Monday is here again and it is time to share a vase of flowers from our own gardens with Cathy at Rambling in the Garden. A lovely way to start the week.
Some of you may remember me complaining that the very dark dahlia, that I have used before, sucks in light and so has proved very difficult to use. Doris, of Dig with Doris suggested that using lime flowers might help solve the problem. That nudged me to remember that Sarah Raven had shown an arrangement of dark Dahlias and she had used lime coloured foliage; so when at last both the dark dahlias and the lime green Zinnias were in flower together I thought I should try out the combination for myself.
In a Vase on Monday
I’m afraid they look rather plonked; I think I should have cut the stems shorter to make a smaller more intense arrangement.
It works! – adding lime to the arrangement highlights the dark colours
Zinnia Giant Lime
I need to sow more of the lime Zinnias, they add such a great zing to many different coloured flowers.
I also added a touch of orange for an extra zing
Euphorbia ‘Golden Foam’
I’m sure the Euphorbia should have flowered in spring or early summer but it has been growing well all summer just not producing any of these lovely small inflorescence. It is a perennial so hopefully there will be lots to use next year.
So a big thank you to Cathy for hosting and to Doris for the great idea.
Creating my own garden of the Hesperides 
It works! Love those lime zinnias.
That’s what I love about blogging – all the great ideas and suggestions!
Lime complements just about every colour, I think! It looks well with burgundy and the orange does add a nice zing.
It is hard to photograph both dark and light flowers at the same time. The white requires short exposure and the dark, longer. I often have to fiddle in photo editing to get the desired effect, but it never is the same as the eye sees it. I suppose if I had professional software, I could take two exposures and combine them, but that is farther than I wish to go!
What you say is true about the photographs but I also found that even to my eyes the dark colour just became a dark shadow. Lime definitely works for the eyes as well as the photograph.
Yes, it really does work – and what gorgeous green zinnias too! They are meant to be fussier to grow – did you find that? My zinnias have been overshadowed by other things and failed to thrive after a good start so, which is a lesson I have learned through blogging
All the Zinnias seem to grow equally well for me. they love strong light and don’t mind a lot of heat as long as they are irrigated well. I suspect that yours don’t have enough direct light. Even as seedlings mine didn’t do as well if the light levels weren’t high enough. Monty Don said that like Dahlias they were a heat dependant rather than light dependent plant at the end of the season. Mine have flowered until it has been very cold in past years.
Yes, that sounds about it – they were doing well until the cosmos behind them filled out
They are worth giving a bit of extra space they produce so many flowers. When I cut them I often cut off up to 4 new flowering shoots to have long stems; it seems wasteful but I think they flower all the more because I do it.
Great tip–adding the lime is very effective. The flowers are are beautiful. I tried lime green zinnias without success a couple years ago, but you’ve encourage me to try them again. Lovely.
The Giant Lime grew better than the Green Envy variety for some reason. I love green flowers!
‘Just add lime’ … and your zinnias work especially well! I didn’t grow Giant Lime this year and I miss it, but am enjoying yours doubly. I grow euphorbia oblongata (as suggested by Sarah Raven) for a similar lift in arrangements, but I am getting bored with it, so it is great to see other green blooms.
I tried ‘oblongata’ from SR but none of the seed germinated. I tried 3 times! This is a perennial so I will have to see if it grows a bit taller next year. The seed was from Chiltern seeds, very good germination.
It’s a great combination, Christina! Your ‘Giant Lime’ zinnias are both more much larger and much greener than the ‘Envy’ variety I grew from seed this year so I’ll be looking for ‘Giant Lime’ next year. I noticed that the grower of my near black Eustoma combined them with lime blooms in their publicity photos too – it’s just the right balance.
The Giant Limes are much stronger plants than the Green Envy. I’m sure you’ll be able to find seed for next year.
Christina I love the trick of adding lime to highlight the dark colors. I love the dark dahlias are beautiful. They combine with the lime green Zinnias “Giant Lime” beautifully. I love the color of the Zinnias is great. The bouquet is magnificent and full of light. Greetings from Margarita.
Thanks Margarita, it is always lovely when advice from other bloggers works out!
Thank you Christina for everything you learned from your great blogs. Greetings from Margarita.
I should think that Zinnia would go with almost anything, it’s a fabulous colour and does suit the dark dahlias. I’m a fan of dark flowers but they do need something to lift them. Mine are with pink roses this week. I had a similar euphorbia in my previous garden and it seemed to be constantly in flower. Lovely to have it so late though.
I have tried the dark Dahlia with pink flowers but they seemed to just be dark shadows rather than a rich darkness to enjoy, but the lime really does work. You’re right, I think the lime flowers would be good with almost any colour. Here the weather is glorious; very warm during the day with cooler evenings and mornings – perfect if we had some rain too!
Beautiful combination, Christina!
Thank you Sally
You have such a variety of flowers and you put them together elegantly. Thanks.
Thanks John; the cut flower beds give me so much pleasure.
Love lime and burgundy, working on a mad tropical garden with those colors now!
That sounds very exciting. I look forward to hearing all about it.
I agree, it’s a terrific combo. The orange gives it an extra punch that brings it together, I think.
Yes, its a combination I will have to remember!
I do like those greens, especially with a more complex flower like a zinnia. They add texture and form without (ironically) overcomplicating the arrangement. Sort of like those B&W photographs where you can select to show one or two colours. Very nice.
Thank you Helen. It is always interesting to notice how colours react to each other.
Looks wonderful. I’ve grown the lime colored zinnias and like them well enough in the garden, but they really do look better in the hands of a talented arranger!
Thanks Frank, I think in the garden they may need more careful placing, maybe with white flowers?
I love green flowers so a lime green zinnia is definitely on the list for next year. As you say, it is perfect with dark dahlias. Very pretty.
I think the lime green Zinnia and other lime coloured flowers go with a lot of other colours, Liz. It works beautifully with pink and red too.
Oh that tip from Doris certainly does the trick Christina. A most striking combination. Have you tucked in some dark cornflowers into that vase too or is it knautia?
It’s Knautia, the seed was a gift from Liz at the Blooming Garden. I love it!
‘Envy’ is the green Zinnia that proved very tricky to grow. Is this one easier? Sure is beautiful!
I had the same problem with Envy, giant Line grow very easily and well.
Beautiful combination. I love lime flowers.
thanks Karen; what lime flowers do you grow?
I’ve got hydrangea Annabelle, Euphorbia Humpty Dumpty, Euphorbia Excalibur, various nicotianas, phlomis, heucheras, and hellebores. I’m looking out for a hellebore called Harrington Double Lime and Hellebore Irish Ruffles. My favourite hellebore is the huge evergreen lime one, I think it’s called Argutifolius. Lime flowers seem to go with everything.
That’s a good collection; which Phlomis do you have that has lime coloured leaves, my fruticosa is more silver than anything.