Decades ago (no need to discuss how many) I spent the summer in Cortona, Italy with an Arts Studies Abroad Program. This time of year usually causes me to reminisce about riding around on a bus listening to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and eating pasta. For the life of me I could not remember the Italian word for summer – L’ Estate.
Summer has dropped its full load on South Florida this week. The skies are black with thunderstorms this afternoon and we have had ‘feels like’ temperatures over 100 F this week. No need to discuss humidity, my husband refers to this as ‘Africa hot’.
The vase was done in all hot colors in honor of the arrival of L’ Estate.
The close up:
In orange, Firebush (Hamelia patens) sets the tone for the vase. A few bits of Licorice Plants are the grey, fuzzy foliage. Chartreuse foliage is from an unnamed coleus, the gift that keeps on giving.
White flowers to cool things down are from the White Geiger tree (Cordia boisseri); varigated foliage is from Piecrust Croton (Codieum varigatum) and a few Lady Di Heliconias (Heliconia psittacorum) are in red and yellow. The vase is a florist orphan.
Sitting in an air conditioned space listening to Vivaldi seems like a really good idea right about now. Maybe for several months.
Visit Cathy at ramblinginthegarden to see what other gardeners are popping into their vases.
Happy Gardening!
The Shrub Queen 
‘Africa hot’ sounds like an extreme weather condition… well-named. You have my sympathies. 😉 ‘L`Estate’ is the time you envy my weather and winter is when I envy yours!
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This from someone who has never been to Africa! Yes, coming to Boston in June and was astonished at high temps of 80, sounds divine. I will probably be cold.
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If there is an onshore breeze, you might be downright chilly!
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I am absolutely blown away by this tropical vase….perfect for your tropical climate. One I can visit but not stay in for long.
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Thank you. I was in Boston in January and did not stay long!
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You have a nice selection of hot colors. My Hamelia hasn’t bloomed yet as it had to come up from its roots after the freeze this year. We are also hot and humid and many here are still without power.
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Thanks. Firebush is amazingly hardy. One of my nephews is still without power and moved for the duration!
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This is exquisite, so wonderful!
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Thank you, Tracy.
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Your posts are teaching me a lot about the value of adding white to arrangements featuring oranges and reds, Amelia. The white touches add a cooling element that makes the oranges stand out in ways I hadn’t discovered. I’m sorry that the heat and humidity has ramped up that much already – while our (currently perpetual and persistent) morning marine layer sets our days off to a gloomy start until mid-to-late afternoon, at least it keeps our temperatures down.
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Thanks, Kris. I like white and chartreuse with orange, there may be a color theory thing going on there. A marine layer sounds great!
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You have a unique style to your arrangements which I just love. Good luck beating the weather.
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Thank you Susie..I enjoy creating the vases.
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Summers in both Italy and Florida are both alien concepts to me (and concepts I don’t especially want to experience, it has to be said… 🤣), but I am more than happy to share your vase instead. In the first picture the heliconia bloom almost looked the unfolding wings of a butterfly, amking me scroll through the post to see if it was – it wasn’t! The really helps to cool down the hot colours but I daresay It won’t be as easy for you to cool down your African hot…
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Very true the only solution to summer is winter ❄️
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Oh dear, I hope your pretty arrangement has a cooling effect Amelia. The white really does look like ice among the fire. 😉 Thank goodness you have air-conditioning! Does it cool down at night? I suspect gardening takes a back seat in summer.
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Thanks feeling cooler! I couldn’t stay here without air conditioning. It cools off nicely at night until mid morning and then it’s time to go inside. I’m trying to get everything pruned back for the summer.
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From someone for whom hot weather is a problem, I can still look at this vase full of wonderful tropical blooms and enjoy it. Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Gads! It is too early for that sort of weather! I left Arizona before it got too warm, although, by my standards, it was weirdly warm for the beginning of May. Even if it had gotten warm, it would not have been humid. Of course, although more comfortable for people, dry warmth ruins flowers.
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Arizona is too hot for me!
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It would be for Rhody and me also, but we left before that happened.
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