My garden looks terrible most of the time because it usually only gets tended for about two hours a week during the academic year. However, there's nothing like having a few weeks off and having an open garden to spur one into tidying up a bit. Knowing that I'd be busy this week, I decided to pick up a pot of lilies on clearance at a big box store. The bottom leaves had all been trimmed off and all but one flower was already open. Oh well for a couple of bucks it was cheaper than buying bulbs or cut stems so home it came. I was going to cut and arrange them but by the end of a long day, cheating sounded easier so I plopped the pot into a glass basket I made that lives outside. The baby head on the chair lives there too so it got included.
To make up for the lack of creativity in today's vase, here are some other combinations.
Tuberous begonia and Hosta 'Lakeside Little Tuft.'
Coleus 'Inferno' and Reiger Begonias.
Begonia rex 'Royal Crown' and Lampranthus deltoides. It's difficult to tell in this image but the silvery grey color of both is the same.
Did you notice that there was a begonia in each of the last three pictures? Hmm...
Sincere thanks and an apology for my floral arranging sloth to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden who hosts In a Vase on Monday. Click
here to see her arrangement and to find links to those of other participating bloggers.
The lily matches the glass vase perfectly! Of course, I did notice the Begonias, they're all beautiful. I wish my garden was looking as good as yours will look this coming weekend, for some reason it starts to decline at the end of June/start of July and very quickly deteriorates despite frantic watering and fluffing.
ReplyDelete"My garden looks terrible most of the time"... ha! I call B.S. on that one!
ReplyDeleteTut tut, only 6 Deadly Sins to go, Peter! I had to smile, as this afternoon I went out an bougt a number of pots of colour to drop into my borders because they are looking a bit jaded and I have 3 groups visiting over the next week or so! Sadly no lilies though, which is what I was hoping to find. Yours very pretty in your equally pretty glass basket
ReplyDeleteYour glass creations never cease to amaze me! I love all 3 of begonia combinations. Sadly, this weekend's heatwave taught me that even my lath (shade) house may provide insufficient protection to grow tuberous begonias.
ReplyDeleteYou had me at "The baby head on the chair..."
ReplyDeleteI am always so taken with Begonia leaves that I had not thought much about how they might combine. Both of those are fabulous and make the most of both plants which is not always easy to do. We have a tour in two weeks and we are already going crazy trying to weed and prune and do all the things that have been ignored, so I sympathize.
ReplyDeleteYour clearance lilies seem like a good bargain. Love the clever combinations with begonias. Have a fun garden visit.
ReplyDeleteThat glass bowl is fabulous. Anything you put in that glass bowl will look terrific. I love the begonia combos, especially the last one with the silver.
ReplyDeleteHa , you gotta do what you gotta do Peter. And doesn't everyone have a baby head on a chair in their garden ? If not,you may have started a trend.
ReplyDeleteYou are forgiven for "cheating". we'll be coming to see your garden all spiffed up.
ReplyDeleteThey all look great, and I LOVE the actual "vase" -- the plaid one holding the lilies. Hey, whatever works! I don't consider that cheating. ;-)
ReplyDeleteYou made the glass basket!!!! Wow! it is fabulous. I just love the surrealness of the baby's head in a chair - it makes me laugh - and so perfect with the flamboyant lilies showing off their bare legs! A triumph Peter!
ReplyDeleteSometimes cheating is necessary to save sanity. Those rich coleus colours are wonderful.
ReplyDeleteYour glass basket is lovely, Peter, all the more so because you made it! :) I love your plant combinations, esp. the Begonia rex 'Royal Crown' and Lampranthus deltoids - beautiful!
ReplyDelete