Worth the wait in more ways than one. I am finally getting to use flowers I have been waiting for all winter long - Calendulas planted with Monday vases in mind, Cerinthe which helpfully seeded itself into the North Border, and Tetraneuris which disappeared entirely late last year but has returned in a glory of little yellow daisies.
All of these were just ready on Monday, and then I had to wait again. It does seem like a run of bad luck: a strained (sprained?) back all last week, light case of stomach flu over Sunday/Monday, and smashing the front of my phone into a cobweb of cracks yesterday. Nothing insurmountable, but it has slowed my blogging a little!
I wanted very much to post my Monday vase on Monday, but I knew I couldn't do justice to the flowers that were beckoning, so I waited till I felt well enough to properly enjoy it all. Now, waiting no longer, here are Calendulas...
...and Cerinthe major. The former was started from a seed packet - sown and resown in the East Border last autumn. Most of my deliberate seed plantings were recalcitrant about showing up at all, and I blame our long, hot summer, which gave way only very gradually to cooler, moister weather. Curiously enough, the self-sown plants have come up fairly well, including a healthy stand of Cerinthe. Its heavy, glaucous foliage is proving an accurate indicator of its excellent drought-tolerance.
I have also slipped in some Limonium perezii.
And, echoing the Calendulas, I used two more yellow daisies: the Angelita daisy (Tetraneuris acaulis)...
...and the Chocolate Flower (Berlandiera lyrata). Both are just beginning their long bloom seasons.
With the purple and yellow theme, I had to add some lavender. This time it is Lavandula stoechas "Madrid".
A couple of sprigs of sage (Salvia officinalis) were poked in as well. I used my handbuilt earthenware pot as its dark red seemed a good choice with the vibrant colors.
Hopefully blogging will return to normal by next week! Meantime I am linking with Cathy's lovely Monday vase meme at Rambling in the Garden!
Weather Diary: Partly cloudy; High: 89 F (32 C)/Low: 59 F (15 C); Humidity: 17%-58%
Write a comment
Derek Grant (Wednesday, 22 March 2017 19:00)
Gosh........ you are such a talent, Amy. Your flower posts light up the dreariest of rainy days, which my part of the world has in abundance.
Kris P (Wednesday, 22 March 2017 19:50)
It's a very pretty arrangement from all sides, Amy! I love the Calendulas. I'm sorry you've had such a difficult time and hope the rest of the week is smooth sailing. Take care of that back!
Brian Skeys (Thursday, 23 March 2017 07:10)
Calendulas are one of my favourite annuals. You need a pair of sunglasses to view your bright, vibrant arrangement.
rusty duck (Thursday, 23 March 2017 15:00)
Oh, you have been in the wars. Take care mate.
Hollis (Thursday, 23 March 2017 16:05)
aarrgghh -- back pain and flu, both can be so disruptive. And I suppose no functioning phone is about as bad. Best wishes!
Beautiful shots--really enjoyed all the floral color. Our season is starting! The first of my easter daisies (townsendia) opened yesterday :-)
Amy@smallsunnygarden (Thursday, 23 March 2017 16:20)
Derek - Thanks so much! Your encouragement is always much appreciated :)
Amy@smallsunnygarden (Thursday, 23 March 2017 16:24)
Kris - I will definitely want to keep growing Calendulas here; they've been so easy-going and cheerful. The back is much better; I'm blaming a slip across a wet spot in the kitchen. I was so pleased I hadn't actually hit the floor that I didn't realize till later there was any damage... ;-)
Amy@smallsunnygarden (Thursday, 23 March 2017 16:26)
I think the Calendulas are here to stay, Brian. They add so much in both the garden and the vase...! Thanks :)
Amy@smallsunnygarden (Thursday, 23 March 2017 16:35)
Will try, Jessica - but at times like this I always have to compare my woes to my then-thirteen-year-old sister's showstopper of appendectomy and chicken pox within a few months... My war stories never amount to much beside that!
Amy@smallsunnygarden (Thursday, 23 March 2017 16:44)
Hollis - Wonderful! I remember your Townsend's daisy from last year - hoping to see pictures soon! Everything seems to be healing up finally - except the phone, which only functions when it wants to now... And of course I can't buy a replacement without researching everything to the limit ;-)
Cathy (Friday, 24 March 2017 14:47)
Lovely colours and shapes this week Amy. Hope your luck changes and the weekend is a good one! :)
Cathy (Saturday, 25 March 2017 13:18)
Oh that calendula is gorgeous - I have sown some for this year and don't know why I haven't bothered before. The combination with cerinthe works so well and your extra little bits really complement the major players. All lovely and in one of your lovely vases too!
Jane (Sunday, 26 March 2017 01:47)
Lovely!
Amy@smallsunnygarden (Sunday, 26 March 2017 20:55)
Cathy@Words and Herbs - Thank you so much - with apologies for the slow response! Very busy here with some idea of catching up lost time, though I haven't much to show for it! At any rate, I fully intend a normal Tuesday View next week as I find I miss it when I don't post...!!
Amy@smallsunnygarden (Sunday, 26 March 2017 21:01)
Cathy@Rambling in the Garden - Calendula will be a keeper, I think; this is my first time with it as well, but it's proving quite satisfactory both in the border and the vase. I have you and a few other bloggers to thank for the fact that I am growing more from seed nowadays, by the way - partly because you helped take some of the mystery out of it and partly because it's a good way to fill vases... ;-)
Amy@smallsunnygarden (Sunday, 26 March 2017 21:02)
Jane - Thanks so much! :)