Every Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share a vase with materials selected from our gardens. With both in their prime, it was difficult to choose between irises and peonies so both get a deserved moment in the limelight this week.

Iris

The irises coloring the front yard this week are passalongs that came without a name. Their delicate flowers are more petite and flowy than many of my irises.

I love their pure violet blue hue and their slender confident stature rising above the green grass and wanted to translate this monochromatic growing scheme into a simple vase.

Reusing Lamb’s ears in the same container from last week, the vase came together quickly. Versatile Cerinthe used as filler made a pleasant partner to the iris.

Materials
Flowers
Iris, a passalong
‘Pride of Gibraltar’ Hummingbird Cerinthe
Foliage
Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ear)
Container
Textured, incised ceramic pedestal vase, rice or bone color. 5×6-inches, with floral pin holder.
Black stones

Peony

With more rain forecast I cut most of the open Coral Charm peonies Friday morning.

Fern-like foliage of Tansy brought its own calming texture to the complex structure of the flowers.

Materials
Flowers
Helleborus x hybridus
Paeonia lactiflora ‘Coral Charm’ (Coral Charm Peony)
Foliage
Tanacetum vulgare (Tansy)
Container
Black metal suiban. 4 x 9.5 x 6.5 inches. Japan.
Black stones

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting each week. Visit her blog to see her vase and check out those of other gardeners from around the world.

Every Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share a vase with items collected from our gardens.

It is easy to become distracted in the spring garden. The only thing I knew I wanted in today’s vase was cerinthe and then when I went out to gather materials this morning I completely forgot to get some, realizing the omission only after this vase was assembled. So much for intention; I’ve come to appreciate flexibility and resiliency just as much.

A single Coral Charm peony was available this morning. At its feet was a large spread of Stachys byzantina, fuzzy lamb’s ears, glistening in the sunlight. The combination was serendipitously satisfying in its contrast of texture and form.

A touch of recently planted Purple Bicolor Sweet William, along with hellebores heading to seed, and bulbous seed pods of summer snowflakes fill out the design.

Materials
Flowers
Dianthus ‘Purple Bicolor’ (Sweet William)
Helleborus x hybridus
Paeonia lactiflora ‘Coral Charm’ (Coral Charm Peony)
Foliage
Leucojum aestivum (summer snowflake) Seedheads
Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ear)
Container
Textured, incised ceramic pedestal vase, rice or bone color. 5×6-inches, with floral pin holder.
Black stones

Had to include one more image. Since bringing the peony inside it is already opening more fully.

Have a wonderful week. Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting each week. Visit her blog to see her vase and check out those of other gardeners from around the world.