Today’s vase is sizzling a few feet away from where I am sitting but just looking at this photograph I swear I can still feel the heat it gives off!
With the first of the dahlias and sunflowers coming into bloom in the last week they were inevitably going to be showcased today, and it was just a matter of what was going to join them. As it happened, the first dahlia (which was not one of the Karma selections after all but an unlabelled earlier purchase) was just beginning to drop its petals when I came to cut it so only the central boss is included. The real boss of the vase is Rudbeckia ‘Irish Eyes’, with its large (6″ diameter) flower in a soft shade of orange contrasting with the green centre dominating the vase and overshadowing the opening bud of Sunflower ‘Ruby Eclipse’ and the heads of Sunflower ‘Italian White’ (in truth a pale yellow!).
The picture above also shows a glimpse of some of the other vase contents – Alstroemeria ‘Indian Summer’, Cosmos ‘Xanthos’, Alonsoa ‘Scarlet’, Dahlia ‘Dandy’, a self seeded red nasturtium and a sprig of red acer foliage. Also included are those striking blooms of Inula magnifica with their wonderfully stout stems, a few Calendula and a couple of Allium sphaerocephalon to reduce the heat just a little. All but the allium, alstroemeria and acer were grown from seed, so the vase is a real testament to the joys of growing from seed and perhaps acts as a kind of trophy for the effort put into the process – and certainly more appropriate than a medal or a silver cup!
The vase itself is a vintage earthenware jug with a deep green glaze and an etched pattern around the body, whilst the simple props are two tactile pieces of polished carnelian, a semi-precious gemstone that comes in shades of orange, red and brown, an overall ‘feel better’ stone, perhaps reflecting the warmer and sunnier days that often make life seem just that little bit better.
Putting together my Vase on Monday also brings joy into my life and makes me feel better and I look forward to seeing what you have found in your gardens to put into your own vases today to bring you joy too. See you soon!
Rambling in the Garden 
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Oh those alstromerias, we had them for my daughters wedding, although not such a firey colour – I really must try to grow them, they are one of my favourites – I’ve gone for orange too – https://daffodilwild.wordpress.com/2016/07/25/beach-clean-vase-on-monday/
I have struggled to get them to grow here but this is doing quite well now and another is coming along slowly so I am pretty pleased – they flower for ages too
Any tips? How did you get them to grow?
Oh gosh no, I have done nothing at all, Sandra – must be those elemental energies in the garden again… ps meant to say before, Aldi currently have pretty coloured duct tape @ £2.49 I think they were.
The good alstromeria fairies doing their work.
Thanks for the tip off re Duct Tape! I’ll be right on over there!
Gorgeous.
The whole summer in a vase!Thanks for sharing, Cathy!My vase is here:http://timpingradina.blogspot.ro/2016/07/in-vase-on-monday-that-colour.html
I was trying to think of a ‘summery’ title but stayed with ‘sizzling’ in the end
Surely the pinnacle of flower arranging perfection. Everything about it is right: the colour combination, the shapes of the flowers together. Vincent, eat your heart out: you’ve been outclassed. All it needs now is to be eternalised in oil.
How do you manage to have so many suitable flowers out together?
My post is here: http://july-2016.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/summer-treasure.html
Thanks GF – although I cut the alstroemeria a tiny bit shorter after the photos were taken as I didn’ think it was quite right!! I suppose these all bloom when they are ready – and their time is clearly Now!
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The end of July is a fab time for great colour in the garden. The calendula and crocosmia at looking hot hot hot! Your collection really does sizzle. This is mine for Monday https://hurtledto60.com/2016/07/25/in-a-vase-monday-colour-colour-colour/
Thanks Ronnie – definitely a HOT vase today, but I don’t suppose mine will be the only hot one…
Sumptuous colours, I too am envious that you have so many such blooms this early. What’s your secret?
Thanks Kate – and no secret, it must just be the right time for them to bloom. It has been really warm here for over a week, even though it has been less sunny in the last few days, and that will have brought them on too I expect
Gorgeous colours, and that last photo is just beautiful! I have never grown Alstromerias – they do make a gorgeous cut flower. Here is my contribution for today. Thanks athy, and have a good week. 🙂 https://wordsandherbs.com/2016/07/25/in-a-vase-on-monday-garden-joy/
Thanks Cathy – I have tried with alstroemeria several times without success. This was a plug from Hayloft but it took a few years for it to bulk up and flower
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Wow, love your fiery summer arrangement. The colors mix so well and the green vase is a perfect choice for the bold flowers. It’s beautiful Cathy. I’d love to pick up those stones.
