In a Vase, on Monday – Conditioned

Chris Mousseau

Last week, when I mentioned that I had let my cut flowers rest in a jar of water for a few hours before arranging and photographing them, Cathy, at Rambling in the Garden, replied that she rarely has enough time to condition her own blooms before putting a vase together. It made me think that even though I seem to have next to no flowers ‘suitable’ for displaying in a vase (because of our current drought), by conditioning them I might actually get something half decent. So there I was in the hot sun, late yesterday afternoon, snipping the best of what I could find amongst black-eyed Susans, prairie coneflowers, keeled garlic and even a garden phlox. I left them in a jar in the shade for the rest of the day and also overnight.

This morning, like magic, it was like ‘Drought? What drought?’

Rudbeckia Hirta, R. fulgida, Phlox paniculata, Ratibida pinnata, Allium carinatum and Allium ‘Millenium’

There’s exactly one patch of each type of Rudbeckia (hirta and fuldgida) that isn’t crispy. Wilty, yes, but not toast. The Phlox never looks great in August, to be honest, so I’m not too moved by its current state.

There’s usually carpets of Rudbeckia in several spots…this year, almost all look like this…
Phlox definitely likes a much moister location…

I started this vase off with just yellows and oranges, then added a few whites and, for some reason, the mauve Allium. (Well…perhaps it was in honour of the huge eggplant – aubergine – growing in this raised bed, which has lovely purply leaves and flowers.) It’s new to me this year and I’m a bit perplexed. Although it took a while, stalks with flower buds finally appeared, and then the flower buds opened, but the individual flowers appear to be closed. They’ve been in this stage for almost three weeks. But then I looked on-line and all the images I see are quite similar. I was expected the flowers to open like other alliums but perhaps not…I just wonder how all the pollinators are supposed to get in…

Allium ‘Millenium’

Anyway…with thanks to some conditioning, here’s this week’s vase of cut flowers. Have a great week everyone!

18 Comments

  1. I’ve never heard of ‘conditioning’ flowers, but it makes sense. After all, one cause of fatigue in humans often is dehydration. Wilty and drying flowers obviously profit from a bit of rehydration, too!

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  5. So there is a lesson there for all of us, Chris – and it’s the thinking about and doing it that is the issue for me, I think, rather than the time! Your rudbeckia are gorgeous, and that is such a curious allium – do you have a variety name?

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    1. Thanks Cathy – it’s just marketed as Allium Millennium – came on the market not that long ago and was a perennial ‘Plant of the Year’ as I recall. Doesn’t have bulbs, apparently, but rather a fibrous root system.

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  6. What a difference! Your vase looks wonderful Chris! I suppose the cool drink and relief from the heat really do make a difference. I thought my Rudbeckia was dead in early July before we got rain, so I gave it a really good water and it is now flowering beautifully! Interesting point about the Allium… I think I have that same one, and must watch and see if the bees visit.

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  8. Your ongoing drought feels so tragic, Chris. I remember your stands of Rudbeckia from previous years. Hopefully, they will live to flower another year. 🤞🏼 At least, some can be salvaged and conditioned for vases and to enjoy close at hand.

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  9. Wonderful re conditioned flowers! I need to try this, I have a lot of half fried flowers as well. I am wondering about the Allium to (I love them!) it reminds me of chives and I can’t remember if they open?

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