
Last week I cut white flowers; yesterday, in between some most welcome rain showers, I cut purple (and purple-ish) flowers. Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden encourages us to share a vase highlighting what is growing in our gardens. In my garden, what’s growing well right now is Echinacea and Agastache, with Zinnias starting to make a strong showing.
Here’s my patch of Agastache ‘Licorice Blue’ – the tallest plants are almost as high as I am this year – and their branches have spread wide enough to overshadow a short row of barberry. Started just last year, they haven’t spread much by seed, thankfully, and neither by runner – they’re just that vigorous. I see myself transplanting most of these next spring to an area where, perhaps, it’s a bit drier and more challenging. I suppose the flowers are more blue (as the name suggests) than purple, but in a certain light they definitely fit in with a vase of purple flowers.


I couldn’t find a perfect spot to photograph this vase, and, running out of time before the next round of rain, I placed it on this teak patio chair:

That’s Echinacea purpurea with one Zinnia stem (most of my Zinnias were mauled by slugs/earwigs/other nasty bugs in the spring – they’re just making a come back now) and a lot of Agastache. I started it from seed last year because I read it was a tremendous pollinator magnet. I don’t know about ‘tremendous,’ but I see the occasional bee on them.

I snipped a few small stems for the Ikebana vase this week – Agastache and Zinnia again, joining one of the few Rosa grandiflora ‘Crimson Bouquet’ blooms to appear this year. Normally this rose is large and fragrant and glorious from early July til mid October. This year it was attached early and repeatedly by earwigs (I think) and it’s about 1/5th its normal size. Quite the opposite of the Agastache, growing just a few feet away…

I hope everyone has a great week!
I especially like the Ikebana this week. Your Zinnias are beautiful. Sorry you’ve had pesky pests holding them back. The Agastache is amazing.
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Thank you! I have to assume all critters are here on this earth for a reason, although often that reason eludes me!
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I really love the Ikebana, I find that style difficult to work with. I am glad to see Agastache, looks wonderful..way too far south for that…sounds like you are having a buggy year?!Think part of gardening is outsmarting our insect friends.
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Yes, a very buggy year, although now in mid August things seem a bit calmer. The chipmunks don’t seem as hungry and the earwigs have settled down. Now it’s time for mice to try and find a way indoors for the winter! π
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It’s always something. I discovered my potted orchids turned over this morning?
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Argh!
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Indeed my dogs woke me up recently to chase something over there.Double argh.
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Haha, so yours is purple too! Echinacea struggle for me, but I am trying again, and sadly agastache is not always winter hardy here – your huge clump is amazing! Together they make an effective vase, but your little ikebana one is stunning!
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Thank you so much! I’m really enjoying the ikebana this year – it often seems to lend itself to more creativity.
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Yes, I can understand that
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Yes, I was just about to suggest that you look at Cathy’s post.
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Very nice arrangements, Chris. The vertical accent of the Agastache is a nice counterbalance to the Echinacea and Zinnia. I keep forgetting my two ikebana vases and various frogs I could be using. Maybe next week!
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Thank you Eliza – the ikebana forces you (me) to think a lot more about what’s going in it, eh? Kinda neat – almost a literal example of ‘less is more.’
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Wow, I’ve never seen Agastache that vigorous – I’ll have to look for it. I admire both your Echinacea and your Zinnias too. The former aren’t happy here (although I did stick 2 plants in a pot recently as expensive annuals) and the latter are late this year.
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I clearly wasn’t thinking straight when I planted it there…ππ
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I always like to see what you find for an ikebana vase Chris. Lovely! But the big vase of Echinacea and Agastache is even better. π I am thinking of growing some Agastache in a new bed I am planning for this autumn, so good to know it will need plenty of space. Earwigs seem to have been a problem for many this year and they have been eating my basil again!
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Thank you so much Cathy! Earwigs and chipmunks are really enjoying the fruits of my labour this year! ππ
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