(Am happy to see what ‘Irish Eyes’ really looks like because I had a Rudbeckia that was mislabeled as ‘Irish Eyes’ and a fellow blogger helped me with the ID. Coincidentally I’ve used that Rudbeckia for today’s vase so I can finally see the comparison.)
Thanks so much for hosting.
https://pbmgarden.wordpress.com/2016/07/25/in-a-vase-on-monday-welcome/
Thanks Susie – I love both these carnelians and they fit so comfortably in the hand. The lighter one makes me think of liquid sunshine when I hold it. It’s irksome when seeds are mislabelled, isn’t it, but I am glad you were able to identify what you actually had. My Cherry Brandy is still not flowering and germination was poor so I might not bother with it next year
I agree it does sizzle…what a delightful mix Cathy especially the sunflowers….always my favorite. Mine are just now blooming too, but too big to get any of them. They are 10 feet tall this year with our heat. I hope to have a few smaller ones soon for a vase. This week it is more mellower colors for me, perhaps to cool me from our heat and drought:
Thanks doona – I could have had a vase filled with my dwarf sunflowers but they will have to wait for another week. I don’t have a problem reaching those although my others are no more than about 5 feet tall anyway 😉
A very warming composition and nice combination of color and texture, I think ‘Irish Eyes’ is the star though I love the Italian Sunflowers.Here is mine:https://theshrubqueen.wordpress.com/2016/07/25/in-a-vase-on-monday-prunings
Ooh, love this one, Cathy! My favs are Sunflower ‘Ruby Eclipse’, the alstroemeria and small dahlia. Beautiful and sunny! My vase today: http://wp.me/p3O3z4-1bz
Thanks Eliza – I am very fond of Ruby Eclipse too
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It seems we all have Rudbeckia this week and there are lots of sunny, happy vases to cheer us through the dark days we are living through. I, like a couple of the others would like to grow more Alstroemerias, where did you buy yours?
Here’s my post: https://myhesperidesgarden.wordpress.com/2016/07/25/in-a-vase-on-monday-sunny-days/
All the colours really do sizzle in your vase today.
Yes, I guessed there might be sunny vases around this week – typical of the weather! My alstroemeria were plugs from Hayloft and although they have taken a while to establish I wonder if that has helped as I bought full grown plants from a specialist a few years back and they all failed…
Oh that’s interesting as one site I looked at said their plants were larger making them a better option. I’ll have to think about it a little longer. I do love them and the one plant I have lasts ages when cut for a vase.
It may have just been bad luck with the bigger plants but I recall they weren’t sympathetic about my losing the plants and talked about mulching over the winter, making me feel like it was my fault. Perhaps it was a bad winter that year, and it was while I was still working so maybe I didn’t give them much attention, but it put me off getting more as they weren’t cheap and I had bought a few. The Hayloft plugs were potted on for a number of months before being planted out and certainly haven’t had any special attention – this one in fact is right in the corner of one of the bold borders and in probably not very good soil. I have some more in pots at the moment, an order from last year from Hayloft but they haven’t enjoyed the heat in the greenhouse although I am sure the roots are still fine. I am hoping they will do as well too in time – as you say, they last for ages when cut
Thanks for your assessment.
Not really helpful though – sorry!
Yes information from you is always helpful.
A lovely collection of summer blooms…all grown by you, plus a great story line, beautifully arranged. Just reading this brings joy. Love the Rudbekia Irish Eyes. For my contribution this week: http://noellemace.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/in-vase-on-mondayknot-wilting.html
Aw thanks Noelle – and it’s such a great feeling knowing I could have filled several vases this week from the cutting beds…
You ‘hot’ vase is perfect for reflecting the heat of summer that we have been having. Gorgeous picks.
Thank you Lisa – it has been hot here in the UK but not as hot as the USA I expect!
