"One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it brings."

Monday, July 19, 2010

July garden bouquet of the month.

The monthly garden bouquet idea started by Noelle from Ramblings from a Desert Garden has been so much fun.  I don't usually consider myself very artistic, but going out and putting together the bouquets has been a good way to be creative.  I usually go out with one flower in mind and then have built a bouquet around it.  This month I wanted to do all flowers from the butterfly garden but realized not enough were blooming there, so instead I found these flowers throughout the front yard.  Again this month the colors seem to be pinks and purples and several of these have a nice fragrance as well.

In this month's bouquet is Butterfly Bush, Rose 'Kimberlina', Lavender, Larkspur 'Shades of Blue' and Cupid's Dart.



I added 'Kimberlina' last year and can see why it won 2009 floribunda of the year.  It just continues to put out new blooms and is very healthy.  It's flowers have a light fragrance.

A closeup of a Butterfly Bush(Buddleia alternifolia) flower.  This picture shows the color very close to true, it does have an orange eye at the center.  Butterflies, bees and hummingbirds love this plant.  The scent carries all over the front yard.

If Washington state ever declares this a prohibited noxious weed like Oregon does I'll be sad to not have this plant anymore.  I'm not sure if mine is considered a "weed" though because it is not  B. davidii.

Cupid's Dart (Catananche caerulea) is such a great plant.  Apparently the Greeks and Romans used the flower as an ingredient in love potions.  The flower buds are very dry and it's hard to believe that a pretty flower is inside.

But look at how this crazy plant grows!  It's in full sun and still flops over every year, and every year I forget to stake it until I see it looking like this.  I guess I know one job I need to do today.

I hope you'll visit Noelle to see her bouquet and maybe be inspired to join in or at least go outside and bring a little of your garden indoors.
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35 comments:

  1. You put together some gorgeous bouquets! I need to try this myself.
    Brenda

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  2. What a beautiful full bouquest. More blooms than leaves for sure.

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  3. You did a beautiful bouquet. I love your colors.

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  4. Your bouquet is lovely. Beautiful shades of pink and purple. I'm not very good at flower arranging but you certainly are.
    Marnie

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  5. We just discovered Cupid's Dart, at VanDusen Gardens last week. I am totally smitten. In fact so smitten, I braved a line of sprinklers to get to the plants, got totally soaked. Good thing the camera dried quickly.

    Is yours hardy?

    Jen

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  6. Catherine, that rose is a beauty. I am going to look it up and see if it is hardy in my area. I can always add another pink rose.

    Eileen

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  7. Oh Catherine your bouquet is beautiful! Love it!!!
    I can't believe your Butterfly Bush is already blooming. I'm not even seeing anything on mine yet. I just love them.
    Great weather today. I know you like it hotter than I do so hopefully it's warmer for you up north in your banana belt! ;-)

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  8. Absolutely gorgeous as usual! I love all the colors of your bouquet, I think it's very creative. I could almost smell the roses! Sorry about your lettuce that the slugs kept eating :( the good thing is they're easy to grow from seeds. So worth the wait to have organic salad! There must be a natural repellent out there. Try this link. Hope it helps.
    http://www.getridofthings.com/get-rid-of-slugs.htm

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  9. Beautiful arrang3ement.

    Our Washington State gardens are in full bloom....yours is lovely.

    I'm checking into the Cupid's dart...I really like the blue.

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  10. These are all my favorite colors Catherine. It's a beautiful way to remember the butterfly garden!

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  11. Your bouquet is wonderful and it does give you an opportunity to take some really great artistic closeups. Your flowers are doing so well. I have a couple of plants like that which decide to flop down before I remember that it should be staked.

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  12. What a pretty bouquet Catherine. Love the blues and purples with the pinks. I do not do many bouquets it seems. I just hate to cut my flowers I think LOL! Silly but true.If I get a couple broke off from a storm then I will add some to them and make a bouquet so the blooms are not wasted.

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  13. I think you'll be fine Catherine, it's only the B. davidii cultivars that are banned in Oregon (sterile cultivars though are exempted from the ban). A beautiful bouquet, and rose 'Kimberlina' is gorgeous, no wonder it was a winner in '09!

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  14. I love the bouquet idea....and yours is so gorgeous, you could design one for a wedding!

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  15. What a beautiful combination - and to hear you don't consider yourself artistic! I wish I could smell it.

