Speaking of enjoying summer, I get the feeling that you are all enjoying it quite a bit because you’re not doing a very good job of appreciating your gardens in new ways. Come on, gang, make this week the week and link up!
There were three lovely bouquets last week and it’s amazing to me how different they all are. A good reminder that all of our gardens at at different stages. Libby’s hydrangeas are already at the end of their season and have taken on that gorgeous dusty pink color. Susie has some gorgeous hydrangeas just starting to bloom. But I think my favorite from last week comes from Kate at Heir and Space whose bouquet is a good reminder that sometimes simple is best. She always puts her bouquets on a piece of furniture that she’s done an amazing restoration or reinvention on and I love how the rudbeckia on the table (in a perfect aqua jar) look like they were just plucked from the bed right next them. Great job, Kate!
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| Photo by Kate at Heir and Space |
Now it’s time to link up! I know you all have a garden full of blooms so let’s see them!
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7 Responses
I think Russian sage needs hot, full day sun and dry, or at least free draining, soil. That's why it does so well in gas station plantings, with the asphalt radiating heat. Every time I try it, it rots in my clay soil. I really love it in your arrangement with the hydrangeas. I often cut the droopers and floppers for my vases. The crooked stems add interest to an arrangement, and removing them actually helps the look of the outdoor garden.
I have a terrible memory and I am so glad I am getting to this before summer ends!
Beautiful bouquet!
I also own a Russian sage, it's young (planted this year) and it flopped over too. It's the little spire version… and wondering if you know whether this gets better as it ages. Don't see the ones out West flopping over like this. sigh…
That's interesting. I actually ripped out all my regular Russian sage and replaced it all three years ago with 'Little Spire' because of the flopping problem. Unfortunately, not only is 'Little Spire' not really all that much smaller than the old stuff, it also flops just as badly. But I do see Russian sage standing proud in other gardens so I have to think something else is going on. Mine is planted along the house under the protection of the eve, so I don't think it gets a lot of water (part of the reason I picked it, actually) and I don't take as good of care of the soil there as I do in other places in the garden. I'm not really happy about it at all so I'm trying to resolve to really baby it with lots of supplemental watering and some fertilization and see if that remedies the situation. If not, they might have to go because while the flowers are beautiful, the floppiness is not.
Don't know if soil supplements are it, the reason I say that is out West they are planted in nothing but dry ol' dirt half the time… it's a tough plant and great in drought. Maybe we're being too nice to them?
Maybe we're being to nice to them? They're a tough plant, and great in desert climates… half the time they're planted in nothing but plain ol' dirt from what I've seen.