In a Vase, on Monday – just Zinnias

After a slow start my Zinnia patch has finally come into its own – pushing out taller stems and bigger blooms every day, it seems. Most of the flowers seem to be purple this year – perhaps that’s the colour I collected most seeds from last fall, or perhaps that’s the strongest gene to come through after a few years of open pollination in my garden. No matter, I think they’re beautiful and these Giant Swallowtail butterflies seem to think they’re worth a look as well. I’ve used a few asparagus fronds to fill out the vase a bit.

I love marigolds (Tagetes) – both the fragrance and the colour variation (never mind all the garden folklore about how they deter pests) and wanted to stuff my ikebana with them this week. I also wanted to showcase the latest showstopper in my garden – the Hyacinth bean vine (Lablab pupureus).

Then I spotted my Borage, face down in the garden. This started as a seed in a giveaway package and it has struggled all summer – sending up flower stalks only to have them eaten away before blooming. I thought at first rabbits had developed a taste for the fuzzy leaves and stems; unlikely though eh? When I picked up this stem I discovered the caterpillar, and wanted to honour the valiant effort of this plan.

Many thanks to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for hosting IAVOM and giving gardeners around the world an opportunity to share their flower designs. Have a great week everyone, and stay safe.