Tag Archives: Russian Sage

In A Vase On Monday—Summer Spectrum

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In A Vase On Monday

In A Vase On Monday

Monday morning is time to join Cathy for In A Vase On Monday, a weekly invitation to fill and share a vase using materials gathered from one’s garden.

After watering the garden Sunday morning I gathered flowers for a vase.  Choosing as many Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’ as I could find, I clustered them together in the center of my grandmother’s glass floral frog as the starting point for an arrangement. The container is a hand-thrown ceramic glazed picece, about 9 inches in diameter and 1.5 inches tall.

Cluster stems of Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue' in center of glass frog

Cluster stems of Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’ in center of glass frog

I added a few stems of Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage) to help define the outer edges of design.

Add Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage) to help define outer edge of design

Add Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage) to help define outer edge of design

For filler flowers I used a stem of Alstroemeria and different colors of Angelonia.

Add Angelonia to fill in design toward outer edge

Add Angelonia to fill in design toward outer edge

Next I deconstructed a gladiolus to use the individual blooms around the base of the arrangement.

Descontruct Gladiolus. Use to add color and hide mechanics.

Descontruct Gladiolus. Use to add color and hide mechanics.

A single Dahlia ‘Firepot’ and  an Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly weed) were used as focal flowers.

Dahlia ‘Firepot’, Gladiolus

Dahlia ‘Firepot’, Gladiolus

Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly weed), Gladiolus

Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly weed), Gladiolus

In A Vase On Monday

In A Vase On Monday

I can quibble with the design proportions—the materials need to be extended out wider and the shape is uneven. As I rotate the vase I realize the arrangement looks very different from front to back and from overhead it is askew.

In A Vase On Monday. View From Above

In A Vase On Monday. View From Above

And yet, I love this vase of flowers. The flowers are fresh, the textures are interesting together.

The rich vibrant hues in this assortment speak to me of summer itself. At first the colors contrast and shock, then they blend and meld.

In A Vase On Monday

In A Vase On Monday

Dahlia ‘Firepot’, Gladiolus

Dahlia ‘Firepot’, Gladiolus

Materials

Alstroemeria x ‘Tesmach’ (Inticancha® Machu Peruvian Lily)
Angelonia ‘Alonia Big Indigo’
Angelonia ‘Raspberry’
Angelonia ’Serena White’
Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly weed)
Dahlia ‘Firepot’
Gladiolus sp.
Gomphrena globosa (Globe amaranth)
Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage)
Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’

Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue' and Gladiolus

Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’ and Gladiolus

Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly weed)

Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly weed)

Angelonia ’Serena White’

Angelonia ’Serena White’

Angelonia ‘Raspberry’

Angelonia ‘Raspberry’

Gomphrena, Angelonia ‘Raspberry’, Gladiolus

Gomphrena, Angelonia ‘Raspberry’, Gladiolus

Thank you to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for welcoming everyone to join her in this opportunity to share a vase each week. Please visit her to see what she and others are placing In A Vase On Monday.

Garden Bloggers Foliage Day – April 2015

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Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ear) in this morning’s sunlight

Time again for Garden Bloggers Foliage Day (GBFD), hosted by Christina at Garden of the Hesperides.

When I showed a tour of the garden several days ago, I saved one section along the Southern Path to feature for foliage day.  On both sides of the walkway silvery Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ear) and further back, gray-green Lychnis coronaria (Rose Campion), add enchantment to this border. Both are full of buds. [Note: In an earlier version I had mislabeled the Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ear) as Lychnis coronaria (Rose campion).]

Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ear) and Lychnis coronaria (Rose Campion) several days ago

Budding Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ear)

Further down the path toward the main garden, spears of Baptisia ‘Purple Smoke’ are making ready to bloom. I like the soft green leaves.

Baptisia 'Purple Smoke'

Baptisia ‘Purple Smoke’

More soft green in this border comes from the tender young foliage of Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage) and from a mound of Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ (Wormwood).

Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage)

Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage)

Artemisia 'Powis Castle' (Wormwood)

Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ (Wormwood)

I spotted a down-the-street neighbor working in her yard Saturday. She remembered I had inquired about getting some of her Chrysanthemum ‘Sheffield Pink’ (Hardy Chrysanthemum) when she was ready to divide them. The next day I discovered a nice clump of them in a pot on my porch.

Chrysanthemum 'Sheffield Pink' (Hardy Chrysanthemum)

Chrysanthemum ‘Sheffield Pink’ (Hardy Chrysanthemum)

After errands yesterday morning I visited the nursery at Southern States (along with half of Chapel Hill! It was very busy.) Everyone is excited to be out planting this time of year. I found another gardenia to try and planted it along the back fence. This is Gardenia jasminoides ‘Frost Proof’ (Gardenia ‘Frost Proof’).

Gardenia jasminoides 'Frost Proof' (Gardenia 'Frost Proof')

Gardenia jasminoides ‘Frost Proof’ (Gardenia ‘Frost Proof’)

Also I brought home a few new plants with colorful and textured foliage.

New purchase from Southern States

New purchase from Southern States

This one with silvery foliage is Arctotis hybrid ‘Orange’ (Orange African Daisy). I bought it to accompany some small orange zinnias.

