The Impatient Gardener: The Garden Appreciation Society Week 15 --Show us your blooms!

21 August 2013

The Garden Appreciation Society Week 15 --Show us your blooms!

Week 15 of The Garden Appreciation Society! Can you believe it? I  What's even more amazing to me is that for 15 straight weeks I have had beautiful fresh flowers in my house. I will miss them so much in the middle of winter. But let's not think about that, now. We have to savor every single moment of summer while we can.


After last week's riot of color in a tiny bouquet, this week couldn't be much different. It's a much larger bouquet and a little wild too. I think for me this is when the Limelight hydrangeas are prettiest. They still have a lot of chartreuse in them, which I think is a stunning color in a flower. I added in several spikes of Russian sage, which has completely flopped over and needs to be cut back anyway. The little blue flowers are dropping all over the table, but I forgive them because I think they are pretty.

So pretty, in fact, that I couldn't resist a bunch of close-ups.

The Garden Appreciation Society, The Impatient Gardener, Limelight hydrangea + Russian sage

The Garden Appreciation Society, The Impatient Gardener, Limelight hydrangea + Russian sage

The Garden Appreciation Society, The Impatient Gardener, Limelight hydrangea + Russian sage

The Garden Appreciation Society, The Impatient Gardener, Limelight hydrangea + Russian sage

Speaking of enjoying summer, I get the feeling that you are all enjoying it quite a bit because you're not doing a very good job of appreciating your gardens in new ways. Come on, gang, make this week the week and link up!

There were three lovely bouquets last week and it's amazing to me how different they all are. A good reminder that all of our gardens at at different stages. Libby's hydrangeas are already at the end of their season and have taken on that gorgeous dusty pink color. Susie has some gorgeous hydrangeas just starting to bloom. But I think my favorite from last week comes from Kate at Heir and Space whose bouquet is a good reminder that sometimes simple is best. She always puts her bouquets on a piece of furniture that she's done an amazing restoration or reinvention on and I love how the rudbeckia on the table (in a perfect aqua jar) look like they were just plucked from the bed right next them. Great job, Kate!

Photo by Kate at Heir and Space

Now it's time to link up! I know you all have a garden full of blooms so let's see them!

And don't forget to check out previous weeks:

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7 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I also own a Russian sage, it's young (planted this year) and it flopped over too. It's the little spire version... and wondering if you know whether this gets better as it ages. Don't see the ones out West flopping over like this. sigh...

August 21, 2013 at 1:29 PM  
Blogger prince snow farm said...

I have a terrible memory and I am so glad I am getting to this before summer ends!

August 21, 2013 at 7:42 PM  
Blogger Erin @ The Impatient Gardener said...

That's interesting. I actually ripped out all my regular Russian sage and replaced it all three years ago with 'Little Spire' because of the flopping problem. Unfortunately, not only is 'Little Spire' not really all that much smaller than the old stuff, it also flops just as badly. But I do see Russian sage standing proud in other gardens so I have to think something else is going on. Mine is planted along the house under the protection of the eve, so I don't think it gets a lot of water (part of the reason I picked it, actually) and I don't take as good of care of the soil there as I do in other places in the garden. I'm not really happy about it at all so I'm trying to resolve to really baby it with lots of supplemental watering and some fertilization and see if that remedies the situation. If not, they might have to go because while the flowers are beautiful, the floppiness is not.

August 22, 2013 at 11:17 AM  
Blogger Erin @ The Impatient Gardener said...

Beautiful bouquet!

August 22, 2013 at 11:17 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Don't know if soil supplements are it, the reason I say that is out West they are planted in nothing but dry ol' dirt half the time... it's a tough plant and great in drought. Maybe we're being too nice to them?

August 26, 2013 at 1:06 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Maybe we're being to nice to them? They're a tough plant, and great in desert climates... half the time they're planted in nothing but plain ol' dirt from what I've seen.

August 26, 2013 at 1:08 PM  
Blogger Kathy said...

I think Russian sage needs hot, full day sun and dry, or at least free draining, soil. That's why it does so well in gas station plantings, with the asphalt radiating heat. Every time I try it, it rots in my clay soil. I really love it in your arrangement with the hydrangeas. I often cut the droopers and floppers for my vases. The crooked stems add interest to an arrangement, and removing them actually helps the look of the outdoor garden.

August 28, 2013 at 7:17 AM  

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