In A Vase On Monday – Mother’s Day

Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share a vase highlighting what is growing in our gardens.

Yesterday was Mother’s Day in the United States. I am fortunate to be mother to a strong, talented and beautiful-inside-and-out daughter who makes life joyful. My own lovely mother died while I was in college. I spent some bittersweet moments this weekend perusing old photographs of her and missing her sweet smile, as well as remembering many other women–aunts, sisters, friends and neighbors–who played such important roles in my life and continued sharing their kindnesses and wisdom with my daughter. One such person was Mama’s older cousin Virgie who shared her plants and passed along her love of flowers. The everlasting sweet pea, the old-fashioned rose and the Phlox divaricata (Woodland phlox) all came from Virgie’s garden many years ago (and probably the lamb’s ear).

In A Vase On Monday – Mother’s Day

Phlox divaricata (Woodland phlox)

Verbena bonariensis and Lamb’s Ear

Paeonia ‘Pink Parfait’ was my first peony. It hasn’t bloomed well the past several years and now has only four or five buds. This one flower opened confidently and spread outwards of eight inches.

Paeonia ‘Pink Parfait’ (Peony)

Paeonia ‘Pink Parfait’ (Peony)

Snapdragons purchased last fall have added a brilliant pop of color to the south-facing border. In today’s vase this ‘Speedy Sonnet Bronze’ helps break up the pinky pinkiness  of the arrangement.

Dianthus and Snapdragon

Materials
Flowers
Antirrhinum majus ‘Rocket Mix’ (Snapdragon)
Antirrhinum majus ‘Speedy Sonnet Bronze’ (Snapdragon)
Dianthus Ideal Select Mix
Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower)
Lathyrus latifolius (Everlasting sweet pea)
Paeonia ‘Pink Parfait’ (Peony)
Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ (Beardtongue)
Rosa (Old-fashioned passalong)
Verbena bonariensis (Tall Verbena)
Foliage
Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ear)
Vase
Black Matte Dish With Red Interior

By the way, Clematis ‘Jackmanii’ lasted only a couple days in last week’s arrangement. The big surprise was how short-lived the baptisia would be as a cut flower. The entire array of baptisia stems were bare also after a couple days. The remaining flowers continued to thrive throughout the week.

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting and giving us an opportunity to share flower-filled vases across the world. Visit her to discover what she and others found to place in a vase this week. Good health and peace to you.