Posted on by Donna

In A Vase On Monday-Native Volunteers

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 “In joy or sadness, flowers are our constant friends.”  
–  Kozuko Okakura   

 

 

I have many volunteers or self-seeders growing throughout my garden now.  I haven’t had a chance to pull many that are overcrowding other plants.  And maybe that is a good thing as these flowers, I thought, would make a perfect vase.  You can see native heliopsis and monarda here that are beautiful in masses except in the smaller spaces they decide to seed themselves.

Yes I know I said I would be doing a native plant profile today, but I had to make another vase.  It is addicting as I said last week.  And the native plant profile will keep until Wednesday just in time for Wildflower Wednesday.  Today I am linking in with Cathy@Rambling in the Garden for her fun meme, In a Vase on Monday.  I am also linking in with Today’s Flowers hosted by Denise@An English Girl Rambles.

 

 

 

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So here is the vase I came up with this week.  It looks like I just picked up the flowers from the garden bed and moved them into a vase… and I did.  You can see the heliopsis and monarda from the bed I featured above.

 

 

 

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The top of the arrangement features goldenrod that is just beginning to bloom in a few spots…boy does it volunteer as much as the northern sea oats which I tucked in for some extra greenery.

 

 

 

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I really like the look of this arrangement.  It is like rays of sunshine in a vase.  And you might notice a few Joe pye tucked in for a little more contrast as they just begin to open with a pinky color.

 

 

 

DSCN0919I kept many of the leaves on the upper stems of the plants, and they also filled out the bouquet.  These volunteers work great together in the vase and in the garden.  All of these native plants make a lovely summer bed or a meadow planting.  

 

 

 

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I hope this vase lasts as long as last weeks vase with lilies as the main player.  This one is more bold and definitely says hot, hot summer time.  

 

 

What plants are volunteering in your garden that would make a great vase?  Are enjoying your flowers inside this summer as much as I am?

 

 

 

Visit my new blog this Thursday: 

new blog logo

This is the badge I have developed for my new blog, Living From Happiness.  I am excited to start this new blog as I continue to post about life, lessons, change and the challenges I am experiencing as I continue on my new path since retiring.

Right now I have a welcome message to greet you, and you can sign up for a subscription through WordPress, email, Bloglovin or Feedly.  I do hope you will join me there.  I do understand that this type of personal blog about life may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you are so inclined I would be happy to see you there.

The inaugural post will be Thursday, and I will post every Thursday.

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Next up on the blog:  Wednesday brings another Native Plant profile with Simply The Best Natives.  Next week I will have a another Garden Book Review.

I hope you will join me for my posts once a month at Beautiful Wildlife Garden.

I am also joining in I Heart Macro with Laura@Shine The Divine that happens every Saturday.

All original content is copyrighted and the sole property of Donna Donabella @ Gardens Eye View, 2010-2014.  Any reprints or use of content or photos is by permission only.

 

  

44 Replies to “In A Vase On Monday-Native Volunteers”

  1. We had similar ideas today Donna, of using more simple flowers. I love your combination and it is a bonus if you are stopping too much self seeding from happening!

    1. My thoughts exactly. I was going to be pulling all of these flowers and more. Glad you enjoyed the volunteers in the vase Christina!

  3. Donna, your arrangement really shows off native summer blooms! My monarda has finished blooming now but it brought us lots of hummingbirds for a few weeks. I don’t mind it spreading as it is easy to pull out to control.

    1. I agree. I couldn’t bring myself to pull the monarda as the hummers and pollinators have been massing all over the blooms. So I will wait until they fade and then thin them out.

  4. Another marvelous post! Your arrangement is gorgeous. You definitely have a great talent for flower arranging. Congratulations on your new blog. Your badge is very pretty.

    1. Thanks Denise. I have just been going with the flow with arranging the flowers…I still have a lot to learn and this meme has helped.

  5. Very pretty yet unpretentious, Donna! I wish I had lots of volunteers in my garden, although I know they probably present a mixed blessing. Perhaps if we got some rain I’d see some here…

    1. Thank you Kris…I enjoy the simple bouquets my garden is providing these days. And yes the volunteers are a mixed blessing. I wish you needed rain.

