bicolor’
Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower)
Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower)
Gladiolus
Paeonia ‘Festiva Maxima’
Foliage: Gladiolus leaves
Container: Ceramic ikebana vase with 3 integrated ceramic tubes, built-in stem holders. 6 x 6 inches.
In A Vase On Monday – Vase One With Gladiolus
Two
Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower)
Gladiolus
Phlox paniculata ‘Robert Poore’ (Garden phlox)
Foliage: Gladiolus leaves
Container: Porcelain Ikebana vase, Georgetown Pottery, Maine. Triangle Ikebana Blue Wave (6.5 W x 6.5 L x 2H inches)
In A Vase On Monday – Vase Two With Gladiolus
Three
Same as One, plus Hydrangea macrophylla
In A Vase On Monday – Vase Three With Gladiolus
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.
