Not having used fiery colours for a few weeks, that is what I had in mind for today's IAVOM contribution but, having picked a stem of Alstroemeria 'Indian Summer' as my starting point, I found there were no suitable blooms on Dahlias 'David Howard' or 'Totally Tangerine' to continue my planned theme. However, there was a single bloom on new Dahlia 'Blyton Softer Gleam', albeit looking slightly more yellow than the colour that attracted me in the catalogue, so this was snipped and the search continued.
The cutting beds also yielded Calendula 'Neon' (similar to 'Indian Prince' but not as tall and without the dark red reverse, Rudbeckia 'Irish Eyes' and Alonsoa 'Rebel', whilst further rambling added Persicaria 'Blackfield', nigella seedheads and some self-seeded umbellifer that I haven't been able to identify with any certainty - it usually only grows to around 18" but like so many other things this year is more than double this. On a whim, on the way back to the house, I also cut two stems of an overhanging honeysuckle, probably Lonicera 'Graham Thomas'.
Choosing a matte yellow jug in a 1930s Art Deco style, bought at a car boot sale from a lady selling her collection of vases as she no longer had ready access to blooms (but thrilled to know why I was expanding my own collection), and began untangling the stems. The alstroemeria and dahlia became the focal point of the arrangement, with trial and error determining the length of the stems (the former, at 45" losing more than two thirds of its length!), and the remaining blooms placed around them. I was unsure about including the honeysuckle, but on balance think it was the right decision. The prop, a CD of Elvis Presley's No 1 hits, includes the 'Burning Love' represented by this fiery vase.
Would you like to join us on IAVOM today with a vase of your own, the contents gleaned from your garden or foraged nearby? We would love to see you, so please leave the usual links to and from this vase - but you are of course welcome to drop in and share the pleasure of our vases even without one of your own.
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