Casual, Late Summer Arrangements … Shadow, Light & Texture for the Vase

The Dark Centers of Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) and Fine Texture of Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota) Play with Light and Shadow on the Early Evening Dinner Table –  Jar from Terrain

I love fresh cut flowers, and at the end of a busy week, I find there’s nothing more relaxing than a stroll through the garden, meadow and surrounding forest, to gather leaves, ferns, branches and flowers for arrangements. Beginning the day with a bit of meditative flower arrangement is the perfect way to get creative juices flowing. While outside I like to keep my eyes open for fresh combinations. Late summer blossoms are beautiful in vases, of course, but why not bring more of nature’s abundant beauty indoors?

An Old Atlas Jar, Filled with Un-Ripe Blackberries, Sprigs of Elderberry and Luminous Hair Grass from the Meadow

In late summer, the garden is overflowing and I’m constantly taming borders and clearing paths by clipping things back. Rather than compost my cuttings, I’m often inspired to create arrangements with some of the the extra foliage. Shiny hosts leaves, textural conifer branches, feathery ferns, wispy blades of wild grass and lacy tendrils from vines all make beautiful additions to the vase. Wayward bits of foliage in the vegetable garden and berry patch are fair game as well! Why not create an edible centerpiece with berries or nasturtiums? When putting arrangements together, I like to contrast bits and pieces that catch light (grass, delicate seed pods, lacy flowers) with darker elements (berries, gnarly brown branches or shadowy leaves). Looking for inspiration? Lately, I enjoy visiting Pinterest for fresh, creative ideas!

Gathering Foliage & Flowers in the Morning, Fresh from the Garden: The Entire Process —Selecting, Cutting, Prepping, Arranging— is Relaxing and Fun

Delicate Queen Anne’s Lace and Immature Hydrangea Blossoms Lighten a Vase Filled with Lush Foliage in Cool Shades is Calm & Refreshing on a Hot Summer Day

Tips for Keeping Flower Arrangements Fresh & Lovely

1) Cut flowers & foliage when it’s cool in the garden. Morning or evening.

2) Use sharp, clean pruners or shears.

3) Carry a bucket with you while cutting and place flowers & foliage in tepid water.

4) Cut flowers in bud or just as they are beginning to open & young, fresh foliage. Be creative. Select twigs and branches, berry brambles, ferns, conifers, vegetables and other items. Have fun and experiment!

5) Cut stems long, but take care to remember the rules of pruning; particularly when cutting roses, lilacs & other shrubs (revisit this basic pruning post).

6) Strip off lower foliage and side branches as you go (anything below the waterline of the intended vase).

7) Sear sappy/milky stems with a flame or boiling water (poppies, hollyhocks, etc).

8) Hammer the bottom and strip bark from woody stems.

9) Arrange flowers in a clean vase, filled with tepid water. If you are having a party and want to keep arrangements fresh until guests arrive, place vases in a cool basement or refrigerator (be sure cool storage temp is set well above the freezing mark)

10) Add a tiny bit of sugar and a few drops of bleach (hydrogen peroxide based is fine) to the vase when you arrange flowers.

11) Check and change the water in vases every day when it’s hot. For greatest longevity, try to place arrangements out of direct sunlight and in a cooler part of the house, if possible.

Woody Stems of Old Fashioned, Flowering Weigela (W. florida ‘Red Prince’) Fill My Kitchen Sink

Photographs and Text â“’ Michaela Medina/The Gardener’s Eden. All images, articles and content on this site (with noted exceptions), are the original, copyrighted property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be reposted, reproduced or used in any way without prior written consent. Contact information is in the left side bar. Please do not take my photographs without asking first. Thank you! 

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4 Replies to “Casual, Late Summer Arrangements … Shadow, Light & Texture for the Vase”

  1. Janet

    Hi Michaela
    Can you tell me what the multicolored leaf is in the third and fourth photo? It is beautiful. Thank you. Janet

  2. Deb Weyrich-Cody

    LOVE the concrete countertop (and too bad Red Prince isn’t in bloom at Christmas time… Gorgeous!)
    ID request #2: What is the variegated leaf from – an Alder relation perhaps? Thanks, xo D.

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