Good Morning, and happy first day of June! Today I am thrilled to be invited to join my gardening and flower therapist friends, Pam, Lidy, and Mary for the June edition of Monday Morning Blooms.
My husband and I moved into our current cottage home in the latter part of 2021. This year marks my fifth year of turning a previously overgrown, mature Zone 7a landscape into a more compatible-to-the-home cottage garden. I literally ripped out most everything and started over, sparing some existing plants to transplant, and planting some new. I have even nurtured some volunteers from prior plantings to create my overall vision. A gardener's plan is constantly evolving, and I am still working on mine.
For today's bloom bouquet, I am working with perennials that are growing in beds other than that pictured above, but which still surround our home.
A pretty bouquet deserves a table setting, yes? I set a small table for two with a fresh spring-to-summer look, using ceramic pieces from two different MacKenzie-Childs collaborations
From the front flower bed, Wedding Party Confetti Cake hellebore flowers seem everlasting. I love this plant, and hope to add at least one other variety within my garden. Even when the blooms are on the decline, they still maintain a nice look.
Heirloom, passalong iris. These came to me in the early 2000s from a friend who is now 80 years old. They came from my friend's grandmother's garden. When we downsized in 2019, I dug up several and planted at my daughter's home. When we moved to this house in 2021, she passed some back to me. They are in a front corner bed which seemingly command one's attention from passersby.
The peony below is one that didn't show its pretty self until two years after moving in. It is a Chestine Gowdy variety, and is toward the back of my south side flower beds.
There are five apricot drift rose plants in my cottage garden, and pictured below is one of two in the front bed. They first appear slightly orange, and then morph into a light coral and then almost cream color as the blooms age.
Lastly, I added the soft, feathery texture of nigella plants (love-in-a mist), which grows in a sunny bed behind the garage, along the pathway where I can easily walk when working in the garden.
A few of each of these perennials were clipped and added to my vase to create a fresh bouquet.
The art piece on the left wall of the photo below is from our fellow blogger who passed away last fall, Jenna Moen from the Painted Apron. She was very talented in her art.
After the first day of clipping my bouquet, I think I enjoyed the arrangement even more. The iris stalks have multiple blooms on them, and the mature blooms wilt rather quickly after cutting. No worries, though, as I clipped the top blooms and still had blooms on the stalk. I liked seeing the wisping fronds of the nigella even more on the second day.
Source Details for June Garden Edition Monday Morning Blooms
Tablecloth - HomeGoods
Napkins - Dondolo
Glassware - La Rochere Napoleon Bee - Sur la Table
Flower vase, salad plates, cups & saucers - MacKenzie-Childs collaboration with Megan Stokes 2025 (floral plates and Pencil & Paper Co. 2024 (cups/saucers, vase)
Flatware - estate sale find
Flower Market napkin rings - MacKenzie-Childs
Do you have a flower bed from which you can take cuttings for arranging flowers? This year I am experimenting with a cut flower "grow box" of annuals which I purchased from local flower farmer, Muddy Mountain Flower Farm. I introduced my readers to Muddy Mountain in this post last year. I subscribed to a month of weekly bouquets in their inaugural year then, and this year they sold seedlings ready to plant which they started from seed.
I picked up my grow box May 23rd, split the more than 50 plants with my daughter, and planted them that day. I'm looking forward to cuttings of lisianthus, celosia, dahlias, zinnias, cosmos, giant marigolds, snapdragons, lemon basil, ageratum, and gomphrena. My daughter planted hers all in one bed, but I spread mine among other perennial plantings. We'll see how they do. It rained for seven days straight after planting, so they're off to a great start!
I now invite you to visit the hosts of Monday Morning Blooms - Pam, Lidy, and Mary - with their June garden editions. The links below will take you directly to their posts.
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| Pam at Everyday Living |
Ladies, thank you so much for inviting me to share my garden blooms in this June edition!
Rita C. at Panoply
Good morning of beautiful blossoms, Rita, in your garden, and on your table! I love seeing other people’s plants and knowing their names. Yours made for a beautiful bouquet for your pretty vase and then to use on your MKC enhanced table. How fun to receive a grow box and share with your daughter. I’ll look forward to seeing their progress. I smiled at Jenna’s artwork. I’m making a recipe of hers today and will think of her. Happy gardening, my friend!
