Dahlia 'Loverboy' finally showed up on the garden scene. He looks a little diminished by comparison to his larger-than-life presence last year but maybe the lower profile is a response to tough circumstances. When seeking out others to pal around with this week, he took a long hard look at his former paramour,
Eustoma grandiflora (aka Lisianthus) but she's still blue and seemed more comfortable on her own. So he elected to hang out with his friends Otto and Edward instead.
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| Okay, those of you that followed last year's drama may note that Gomphrena 'Itsy Bitsy' managed to squeeze herself into the mix once more this year but it should be noted that, scattered and flighty as she is, she's likely to keep things light |
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| Otto, better known as Dahlia 'Otto's Thrill', seems to be of 2 minds (or, er, conjoined buds) about hanging around with 'Loverboy' |
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| On the other hand, Edward, who prefers to be addressed formally as Abelia 'Edward Goucher', gets along with everyone |
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| They look like a congenial group anyway |
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| Clockwise from the top, the group includes: Dahlia 'Loverboy', Gomphrena decumbens 'Itsy Bitsy', Dahlia 'Otto's Thrill', and Abelia grandiflora 'Edward Goucher' |
Vase #2 this week presented problems of another kind. I started out with
Dahlia 'Terracotta' and, although I kept adding other flowers and foliage to my bucket, the mix struck me as dull until I realized that
Callistemon 'Cane's Hybrid' was begging for inclusion.
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| How I missed Callistemon 'Cane's Hybrid' for as long as I did when it was waving in the breeze at me is a mystery |
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| The Callistemon helped to integrate the peachy-pink dahlias, the green lisianthus, and the silver-green cones of the Leucadendron |
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| In this photograph of the rear view, the variegated Abelia unfortunately obscured the flowers of Eustoma 'Mint Cocoa'. The brownish-green flowers of the latter are interesting but I haven't entirely warmed to them. |
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| Top view |
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Top row: Abelia grandiflora 'Hopley's Variegated', Callistemon 'Cane's Hybrid', and green Eustoma grandiflorum
Middle row: Helianthus 'Sun-Fill Green' (with the center now turning yellow), Dahlia 'Terracotta', and Leucadendron 'Pisa'
Bottom row: Eustoma grandiflorum 'Mint Cocoa', Tanacetum parthenium, and Zinnia elegans |
That's it for this week's floral drama. For more "In a Vase on Monday" stories,
visit our host, Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2018 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
I am getting to the place where I believe I will probably just repeat what I have said before about your arrangements. Two great arrangement with lovely blooms...perfect.
ReplyDeleteThanks Noelle! It's always good to hear from you.
DeleteBoth are beauties, glad the Callistemon finally caught your attention and happy to see Loverboy back on the scene.
ReplyDeleteThis is the largest flush of bloom I've seen on this Callistemon yet. I'm thrilled with it.
DeleteHave we seen those green eustoma before? It is really pretty, and although I have grown some gomphrena from seed it is not as pretty nor as useful as your Itsy Bitsy. Good to see your pink callistemon as I have one this colour in a pot in the new greenhouse and it s now in bud so I am hopeful of blooms soon. Thanks for sharing all of yours and ps hope Loverboy behaves himself this year!
ReplyDeleteI featured the green Eustoma in my late July vase with the 'black Pearl' variety, which may have overshadowed it. Best wishes with your Callistemon - mine is an exuberant plant so I hope you can control yours in a pot! As to 'Loverboy', he's minding his manners thus far ;)
DeleteWith ‘Loverboy’ in the title I wasn’t sure if you were going to feature a flower or a tomato!
ReplyDeleteIs there a 'Loverboy' tomato?! I Googled it and the search just turned up a Loverboy bar in NYC.
DeleteGorgeous dahlias, it's good to see them all back again. I think they are worth all the effort we have to put in. (You probably don't need to do all the lifting and storing). I bought a darker pink Abelia but lost in the cold winds early in the year. I'll have to try again.