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  16. Thanks everyone for stopping by! We've been out enjoying the sun (and tying up the Cupid's Dart).

    Jen - Yes, Cupid's Dart is hardy here, that plant has been here for years and is in a very exposed spot.

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  17. Hi Catherine, My cupid's dart looks very similar. I love it but darn if I didn't forget to set the plant support last spring. Live and learn.

    Do you mind if I take issue with your Buddleia species ID? I believe you are growing B. davidii 'Pink Delight.' Buddleia alternifolia has a fountain-weeping form with alternating smaller leaves. Its blooms are light purple and come in May for a short time.

    As an Oregonian I can attest to the stupid outlawing of Buddleia davidii. Thankfully the plant police are not going door to door imposing a retroactive ban. It is okay to grow what we already have but nurseries have been prohibited from selling it. However, the new dwarf Buddleia 'Lo and Behold' series is approved for sale. 'Lo and Behold: Blue Chip' is the one I have. It tops out at a mere three feet. How cool is that? Mine looks great but hasn't bloomed yet. I'll post photos when it does. I hope it has that delicious scent or I'll be very disappointed.

    'Kimberlina' looks like a really healthy disease free shrub, not to mention gorgeous flower. Your bouquet looks like a treat for the eyes and nose--my favorite kind.

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  18. That is a lovely bouquet!

    Not many people in my house enjoy the outside so I always make sure to bring in some flowers for them to see. Sometimes they are shocked and say...where did that come from?!?

    I always forget to stake my pincusion flowers. Maybe I will remember next year!

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  19. I didn't realize that there'd been a ban on that particular buddleia. Up here I recently read a gardening article exhorting readers to remove them from gardens, along with other invasive species. I hope there isn't a ban, as I find it to be a beautiful bush.

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  20. Super gorgeous...beautiful bouquet..such a magical touch you always have!
    Kiki~

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  21. Catherine, your colors are so vibrant and alive - beautiful

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  22. Catherine,
    Butterfly Bush banned that would be a sad day in the garden. I have a friend that lives in a community where the HOA has an approved plant list can you believe that? They'd surely kick both of us out.

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  23. Your bouquet is beautiful Catherine! It would cheer up any home with all those wonderful colors and I can imagine the smell is heavenly! Very pretty!

    Hope you are having a lovely week!
    xo Catherine

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  24. Such a lovely combination of pink and purple shades. I never see Cupid's Dart around here. The blooms are pretty.

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  25. Your bouquets are always so pretty. You need to start or join a garden club as you'd be a natural.

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  26. Things look beautiful. I bought a wee little sprig of Butterfly Bush this spring and planted it in the garden. But it looks dead now! However, I haven't given up on it; hopefully it will arise next year.

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  27. Catherine, you're bouquet is gorgeous. Who needs greenery when you've got flowers like that!

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  28. Grace - I think you are right about the type I have. It came marked as B. alternifolia and after looking at pictures it does look much more like 'Pink Delight'. Another mislabeled plant from the same nursery and a good nursery too.

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  29. Cupid's Dart is a gem.

    It sort of goes like Sedum. I've heard that called sedum alopecia!

    Maybe it needs to be divided. Beautiful all the same, I hope you managed to tie it up ok.

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  30. Hi Catherine,
    That is beautiful! The one I have posted with my granddaughter has butterfly bush in it too.

    Yes, we did have a good time together. I hope that someday she will love to garden.

    Your garden looks lovely as usual. Some of my companulas looked just like that, with bent over stems. We'll do better next year. Have a good week.

    Blessings,
    Kay

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  31. Beautiful, scrumptious, perfect bouquet, Catherine. I am quite jealous of it, actually. You have the prettiest flowers. Love the lighting in the 2nd and 3rd photos. Very nice.

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  32. Very pretty.... I see your butterfly bushes are alredy in full bloom... mines are now starting to bloom.... delicious summer!

    cielo

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  33. That Cupid's Dart is amazing. I've never seen it. It is so gorgeous. Wow! Thanks for sharing these and I love the bouquet.

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  34. I love purple and pink together, and your bouquet is so lovely. I'm enjoying all your garden photos.

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  35. Hello Catherine,

    Your bouquet is just lovely. I love buddleiea and used to grow it long ago. I love how beautifully purples and pinks go together. Thank you so much for participating each month :-)

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