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ReplyDeleteRita, I’m so happy you were able to join us as a guest bloomer this month! Your beautiful garden provided such a gorgeous collection of blooms, and I loved seeing how you brought them indoors to create your stunning arrangement. Your table is equally lovely, with all the pretty blue and white details that make your style so special. It’s always a treat to see the flowers, garden views, and seasonal beauty you share. Thank you for blooming along with us and adding your unique creativity and charm to this month’s gathering. Wishing you a wonderful June filled with many more garden treasures and happy moments at the table! 🌿🌸💐
P.S. Happy Birthday Eve 🎂🩷
Your garden is gorgeous! I love the bench placed to enjoy the floral show. I, too, have some of Jenna's art in pillows I bring out every spring. I miss her wonderful posts on her art and her life. Such a pretty table to showcase those flowers!
ReplyDeleteGood morning, Rita. The opening photo of your beautifully manicured front garden is stunning. There is not one weed in sight! I love that each flower within your lovely arrangement is shown growing in your garden. The pass along iris and peony are providing gorgeous blooms. I also have apricot drift roses in my garden, their sweet fragrance is a bonus. Your blue table setting with MKC is perfectly charming! The sweet art piece from Jenna warms my heart. I miss Jenna and all of her amazing talents. I can’t wait to see how the grow box will provide so many different flowers.
ReplyDeleteIt is always a treat to have you join us for the garden edition of Monday Morning Blooms. Happy gardening, my friend!
Rita, your gardens looks so pretty. You have worked so hard to change things up and it shows. Love the drift rises, peonies and so much more. Your table is lovely with Mackenzie Childs dishware. Love the ruffled look. Your bouquet is so pretty, freshly cut from your garden. Kudos to you for creating such a lovely garden.
ReplyDeleteYour yard is gorgeous. You should be so proud of what you have done to your garden. You really have brought it a long way since you moved there. Your Mackenzie dishware is so great. Hugs. Kris
ReplyDeleteHappy June, dear Rita. Your beautiful front garden is just stunning! You have so many lovely plants growing there, I am sure each season brings its own delights. I love that we can see some of your favorites in your beautiful vase on the table inside. Each one is a star! Your table setting in blue and white is equally stunning, you have such a gift of combining patterns and colors into a beautiful style all your own. Jenna's art work is a joy to see, she is missed.
ReplyDeleteThank you for joining us this month for Monday Morning Blooms, it's always a blessing to have you join us. Wishing you a gorgeous June filled with gardening, sun, and love. Happy Birthday too! xo Lidy
This is such a pretty combo of flowers and I really love how it works on your lovely table. Your gardens always amaze me -- and especially the will power and body power it takes to do as you have done with the ripping out and repairing! I envy that you can bring peony in -- mine are always ant-laden. I'm so glad you have some of Jenna's art. I miss her so much.
ReplyDeleteMorning,
ReplyDeleteYour garden is certainly taking off and looking wonderful! All your hard work….it is inspiring I have to say! Thank you for mentioning Jenna, I was wondering what happened to her. Since I slowed way down on blogging and Facebook I’m kinda out of the blogging loop now. She was a generous and kind lady.
After seeing your wonderful table, I’m going to have to see what I can do about a tablescape outside for dinner tonight.
Hope all is well with you and hubby
😘
Christine
Www.rustic-refined.com
Rita you are amazing and your new garden shows it. I remember well the photos of what you had to work with and through. The huge tree on the corner and the lily of the valley that would not go away. 🥰.(did you see my comment about you to Jeanie on her lily of the valley issue?) 🤗 I love what you have done and your layout shows the planning and vision you had. I wanted to sit on your bench and just enjoy each and every bloom. The drift roses are gorgeous. Luv 'em. I have always loved Iris (or flags as we called them) and peonies, none of which will grow in SW Florida so I have to live virtually through you 'Northerners'! 🥰 Your MKC blue dinnerware is stunning. Perfect for your lovely cut flowers.
ReplyDeleteAnd I, too have Jenna's artwork and a couple pillows. One pillow is a rabbit with carrots and I just can not pack it away as it makes me smile and think of her sweet spirit...Our blog hops just don't seem the same without her...and we have lost so many. I think of Paula (Sweet Pea) also.
Have a wonderful June my friend.
ReplyDeleteA Gardener's life has no respite...constantly thinking, planning, weeding, redo-ing and it is continuous in all seasons. How Lovely is your walk across the front.!..I remember when you first posted about what you were going to try and do. We've been here for 42 years and it is still constant. We have seen about 10 trees removed, even some we had planted and still it goes on. The landscape morphs and demands, take it away, put more...she is a ceaseless b....h. I have to move plants because of too much shade, but that is for Fall and already on the list, LOL. Nice post, Sandi
Sandi, thank you so much. I already have fall chores that I've tucked away mentally. I appreciate your visit and gardener's lamenting. All so true! Happy June.
