Today is a holiday celebrating the American worker. Labor Day was created as a national holiday by President Grover Cleveland in 1894. The creation of Labor Day ended an ugly chapter in American history. Striking workers demanding better pay and working conditions burned trains and disrupted travel; eventually the government sent troops to restore order. There were casualties on both sides. Follow link for more history https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/labor-day-1#:~:text=Labor%20Day%20pays%20tribute%20to,a%20federal%20holiday%20in%201894.
Beware a rant, I am not given to writing political posts. Skip to the next image if you don’t want to hear about it.
This sounds a bit familiar. The players and reasons are different, but the situation, eerily similar. I was unable to read our local newspaper on Sunday morning, just did not want to read anymore about what is going on in America. Our local congressman was just outed for making sexual jokes about 15 year old girls. This is not the America I grew up in, not the American that helped our Allies win the World Wars, who are these people? What are their values?
These people go all the way to the top of our government. People we elected on both sides of the aisle. Some of the behavior I have witnessed from our leaders over the past few years, appalling and pervasive. So pervasive that politics has trickled down to my garden blog. Which is sad. Before anyone makes America great again, they are going to have to make America whole again.
Enough with my political rant.
We had a lovely rain shower on Sunday morning that cooled my garden down to a tolerable temperature and I was able to enjoy selecting flowers for a red, white and blue palette for my vase.
Here is a closer view:
Red flowers, from the left – bell shaped flowers are Firecracker Plant (Russelia equisetiformis), at edge of vase Coral Plant (Jatropha multifida); blue and red panicle, Miniata Bromeliad (Aechmea miniata). Fragrant white flowers on the left side, Bridal Bouquet Frangipani (Plumeria pudica) and hanging over the edge, Tropical Gardenias (Tabernamontana diviricata). The blue flowers – at the top, Plumbago (Plumbago auriculata); the darker blue stemmy flowers are from Blue Porterweed (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis).
Happy Fall, Ya’ll.
I forgot to thank Cathy, at ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com for hosting In a Vase on Monday, and my late mother in law, Joan, for crocheting the flag.
The Shrub Queen 
It’s funny looking at y’all from north of the border…I thought the U.S. was great before 2016….now, however….slogans can really divide people. Your vase, however, is one thing I’m sure everyone will agree is perfect and gorgeous. I hope you enjoy the day!
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Thank you, a comment I loved about Canada-you are living in the apartment above the crack house, sad, but, true. I looked up where you are and was surprised how close to New York, I have friends in upstate NY, they have been home for months.., wish flowers could solve problems.
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That’s a very appropriate parallel (which itself is a poor pun perhaps recognized only by Canadians living close to the border…) and funny/sad. Flowers across the border…a song title maybe?😁
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We are not very dignified anymore. I don’t think enough “good” people want to run for office. Anyway, that is a great vase for Labor Day. I like you flag.
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You’re right. I have hopes for Beto from Texas. The flag was crocheted by my late mother in law, who was a master and could crochet shoes – unfortunately, they were very slippery.
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Hear, hear! So well put, Amy. You’re not alone in your feelings of despair and consternation about current affairs. We’ve slid so low. May we rise again, no where to go but up anyway.
Love your patriotic themed arrangement, very pretty in color and drape. Perfect!
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Thank you, Eliza. The disregard for human kindness just slays me. Low is right. Up, up and away from all of this…
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Good manners, and concern for others, do good onto others, yes we need to heal, and heal the planet too.
Lovely arrangement..and wonderful blooms.
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Well said, Noelle and thanks.
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There clearly aren’t enough gardeners as they all seem to hold rational and dignified (great word) views! I wasn’t terribly aware of US politics until a few years ago but that has changed since the slide towards who knows what began, and I now realise how important it is for the world as well as the US. Your seemingly simple vase and the background makes a silent point
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Thanks, Cathy. Who knows what is exactly it. Hopefully changing soon. We need more gardeners in politics!? they are too busy and pragmatic to fool with the fools.
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I love your red, white and blue arrangement, Amelia, and I can fully appreciate the rant. I usually read the newspaper as I eat my breakfast but that’s become a recipe for indigestion as well as setting a negative tone for the day so, more and more often, the best I can muster is to scan the headlines. The tension is palpable these days but hope remains high.
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Thank you for the warning. I should not have read any further.
Well, the white Bridal Bouquet plumeria and tropical gardenia were worth it. You know, I like the color of plumbago in everyone else’s garden but mine. The foliage and even the pale blue look rather sickly. Really, the blue is somehow too pale, and is not very appealing against the pale yellowish green foliage. When I pull it up, I may recycle it into a spot where the color might improve. I sort of suspect the paleness is associated with the conditions it grows in.
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There are a few varieties of the Blue Plumbago, some darker, and a white one.
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As much as I like white, I am none too keen on the white blue plumbago. The foliage is not dark enough for the white. It does not look any better than the blue blue plumpago. The dark blue looks sort of purplish to me, and I dislike purple. However, we may use more of it, probably the blue blue plumbago, at work because it is so resilient. It is happier there than in my own garden.
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Flag crochet is wicked, I love that. I read your rant and to be honest I feel the same way about the UK right now. What is the matter with these politicians.
Much more enjoyable is looking at yet another of your lovely arrangements
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Thank you, we have enjoyed the flag. I prefer flowers to politics any day of the week..
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Your vase is wonderful for a holiday. And such a great background too! (Did you make the flag yourself?) Politics is the same here… a bag of vagabonds running the country and we call it democracy?!!!! Have a great weekend!
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Thank you, Cathy. My mother in law crocheted the flag years ago. She was an amazing crocheter(?)
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