I was on my way to the cutting beds to pick dahlias for today’s vase but the zinnias (those project-tolerant ones) pushed their way in front of me and said ‘excuse me, but isn’t it our turn?’. How could I refuse?
Joining the zinnias (from Benary’s Giant Mix) were other blooms of a similar cerise shade, thus moving away from what would have been a singularly dahlia-themed vase to a multi-bloomed one instead, showcasing a varied range of late-bloomers: Helichrysum ‘Bright Rose’, Sedum Spectabile ‘Autumn Joy’, Dahlia ‘Willo’s Violet’, Salvia ‘Neon’, hardy Chrysanthemum ‘Jessie Cooper’, Persicaria ‘Inverleith’, Astrantia ‘Bloody Mary’ and spent flowerheads from Clematis heracleifolia ‘New Love’. The rest of the dahlias will have to wait (with their fingers crossed that frost will keep away).
I grabbed one of my pinkish Caithness Glass vases to pop them into, but in hindsight a darker receptacle would have provided a better contrast for the contents. With a deadline of yesterday (when the vase was put together) for getting 20% off an order with Chiltern Seeds, the original packet of seeds the zinnias were grown from was a useful reminder to put some thought, however brief, into sowing plans for next year. Incidentally, it was the instructions on this packet that encouraged me to sow my zinnias in February this year, rather than leaving them till April or May as is sometimes recommended, and after this year’s success I shall certainly be following the same regime in future.
If you have any late bloomers or interesting seedheads or foliage to pop into vase today, please consider sharing the results with us on IAVOM by leaving the usual links to and from this post. Finally, watch out for the 6th anniversary of IAVOM coming up in a few weeks, involving a small challenge…
Rambling in the Garden 
Gorgeous magenta!
Yes, I like magenta a lot too
That Zinnia does grab your attention!
And they have been so very tolerant 😉
My favourite colours here. You have a lot of things still blooming!
I was surprised how many different things there still are, although I am itching to tidy up the cutting beds – the compost heap is already overfflowing though!
My zinnias gave up the ghost more than a few weeks ago, succumbing to drought and mildew. Thank you Cathy for sharing yours. They are one of my most favorite flowers of summer.
I am amazed how these have persisted despite total neglect – I will do them greater justice next year!
Such glamorous colours Cathy! What a lovely collection to start the week! Amanda https://therunningwave.blogspot.com/2019/10/daisies-in-vase-on-monday.html
Isn’t it funny how magenta/carmine always seems to look elegant?
A gutsy move to wait for the Dahlia vase. I love the magenta Zinnias as well – mine failed to germinate and I have a boatload of Macrena Zinnias. I have to look up the Helicryseum, I grow Licorice Plant sometimes and didn’t know the flower. Pretty combination and I want the container. Here is my vase:http://theshrubqueen.com/2019/10/21/in-a-vase-on-monday-fall-vase-theory/
This kind of helichrysum is papery, and keeps as a dried flower. I have only grown for the last couple of years but they are a staple now. If you can get any Caithness Glass in the US this swirly pattern is very common and comes in lilac, green, blue and white shades as well as the pink, and in lots of different styles. Probably dates from the 80s or so
So pretty, maybe they are called Strawflowers here. I will keep an eye out for the glass.
Yes, I think strawflowers is a name that is used for them
My mother killed many of the Strawflowers, I think I have heard of them.
Were hers perennial, do you think?
I don’t think so, they never made it that far. My mothers soil was awful – it took literally 30 years of compost to get the perennial gardens to thrive. Tight, yellow clay – she referred to it as ‘road bed’
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Beautiful colours, Cathy. I’m very happy to be joining you today: https://wp.me/p5Pz00-2dA
I’ve missed the Monday vases! Hope you’re well. Sam x
Oh, and it’s so good to have you again Sam – I am not surprised you have not found time to blog in recent weeks!
I’ll definitely be taking tips from you as far as Zinnias go next year. Mine have now got some kind of mildew. Any ideas what that is or why? Are yours still beautifully healthy? They look it and they deserve the spotlight before it’s too late. Hopefully we’ll get another few weeks frost free for showing off dahlias and zinnias. Thanks for sharing.
It is likely to be powdery mildew which is quite common on zinnias, particularly if they are grown too close together. This is the first time I have grown mine in a separate bed and they are more open to sun and air – and the first time I have had any real success with them. Starting them (with heat) in Feb seemed to give stronger plants with a longer flowering season too
Useful to know. I’ll be reading up on them this winter. Realised I forgot to add my link!
https://ablogaboutcompost.blogspot.com/2019/10/autumn-shades-in-vase-on-monday.html
And my zinnias could be rubbish next year, of course!!
Zinnias can be very pushy! The instructions on your seed packet are interesting. I planted very late this year (June-July) and had already vowed to get the seeds in earlier next year but I hadn’t considered pushing sowing all the way back to February. Do you sow yours in pots in the greenhouse or directly in the garden? Here’s my post: https://krispgarden.blogspot.com/2019/10/in-vase-on-monday-enchantress-bids.html
I don’t sow anything directly, Kris, as I like to have more control over them. I start them off in 1/4 seed trays in the house (we have an Aga, a range cooker, so the kitchen is always warm) then move them to the greenhouse (with heating to keep a min temp of 5 degrees C), then prick them out into 12 cell trays (I ignore the advice that they don’t like root disturbance as the roots have barely started), then pot on into 6 cell trays. Then planting out sometime in May, depending what the weather is like
Your zinnias are a beautiful color Cathy. It’s fun how one type of flower helps dictate how the whole arrangement will go. Glad you’ve still lots of pretty blooms. It will be interesting to see how your zinnias do starting in Feb. I sow them directly into the soil, maybe mid-May, early June. Looking forward to your upcoming anniversary challenge.
Thanks Susie – they were sown in February this year, but of course things may go very differently next year! I don’t direct sow anything, although I might shake some nigella seeds in the border as they seem to enjoy just doing their own thing
Oh perhaps I can try nigella then here.
Always worth a try
Yes, nicely matched. I love it when the flowers talk. 😉
Real chatterboxes, some of them!
Beautiful. The zinnias just keep on coming, next year I will grow lots more in different colours.
Me too, now I know I can get them to flower!
Cathy the Zinnias are fantastic and their color is divine, I love them. How many flowers are still in bloom, it is wonderful the bouquet that has created with the Zinnias as protagonists in magenta color that I like very much. I love all flowers. The vase is divine and its lovely color. I think this year I’m going to encourage Zinnias to plant and I’m going to do it in February like you, Cathy. I will tell you how I am planting. Your vase the magnificent, I love it. I hope there is no frost for the dahlias to endure. Thanks for IAVOM, for me right now it is joy and take away sad thoughts. Thanks Cathy, I hope you are well. Take care. Have a great week. Greetings from Margarita.
There are spits and spots of blooms, Margarita – and a whole bed of dahlias!
Those attractive zinnias certainly deserved to play a leading role Cathy! What other colours did the mix produce? After last year’s success with zinnias I hit rock bottom again this year 😢 Interesting to read in the above comments that you sowed them so early in the year and food for thought.
Hmm, cerise, cerise and…cerise! Of course, I may have a rock bottom experience with them next year… 😉
Beautiful colours. The zinnias were right to demand attention, and the comrades you chose go so nicely. Look forward to the challenge coming up. 🙂
Thanks Cathy – I really was thrilled to have some decent ones for the first time
I am sorry I missed these . . . again, and those from this week too. I am having a terrible time catching up.
Perhaps it is not worth trying to catch up, Tony? Just dip in as and when you can?
That is probably what I will do. I do not think I can catch up anyway.