It is very hot again this Monday, probably hitting 30°C later, so any flowers I want to enjoy before they wilt are coming indoors! My Centaurea succumbs to blackfly and then mildew almost every year, so I picked a single perfect flower that had just opened, and together with some Centranthus ruber that is just opening it is the central focus in this week’s vase.
The feathery petals are echoed by the fluffy spidery Pulsatilla seed heads which I always like to use in vases…
And for contrast the lovely Alchemilla mollis..,
The bluest of blue skies in the background made me wonder if this Centaurea really is blue, or perhaps slightly mauve?
I hope you also have blue skies today.
A couple of Hosta leaves were added, to be appreciated before the snails discover them. 😉 And a single stem of young birch.
Thanks, as always, go to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for hosting this meme. She has a stunning rose to share this week.
Happy gardening!
Words and Herbs 
The Alchemilla mollis really sets off the deep hues of Centranthus ruber and Centaurea. Lovely blue sky too. Have a wonderful week.
The Alchemilla is such a refreshing lime green on a hot day like today!
It´s really hot, here too! Looks like the Centaurea and Alchemilla spread their arms wide for some coolness! 🙂 I like this temperatures!
I don’t mind it being warm, but Sunday was almost 30°C and that’s a bit much in May! And it’s dry too. The Centaurea and Alchemilla coild do with a good drink!
I wonder how June and July will be.
you’re right the Centaurea looks blue in all the images except against the blue sky. Very pretty anyway whatever its true colour is.
The Veronica is coming into flower and that is definitely sky blue. 🙂
Wonderful
Very nicely put together, as always.
Thank you John. There’s plenty to choose from now. 🙂
I’ve noticed the pests multiplying and aphids dropping off cut flowers are not that attractive, are they? A pretty collection of things in your vase, I love those seed heads and the blue, blue centaurea. No blue skies here, I’m afraid, continuous heavy rain.
It has been so very dry here, so I envy you your rain! Although it does mean we have fewer greenfly than usual. 😉
Pulsatilla’ early fluffy seed heads are so attractive, I always stop to admire them. Think you’re right about the apparent ‘blue’ of centaurea – well shown against a clear blue sky.
Finding the perfect blue flower is not as easy as it seems. 😉
I love this wilidish and informal collection, Cathy. I know what you mean about the centaurea, which can often look almost purple. I have added a kind of maroon coloured centaurea to my garden this year, called Jordy
I love the pinky purple Centaurea too, but since this one suffers I haven’t tried to introduce another. A different spot might be better, so perhaps I’ll move it after it has flowered.
I thought they were pretty adaptable as they increase with gay abandon here, but perhaps they just like my soil. Hope yours enjoy a new location
Oh the color! Just the vibrant jolt I need this cool, foggy morning! Bravo, Cathy!
Glad I could give you a Monday morning smile Deb! 🙂
I love the blue Centaurea, Cathy. I’m excited to have 2 species of Centaurea growing in my garden now (one in bloom and one not) – I haven’t found the blue variety locally but perhaps I can grow it from seed next year. I hope the heat isn’t as bad as you anticipate and that it fades quickly.
Yes, just saw your feathery pink one – love it! Since mine struggles with mildew I haven’t tried planting another one. Good luck if you grow the blue one from seed.
Looks quite summery, thanks for sharing, Cathy!
Oh yes, summer heat for sure! I think summer has definitely arrived now. 🙂
Oh that sky looks so blue and warm Cathy. Grey here and damp but then it’s a bank holiday 🙂 The centaurea will appreciate your rescue job – such a beguiling colour and shape.
It seems to be an unwritten law that bank holidays are damp or cool! We were lucky with Ascension Day as a holiday last week…. fairly warm and sunny, but the real heat hadn’t arrived. The Centaurea is one of those flowers that simply makes me smile in disbelief at how nature manages to produce such intricacy!
