Monday's Vase: Experimental and Tried-and-True

It's a time of transition from spring to summer, including for garden plants and blooms. The elements for arrangements are plentiful, and will continue to expand in the weeks ahead. Thanks to Cathy for hosting In a Vase on Monday.

For this week's vase, after a little research, I've included some blooms and foliage I haven't used much in the past, along with some reliable standards.



I've used Cranberrybush Viburnum (V. trilobum), but perhaps not enough. It's a perky bloomer that brightens the bouquet, and its Maple-shaped foliage adds visual interest, too. The vase life is somewhat short (four to seven days), but that's long enough to make it worthwhile.



I don't recall cutting Wild Geraniums (G. maculatum) previously. They're beautiful flowers and currently very plentiful, in nature and in the back garden. I was surprised to learn they have a long vase life, so I'll likely use them more in the future.



Another native wildflower I included is Virginia Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum). While it apparently has a short vase life, it adds some nice filler to the arrangement for a few days.



Moving on to standbys I've frequently used for arrangements: Bleeding Heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis) adds structure and brilliance to any arrangement.



Angelonia (A. angustifolia 'AngelDance') is somewhat understated, but lovely as a spiky companion in the grouping. It has a short vase life but, again, worth it for a few days of beauty.



Hosta leaves add structure, depth, and visual interest. I don't know what species or variety this is. So many Hostas were here when we moved in more than two decades ago, and I've never purchased any new ones.



The combination of elements seems to work, and most of the cuttings even perked up after several hours in the vase. Yay.



I'm cheating a bit, including this little vase of Lilies of the Valley (Convallaria majalis). They're finished blooming now, and this vase was from a few days ago, but I enjoyed the simplicity.

Finally, I share some blooms I wish I could include in the arrangement...





We have two Korean Lilac shrubs (Syringa meyeri), which, because of unseasonably cool May weather have been blooming much longer than "normal." Experience has taught me that, sadly, their blooms only last a couple of days in a vase. But their beauty, scent, and form make them the current stars of the garden.

Head on over to Rambling in the Garden to share your garden arrangements, and to see others from around the world.

For those in the U.S., have a meaningful and blessed Memorial Day.

Thoughts on Vining and Draping

It's a busy time in the garden lately, with frosts and freezes behind us, and planting and adjustments in full swing. In the midst of the busyness, I've been encouraging myself to pause just a bit to contemplate the garden and nature. I've been thinking about the beauty of plants that climb and vine and drape. They inspire art, design, and many other aspects of life.

One example (above) is the draping beauty of Bleeding Heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis), with its nodding, hanging blooms favored by hummingbirds.



The vining activity of Thicket Creeper (Parthenocissus inserta) helps to compete with nonnative invasives, filling crevices of planting beds at the base of shrubs and tall plants. And its foliage is beautiful from spring through October.



Clematis 'Nelly Moser' is another plant that was here when we moved in; I've maintained and encouraged it over the years. The flowers this time of year are exquisite, and its vines climb two trellises at the corners of our sunroom.



During a recent hike, we noticed this gigantic Riverbank Grape vine (Vitis riparia), forming an "S" around a tree. This is not a cultivated grouping, but it is beautiful in its natural form.



The Climbing Prairie Rose (Rosa setigera) I planted as a small seedling several years ago is now up and over its arbor, and draping down the other side. Soon it will be covered in blooms!



Fuchsias of various species and varieties have been mainstays in my shady garden over the decades. This one, 'Dark Eyes,' has trailing buds and blooms that grace hanging baskets along the front porch. It's another favorite of hummingbirds.



While I've transplanted some Ostrich Ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris), I've never had to purchase them. They occur naturally in our back garden and provide draping beauty to frame the central planting bed.



Another plant that occurs naturally here: Mayapples (Podophyllum peltatum). I find the arching habit of the foliage over the blooms and later the fruit to be magical and artful. My previous post shows our hillside from above, covered in Mayapple plants.

This Shamrock plant (Oxalis vulcanicola 'Zinfandel') has been a potted mainstay in the garden during summer, and in the sunroom in winter. Its burgundy, draping stems and foliage, and yellow flowers, add color to our shady back lot.

These are just a few examples of the artful vining, draping, and trailing habits of garden plants. They inspire creativity, and support pollinators and people. Here's to a great growing season ahead!

Woodland Wildflowers for Six on Saturday

Our woodland is alive with wildflowers. Once again, I'm including only native plants for this Six on Saturday post, because this is the most active time for wildflowers—before the trees fully leaf out. Trilliums are the stars of the show, including Great White Trillium (T. grandiflorum), in the photo above.



Red Trillium (T. erectum) is another thriller, and its naturally occurring patch (planted by nature) appears to be spreading.



It's said that when Mayapples' (Podophyllum peltatum) umbrella foliage flattens out, Morel mushrooms are nearby. I've never found the mushrooms in our woodland, though the Mayapples certainly form a colony on the hill.



The Mayapples aren't blooming yet, but the buds are about to break.



Next, I'm cheating and including a mix of Violets (Viola spp.) as one of my "six," since there are so many colors and several species on the property. I believe the purple and white ones shown here are V. sororia and the yellow is V. eriocarpa.



Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) is another reliable return visitor every year. Its unique form always fascinates me.



Most Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) range from pink to lavender to bright blue. But there's a patch of the less-common white ones in our woods, which I think are as beautiful as the others.

How about you? What's blooming in your garden and on your property? For more examples from around the world, visit Garden Ruminations.

Wordless "Ooops!"