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The petals of ‘Irish Eyes’ almost seem to be moving in the heat, lovely and warming on a cold wet night! I didn’t know you could grow that one from seed. Well done for growing such a variety, I always end up with masses of one thing. The vase is lovely as well and looks great with that pale orange. Here’s my much cooler selection. https://absentgardener.com/2016/07/25/in-a-vase-on-monday-spring-bulbs/
I buy a lot of my seeds from eBay and I must have spotted Irish Eyes when I was looking for Cherry Brandy – it’s definitely one I shall grow again. I usually have blocks of a about half a dozen of one variety of plant in the cutting bed, with spares planted elsewhere in the garden. The cutting beds look quite effective planted this way – pretty as well as practical
I agree with Lisa. We both live in the Midwest and it has been hot! hot! hot! I like the sizzle much more in your summer vase than in the temperature. My vase is here; http://eachlittleworld.typepad.com/each_little_world/2016/07/an-ideal-mistake.html
Ha ha – yes, I am with you on the heat! Cooler here now and we had a very short shower earlier
I can feel the heat from here! A a most striking mix of colours which compliment each other so well. I’ve never grown rudbeckias from seed and must give them a go. I think that there may be the odd packet lurking in my seed box 🙂 When did you sow them Cathy? Sunnier days certainly lift my spirits whatever time of year. My vase is here :
https://greentapestry.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/in-vase-on-monday-essence-of-summer.html
Thanks Anna – these are certainly the best rudbeckia I have grown although all of them are a bit lanky – can’t remember if I pinched them out at all. I sowed this, Cherry Brandy and Goldilocks on 10th Feb, planted them out on 10th May and this and Goldilocks were budding up a couple of weeks ago. CB is still budless.
That Rudbeckia is a star! I wish the plants lasted more than a season here – our summer’s seem to put a quick end to them. I love all the warm colors of your composition. I’m offering more of the usual suspects but also something in the same color range as your vase this week: http://krispgarden.blogspot.com/2016/07/in-vase-on-monday-more-about-foliage.html
Thanks for hosting, Cathy!
These rudbeckias are annuals here too Kris – but they were easy enough to grow. The variety I grew last year seemed to flower for ages so I hope these do too.
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Ooh that is a sizzler. Love it!
Here’s mine, also pretty loud, but in a pink way…
Ohh, loud and pink, sounds lovely – more dahlias perhaps…?!
Lovely colours. I must get more adventurous with sunflower choices. Sunflower ‘Ruby Eclipse’ looks wonderful
I shall be growing dwarf Choco Sun again next year too – lots of sunflower blooms on teeny plants!
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Hi Cathy, I posted my vase yesterday and linked to you but clean forgot to leave a comment and link here, so apologies for that! Here is my vase for this week: https://edinburghgardendiary.com/2016/07/25/international-relations/
Gorgeous warm flowers and you couldn’t have found a better vase to put them in. The whole effect is rather Van Gogh. I love it!
That’s OK, I am still catching up on all the comments and other blogger’s vases! I resisted the thought of just sunflowers as there were so many other sizzling blooms – glad I did, as I love it too!
Definitely your flowers are a lovely reward for your seed-sowing prowess, Cathy! 🙂 Your lovely flowers and vase remind me of some of the old Flemish still life paintings – but a bit hotter! And it does seem the right time for hot colors…
I may have some sunflowers again fairly soon from a second sowing so am excited about that! Meantime, the heat in my vase came from a successful revisit of part of last Monday’s failure: https://smallsunnygarden.blogspot.com/2016/07/in-vase-fireworks-and-roses.html
Thanks Amy – when I rambled past my cutting beds they were full of blooms and looked so lovely. The rate of growth from small seedlings to blooms is amazing 🙂 Glad you have more sunflowers to come!
That is a very beautiful mix, the colours and shapes compliment and contrast perfectly with your green vase. You are so good at this! I had a pot this week. https:// digwithdorris.wordpress.com
Aw, thanks Dorris – you probably won’t believe me if I say it is still essentially just picking and plonking… 😉
Nope I don’t!
What gorgeous colours, they really do sizzle. My altstromerias have finished flowering. What a lovely dplash of colour they make.
I am thrilled to have finally got some to flower – and come back for another year – but I would like some pink ones, and blue…
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Oh I love LOVE the hot colors of this combination!
Thanks Loree – they are not quite as dazzling this week!