A perfect pinwheel bloom and I like the Pulsatilla seed head echoing its shape. Your blue sky is a nice match. 🙂 Our sky has been cloudy and rainy a lot, so I fear the mold and mildew is rapidly gaining ground out in the garden. We’ll know in July, but for now all is green and lovely, like your Centaurea!
Yes, the dry weather is making some plants wilt, but it is also keeping the greenfly at bay. The snails are hungry though… 😉
Love the color combination. Mold is evil!
Oh definitely! It hasn’t rained for a couple of weeks here but if we get high humidity the mildew will return!
I hope you don’t have any Monarda, I gave up on that due to mildew.
Me too. I only tried it once and it was a disaster!
Beautiful photos! I love the colour combinations and the Centaurea is stunning!
Thank you! And I agree that the Centaurea really is amazing. 🙂
A lovely vase, Cathy. We’ve also had beautiful blue skies this weekend – almost unheard of for a May bank holiday weekend!
Oh, how nice Sam, as it seems much of the UK had rain on Monday. We could do with a drop here as it has been hot and windy.
I love that purple/pink/green combination and what a contrast to your gorgeous blue sky. You’ve blended a lovely vase, Cathy. I didn’t realize you’d gone from frost to withering heat so quickly. We’re having periods like that, too. This weekend was warm but overcast. It’s anyone’s guess what the summer has in store. I’m glad you had the foresight to bring those lovely flowers indoors.
Yes, within a couple of weeks the weather has changed dramatically and nighttime temperatures are now unpleasantly warm! LOL! They say if we get a stable period of warm weather early June it will be a warm summer. Like you say, anyone’s guess though!
I seem to be hearing variations of this from all over the world. It’s hard to know if this is part of climate change, or if these changes are part and parcel of the earth’s evolution. Either way, we’ve got to figure out how to collectively take care of this earth. Impeaching “45” and the lot of them would be a nice way to start. They don’t seem to believe in basic science. Good grief.
I’m not sure mankind will ever figure out the weather.., our forecast was wrong for today! LOL!
Oh dear! And guess what, we got rain last night. This has been the strangest May in recent memory. I’ll take the rain though, no complaints. Now we’re all waiting to see if “45” pulls out of the Paris Climate Accord. He is against everything I stand for. It’s so discouraging.
I could say the same about almost every politician I know Alys… they live in a different world…
I think you’re right. And it’s now official: “45” thinks “Making America Great” means hurting the environment while flipping the bird to the rest of the world. 😦
Cathy is lovely the vase and the bouquet of flowers and the photo is very pretty with the blue sky background. The Centhaurus ruber and the Centaurea in contrast to the mollis Alchemilla I love. The bouquet radiates freshness, precious. Greetings from Margarita.
Thank you so much Margarita! All the best to you too.
I’m only introduced to Centaurea through you, Cathy and it is special! It seems that wherever we live we struggle with nature’s temperature shifts and extremes that damage our beauties! Not to mention snails! Another beautiful vase, my friend. Your photo angles are super!
Thanks Debra! We have lived here for 12 years now, and each year has been different in terms of cold or mild winters, wet or dry summers. Last year was the wettest and warmest summer on record I think, and we seem to have new records for something every month! The snails remain a constant through all this though! 😉
You are having hot weather aren’t you!! I thought my flowers were suffering in our high temperatures but I think we would all be collapsing where you are. Fortunately the rain has arrived here so the grass is greening up again and everyone is looking refreshed. Your vase is lovely despite the heat – the Pulsatilla is one that I have not grown and it looks very interesting.
Hi Julie. Yes, hot and dry! Today is windy too and I actually watered my rockery in places yesterday as it is really extreme. I am not sure May has ever meant brown grass here. Oh well! The bees are happy at least! 🙂
No blue skies here today, so I will enjoy yours, along with your sprightly bouquet.
Thanks Ricki, and I hope you get some sunshine of your own soon. 🙂