Arctotis hybrid 'Orange' (Orange African Daisy)

Arctotis hybrid ‘Orange’ (Orange African Daisy)

The others I bought to insert into some bare spot around the garden—one Alternanthera ‘Red Threads’ and two Amaranto tricolor ’True Yellow’ (Joseph’s coat). After I got home I became nervous when reading about them online. They seem to be rather reliable spreaders.

Should I keep them in pots or try them in ground?

I often wonder what gardening would be like if I were not always trying to pull out some things that have become too aggressive. I have never been intrigued much by time travel but a time machine would come in handy to eliminate certain plants.

Alternanthera 'Red Threads'

Alternanthera ‘Red Threads’

Amaranto tricolor ’True Yellow’ (Joseph's coat)

Amaranto tricolor ’True Yellow’ (Joseph’s coat)

Visit Christina at Garden of the Hesperides for a look around her garden in Italy and find links to foliage posts from many parts of the world.

Last Blooms Of Summer

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Summer is winding down. The light in the mid-afternoon garden reveals late summer blooms and insects and portends the seasonal shift.

The blue sky and 75°F temperature has made for a beautiful day. The Autumnal Equinox will occur on Saturday, September 22, 2012 at 10: 49 AM EDT.

Russian Sage

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Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage) is thriving  this fall in the southern side path, its new home since early spring. In its former location this sun-loving perennial had been crowded out for years by a neighboring lantana.

Now planted in full sun the Russian Sage is 3.5 feet tall with airy, arching stems and silvery-gray foliage, somewhat aromatic. It is deer-resistant and drought tolerant. The lavender-blue flowers most likely are what earned this plant a spot in the garden in the first place.

October Flourishes

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A brief excursion around the garden today offered a few unexpected finds, the first being a nearly spent blossom from the Hedychium coronarium (Ginger lily). I have been mistakenly referring to this as wild ginger, but ginger lily it is. This pass-along plant from a former neighbor has an exotic look and is deeply fragrant.

Hedychium coronarium (Ginger lily)

The Echinacea (Purple Coneflower) have been particularly satisfying this year. Although some of the plants have nearly dried up, others continue to produce fresh flowers.

Echinacea (Purple Coneflower)

Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’ has performed well this year. It was moved to this sunny spot from another area that was getting too shady. I attribute the extra rains to its colorful success.

Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue'

Jackmanii Clematis is supposed to be one of the easiest clematises to grow, but this one has never had a memorable reblooming in the fall. This year’s rains have no doubt contributed.

Clematis 'Jackmanii'

Just beyond the Jackmanii, is the only ornamental grass in the garden. I fretted over the Muhlenbergia capillaris (Pink Muhly Grass) this summer, not realizing late summer and fall are when this airy pink grass is at its best. It is not in an ideal location to show it off, so perhaps it needs to be moved. Nearby is Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage), which was transplanted to this area this spring. It is now thriving in this sunny spot. Another late-season perennial, it has spires of  lavender, tubular flowers.

Clematis, Pink Muhly Grass, Russian Sage

Blooming In Mid-September Part 3

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Continuing yesterday’s tour around the garden, here are some more plants that I found in bloom in mid-September.

The tiny blue flowers of ageratum, or blue mist flower, show up in the fall. This perennial is Hardy Ageratum (Eupatorium Coelestinum). This plant grows well in part shade among some irises near the Arizona cypress in the back border. Ageratum can be somewhat aggressive, though it has not been so for the last several years.  With more frequent rains this fall, it may need a watchful eye this year.

Tradescantia, or spiderwort, is in a re-blooming period now that the extreme heat has left.  It fills in many spots where other perennials have quit blooming. Colors range from deep blue such as this one, to violet, to pale lavender, to almost white.

Gaura is new to the garden this year. Perhaps it really has been in the sleep phase of the old garden adage regarding perennials: sleep, creep, leap! It has not been as showy as expected and succumbed to the periods of drought by almost dying back (Oops-the tag did say to water weekly in dry periods). Happily though the plant has improved recently. This is Gaura lindheimeri ‘Passionate Blush.’

It is a delight to have the soft pink clusters of Autumn Joy Sedum in this garden again. The rabbits damage it every spring and for the past few years it has not bloomed at all. This is actually a piece from the original that broke off during spring cleanup.  It has competition here from various other plants which are vying for this spot.

Three sprigs of catmint (also pulled up inadvertently during spring cleanup) grew into a small, colorful hedge at the front of the northern border. It has been blooming all summer.  It looks scraggly in the picture, but when standing in the garden, it really has a nice soft effect.

Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage) has been planted in the garden since its first year. This spring I moved a portion to the side garden where it has thrived.

Every garden needs a Butterfly Bush or so I used to think. At a talk at the North Carolina Botanical Garden it was suggested to eliminate them as they can become invasive. I have never cared for the fragrance and it does not perform well in this location. This one is probably Buddleja davidii ‘Black Knight’ and I do plan to take it out this fall.

A few more blooms were identified in the garden yesterday, so this post will be continued.