DeleteI love the colors of your tablescape! Quite stunning in its simplicity!
ReplyDeleteRita, you have transformed your landscaping into a gorgeous site! It's so lovely and makes your home look so inviting. The bouquet you created is beautiful and your tablescape is as well. The iris is our state flower, so we have those. I transferred my Mom's iris when she passed away to our house. Your cutting garden area sounds as though it will be bursting with variety and color. That's a wonderful idea. Enjoy your day! Clara❤️
ReplyDeleteSo enjoyed the visit to your garden, Rita. Everything looks beautiful. Gathering a bouquet of favorite flowers is a wonderful way to create a centerpiece and yours looks lovely. love the blue and white. Happy Gardening!
ReplyDeleteLynne, Thrifting Wonderland
Good Morniing Rita. You have a truly gorgeous table setting, and your bouquet is absolutely stunning with your very own beautiful blooms. The blue and white on the table is so refreshing.
ReplyDeleteYour gardens are so lovely. I have the green helebores as well. I am going to cut some today and put them with some irises like you did. What an inspiration you are!
My helebores have taken over in one garden and I need to divide some and put them elsewhere. Gardening is never-ending. But so glad I can still do it.
Sorry I am a tad late commenting but we put the boat in yesterday and I spent the day cleaning it etc. Happy June my friend.
Happy Birthday dear Rita!
ReplyDeleteI'm doing exactly the same things here after moving. Ripped out all the plants and started over. We thought we were doing pretty good but with this hot wet spring things are not off to a good start this year. I love what you've done for your cottage garden. Your passalong Iris are amazing, just beautiful as everything you touch. The table setting is lovely, especially with your flowers. I love how you know the exact names, species etc. of all your plants. I need to work on that and keep a journal. My peony finally gave me two blooms! I'm hoping to see more at some point.
Thinking of you and hoping your have a wonderful time on your special day.
Rita, your garden looks fabulous and that opening shot with the bench amidst the flowers and shrubs is just gorgeous. I love that you were able to take clippings from a variety of flowers to make your bouquet in the lovely MKC vase on the table. I think I like the second day better too with the nigella more prominent in the background. The table is so pretty - you always have the most wonderfully unique dishware and linens. I hope you can look back to your pictures from when you first moved and see all the magic that you have accomplished. Happy Birthday Rita, and happy June and happy gardening!
ReplyDeleteRita, Your garden shows all the work you’ve put into since moving to your new cottage. Everything looks so great and your flower arrangement looks great on your table. Your hard work has really paid off!
ReplyDeleteRIta your garden is primo! Not a weed in site .Brava my girl! I remember when you pulled out all those Lily of the Valley. You inspired me! But I am still battling them 3 years later. Do you have any that pop up? It’s so hard to get them up by the root.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the fruits of your labors and I truly appreciated the nod to Jenna.
Susan, thank you! I am happy to say no lily-of-the-valley have lingered on since digging them out in 2023. I literally threw away huge clumps of dirt to get all those rhizomes. However, I cannot say the same for my right knee I jammed while hitting the shovel back then. It flares up continually, but hey, no more lilies. :)
DeleteHa! The price we pay! Keep digging my girl.
DeleteYour garden is lovely and your hard work is evident. I love how you incorporated all the flowers you grow in your centerpiece. The feathery accent plant is fabulous and adds so much texture. I'm glad I dropped by today- it was a delight. XO- MaryJo
ReplyDeleteWow, I love your bouquet with your gorgeous blue and white tablescape. Also, your garden is really coming along! Ive never tried to grow peonies, although one of our neighbors has several of them. I love the soft color of yours! So pretty! I always enjoy your garden posts.
ReplyDeleteMackenzie-Childs dishes are a no-no, some have lead and arsenic and should be tossed in the trash bin. Nice flowers, very artistic looking garden.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your visit and comment. From the M-C website, regarding ceramic dishes (which these are):
Delete"Ceramic Pottery Care and Use
Our clay body, glaze, stains, decals, and lustres are formulated to ensure that all of our pottery collections are completely food safe. All MacKenzie-Childs ceramics meet all FDA and California Article 65 standards and requirements for lead and cadmium release."
Rita, your June garden blooms are gorgeous--I especially love the apricot roses and peonies! Happy gardening!
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