  6. Golden rod in a vase is such an excellent idea! Mine isn’t flowering yet, but I love the way it gives your vase both height and a background. Also like the addition of pale pink to coordinate with the monarda. Lovely summery colours Donna!

    1. My goldenrod is just beginning to flower too but enough that I thought it would look good in the vase. I am glad you thought so too Cathy!

  7. I love the idea of restricting a vase in some way – and native self seeders is a great example, although those of us in the UK will view it differently from you as of course they aren’t native here! It’s lovely – and a ray of sunshine, as you say! Thanks for joining in, Donna

    1. I think I do well with themes of some sort for now Cathy. My natives are certainly regional even in the States. I am glad you enjoyed the arrangement.

  9. Hi Donna, Your vase is lovely! I’m going to pop over and visit your new blog right now. Have a good week!
    Beth

    1. Absolutely Pat…although I have always wanted one…many areas of my garden have become just that…a cutting garden!

  12. Must be lovely to have the room for these to run wild. A great way to make use of nature’s bounty – very nice the way Joe Pye picks out the Monarda
    p.s. look forward to positive posts on a Thursday from you 🙂

    1. It is wonderful and the pollinators including the hummers, bees and butterflies are happy with these flowers taking over too. I have a native plant profile tomorrow and then the new blog’s first big post….I have notes but I haven’t written it yet. I have to be alone and focused so tomorrow I will begin to refocus and write!!

  13. Hi Donna,

    Lovely vase – the golden yellows are very nice and summery.

    For me, it’s so satisfying knowing the flowers are all from my garden and the first vase of the year is always the most special. This year I haven’t grown sweet peas and boy do I miss them!

    1. Thanks Liz…I can’t believe you mentioned sweet peas. I have some growing wild every year and I thought maybe a sweet little vase with any I can find would be nice…if I do that vase I will dedicate it to you!! 🙂

  15. Hello Donna, I just love your vase this week – the flowers you’ve picked are the essence of a hot summer. I’ve recently planted a Eupatorium and have just discovered that it is also known as Joe Pye weed which is used to treat fevers, colds, kidney and urinary problems, and has magical powers of love and respect – what a useful and fun plant 🙂

    1. Thanks Elizabeth…Joe Pye is a native plant here that the wildlife loves especially the bees and butterflies…it is stunning and will self seed vigorously…but I love it. And it has so much folklore and uses!

  16. Heliopsis, goldenrod, and Joe Pye are all in bloom here but monarda has long go. I am always fascinated by the differences in bloom times between the differences in the country. Lovely vase arrangement.

    1. Thanks Tina. My monarda is going strong and was late to bloom….the rain and breaks in the heat have helped it flower longer. It is beginning to fade but the pollinators are getting every drop they can out of it.

    1. That’s the best part Michelle…chemical free and looks so good. I will be linking in to Nature Notes tomorrow with a native plant profile.

  19. You are reminding me of my dear 11-yr-younger sister in Michigan, Donna, who lives on a farm with wildflowers they planted everywhere for their son’s wedding two years ago. Two years later the flowers are growing like crazy and I KNOW she is making vases with them all the time. Flower arranging is one of her many gifts. I would be in heaven in your garden!

    1. I think you would be in heaven Ginnie! Right now I am just learning and experimenting with flower arranging and it has been fun and very educational. I wish I had had a garden to do my own flowers for my wedding….especially wildflowers! I bet your sister’s garden and farm are incredible.

  20. Your flowers are growing so abundantly, they look nice in the vase too. I like your fillers, I use a grass and also Lady’s Mantle for fillers.

    1. Thanks Hannah and yes there are so many wonderful things…I will have to use the Lady’s Mantle as it freely seeds around as well.

  22. I love these combinations of wild and cultivated flowers. I, too, have lots of goldenrod volunteers and often cut them for flower arrangements. Heliopsis always looks good in a vase, and I like using the tall rudbeckia ‘Autumn Sun’ and coreopsis, too — especially with some pink monarda or daylilies or blue platycodon for contrast. Your arrangements are beautiful.

    1. Thank you Jean. I like some of the other flowers you mentioned and have been eyeing a few daylilies for a possible vase soon. So many flowers to choose from! 🙂

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