In a Vase, On Monday – Sultry

Chris Mousseau

It’s finally July and sultry is the word of the week. It’s been hot and humid, with a few drops of rain, plus mosquitos, horseflies, cavorting rabbits, chirpy chipmunks…and a glorious and bountiful garden. Weeding and watering is sweaty business, no matter how early I step outside, done slowly with frequent water breaks on the shaded porch. The lawn is left to grow a bit higher than normal, with spikes of chicory and other ‘wildflowers’ shooting up in an attempt to bloom before I break down and pull out the mower. Ahhhhh…summer…

I’m joining Kathy at Rambling in the Garden again this week with a small jam jar filled with endings and beginnings. The very last peony bloom (a small side bud from the magnificent ‘Duchesse de Nemours’), the first orange cuttings from a small army of self seeded Calendula, a few white Ranunculus which will likely finish their thing later this week, a few snapdragons which should keep blooming until a hard frost mid October, and some sprigs of Nepeta – cat mint, that I have growing in a plastic pot sunk into the kitchen garden. Like everything in the kitchen garden this year it’s huge, even though it’s sunk in the same smallish plastic pot it arrived in from the nursery last spring. I hope it doesn’t break free from the pot, but if it does, there are worse things to worry about (don’t get me started on the creeping bellflower – campanula rapunculoides – that is taking hold everywhere…shudder…). Here’s the Nepeta:

And here’s the vase – first, outside yesterday, late morning, and then inside, several hours later:

Have a wonderful day everyone!

29 Comments

  1. Just lovely. I especially enjoyed seeing the Ranunculus, but the variety in general is appealing. It certainly sounds as though you’ve been gardening in ‘Texas weather’!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. LOL – it’s very grey and drizzly this morning, but still of course very humid! When I start to get a bit whiny about the summer heat I stop and think about February….my mood brightens instantly! 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

  4. Your weather sounds like ours right now. That is quite a jam jar filled tot he brim with gorgeous blooms.

    Liked by 1 person

  6. I like the idea of having beginnings and endings in your vase, Chris! Your current wildlife selection leaves a lot to be desired, so I will enjoy your vase rather than your sultry outdoors, thank you very much!

    Liked by 1 person

  7. Ah, ranunculus! Snaps are impressive. They perform well enough at work that I am learning to like them again. They rusted too severely to bother with at home.

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      1. This disease does not seem to play by the rules. It is a problem in the Santa Clara Valley, but not here, where the climactic conditions should be more favorable to it.

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  8. I’m not sure sultry would describe the south here Chris, more like stifling! “feels like” temp is 98 and it feels every bit of it. Your beautiful flowers would long ago have wilted and died although they’s have been beautiful in the spring here. Loved your vase arrangement!

    Liked by 1 person

  10. I would probably win a humidity contest! Wonderful mixture today, interesting you can grow snaps in this weather. They are winter plants here, though I have one puny one that came up from seed. The ranunculus are wonderful, maybe Canada is the right place to grow them – can you leave them in the ground?

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  12. Lovely bouquet, Chris. I esp. like the ranunculus, such a tidy flower! My nepeta is clumping and thankfully not stoloniferous. It does expand rapidly however and requires frequent division. One happy and prolific plant!

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  13. Lovely! And your Nepeta plant looks very happy. I had no idea they can spread and have several in my beds that seem to behave well thank goodness. Hope you can stay cool!

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