Tag Archives: Muhlenbergia capillaris (Pink Muhly Grass)

In A Vase On Monday – Lost Meaning

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In A Vase On Monday – Lost Meaning

Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share an arrangement using materials collected from our gardens.

At dayspring as sun entered the garden, gentle bees were slumbering on yellow petals. I gathered flowers carefully in the crisp morning air.

Helianthus angustifolius (Swamp Sunflower)

Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage). Canna leaves wrap the vase.

I arranged the flowers in a mood of contentment and joy.

In A Vase On Monday – Lost Meaning

In A Vase On Monday – Lost Meaning

Then I learned the news of another senseless killing in the United States. Las Vegas.

Sorrow, grief, mourning.

Meaning is lost.

Helianthus angustifolius (Swamp Sunflower)

 

Materials

Flowers
Helianthus angustifolius (Swamp Sunflower)
Muhlenbergia capillaris (Pink Muhly Grass)
Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage)

Foliage
Canna
Hedychium coronarium (Ginger lily)

Container
Flared, crystal vase

In A Vase On Monday – Lost Meaning

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting and giving us a chance to express 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.

In A Vase On Monday – Green and Blue

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In A Vase On Monday – Green and Blue

Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share an arrangement using materials collected from our gardens.

To encourage more flowers I gathered all available zinnias this weekend. In the end only a few made it into today’s design.

Zinnia

Underlying today’s arrangement is Little Lime hydrangea, which continues to boost the summer garden. Originally I paired it with half-dozen 2-inch red dahlias, in a low green vase. The effect was so awkward I almost liked it. Unable to stop tweaking and adjusting, before I could photograph the result I had rearranged it beyond recognition or repair.

Beginning again I added a small blue companion vase. I edited the flowers heavily, keeping some hydrangeas, foregoing the dahlias, selecting a few zinnias.

In A Vase On Monday – Green and Blue

Stems of Pink Muhly Grass added for height also contributed an element of movement, though it proved more stiff than graceful.

In A Vase On Monday – Green and Blue

Materials

Flowers
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Little Lime’
Zinnia ‘Cut and Come Again Mix’
Muhlenbergia capillaris (Pink Muhly Grass)

Containers
Ceramic vases: Hand-thrown Seagrove Pottery (olive-artichoke) and an Eno Festival find (dark periwinkle blue)

In A Vase On Monday – Green and Blue

Hope you are enjoying summer. Heat for the past several weeks has been oppressive. Yesterday’s surprise afternoon rain was welcome.

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting and giving us a chance to express 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.

In A Vase On Monday—Late Summer Shift

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Physostegia virginiana (Obedient Plant)

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)

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)

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)

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.

Garden Bloggers Foliage Day – September 2014

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Callicarpa americana (American beautyberry)

Callicarpa americana (American beautyberry)

The first day of autumn coincides with Garden Bloggers Foliage Day (GBFD).  The countryside and the garden remain fairly green—very little autumnal leaf color so far. As one sign of the season, stems of the native Callicarpa americana (American beautyberry) are covered in purply ripened berries.

In the Northern Hemisphere the fall season arrives today with the occurrence of the autumnal equinox, September 22 at 10:29 p.m. EDT. It was almost 90°F yesterday, but now at 5:00 p.m. it is a pleasant 71°F. The rest of the week should remain in the seventies during the day, dropping into the 50s at night.

There was a surprise shower overnight, not enough to fill the bird baths but any amount is needed and welcome. A few drops remained on this Aquilegia canadensis (Eastern red columbine), decorated with bits of red as it transitions toward fall.

Aquilegia canadensis (Eastern red columbine)

Aquilegia canadensis (Eastern red columbine)

Strange as it seems, last week I could detect the fragrance of Winter Daphne. Three of these lovely shrubs serve as hedge at the front of our house.

Daphne odora 'Aureomarginata' (Winter daphne)

Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata’ (Winter daphne)

Along the northern side yard camellias, gardenias and hellebores add green interest. The camellias are gaining fat buds that will open in another month to six weeks.  The gardenias in this position look healthy, more so than others in the back garden. Stationed nearby Hellebores are full of strong, deep green leaves.

Gardenia and Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten rose)

Gardenia and Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten rose)

For several years I have been monitoring the progress of a small passalong Sarcococca ruscifolia (Fragrant Sweet Box). It requires full shade which is hard to find in my garden. I planted it underneath one of the corner ‘Carolina Sapphire’ Arizona Cypress specimens, where it receives scant early morning sunlight. The plant remains very small but the foliage look great this year.

Sarcococca ruscifolia (Fragrant Sweet Box)

Sarcococca ruscifolia (Fragrant Sweet Box)

Sarcococca ruscifolia (Fragrant Sweet Box)

Sarcococca ruscifolia (Fragrant Sweet Box)

The only featured grass in my garden is Muhlenbergia capillaris (Pink Muhly Grass). Despite it  not being very well situated, this year it looks very nice.

Muhlenbergia capillaris (Pink Muhly Grass)

Muhlenbergia capillaris (Pink Muhly Grass)

A big thank you to Christina at Creating my own garden of the Hesperides for hosting GBFD on the 22nd of each month.