ReplyDeleteI don't have to lift and store them in our climate, Alison, but I do it anyway so I can manage both my cutting garden space (small) and the dahlias' water requirements. The tubers would rot if I kept them in my raised planters year-round as those get watered much more than the tubers want in their off-seasons while the beds in my larger garden don't get watered enough to suit their needs when they're in flower.
DeleteGomphrena 'Itsy Bitsy' is a star for me; I grew white Gomphrena last year and was very pleased with it so bought a mixed pack of seeds for this year too. The coloured variety is nice but hasn't grown as prolifically as the white. The colours int he second vase are perfect.
ReplyDeleteGomphrena 'Itsy Bitsy' is a perennial here. I think it would bloom year-round if I didn't cut it back hard. It was close to 6 feet tall last year when I finally hacked it back by 2/3rds and of course it flops all over. It hasn't self-sown, though, so at least it doesn't make a pest of itself.
DeleteI really need to try that Gomphrena and Edward Goucher is a great addition to the soap story. I really love the first vase. Going to check out your Bromeliad post!
ReplyDeleteThe Gomphrena is something of a marvel here, Amelia. As I mentioned to Christina, it's a perennial in our climate. I can't remember ever seeing it in my local garden centers, though. I got mine by mail order from Annie's Annuals & Perennials.
DeleteYou've got a great eye for combining colors that complement, Kris. Dahlias are such great additions to a vase; aside from those, I'm still loving G. 'Itsy-Bitsy' and the new Eustoma 'Mint Cocoa.'
ReplyDeleteI've still got mixed feelings about Eustoma 'Mint Cocoa', Eliza. It's a most unusual color and looks a bit awkward in my borders. I have to find the right placement for it.
DeleteNice bouquets. I love Itsy Bitsy. It makes things look lively. I also like the pink bottle brush looking blooms. They look so delicate.
ReplyDelete'Itsy Bitsy' does add an airy touch to an arrangement - nothing in my garden does that as well as this Gomphrena. I'm very pleased with Callistemon 'Cane's Hybrid' too - it's much more refined than the red bottle brushes that dominated gardens in the neighborhood I grew up in.
DeleteBeautiful vases with all those dahlias....I also love the Gomphrena in the vase!
ReplyDelete'Itsy Bitsy' may be little, Donna, but she's all over the place!
DeleteBoth bouquets are gorgeous. I don't have nearly that variety of flowers in my garden at this late stage of summer. Very impressive.
ReplyDeleteI've been watering a LOT this past 6 weeks, Cindy. Water and mulch are what get me through the summer.
DeleteVase 2 is my fave this week.I think is that green Eustoma that sealed it for me.
ReplyDeleteI adore that green Eustoma, Kathy. I wish I'd bought more plants when I found these. The plugs I planted last year didn't return to bloom a second year but I'm hoping I can baby these into hanging on for another bloom season. Thus far, the only "local" garden center I've found that offers them is Roger's in OC.
DeleteYou have such choice despite challenging conditions. How do you manage Kris? I love that green Eustoma grandiflorum and the Eustoma grandiflorum 'Mint Cocoa', both wonderful. It's exciting to see your vases every week.
ReplyDeleteI've been watering more this summer than I usually do, Susie, although I'm trying to do that more intelligently than I have in the past. Deep-watering selected beds by hand every 7 to 10 days seems to be the ticket and, thus far at least, I've managed to stay well under the water limits set by our service provider. Lots of mulch helps too!
DeleteHaving feared that Loverboy had perished during the winter, I was relieved to see him making an appearance in today's vase. Looks like he's having a grand time with his pals Otto and Edward being entertained by Itsy Bitsy. I do hope Lisanthus overcomes her depression (She always looked a bit blue) and feels like hanging out with the gang again soon. Do you think she and Loverboy could rekindle their former relationship or do you think they should just be friends?
ReplyDeleteSometimes a flower has to wave at you and say, "here I am!" Both vases are fab as always!
Loverboy's little brother was a heavy drinker and succumbed to rot but big bro is still going strong and his offspring, left behind when he moved to his winter digs, made a surprise appearance this summer so there may be a second generation Loverboy in the mix next year! As to Blue Lisianthus and Loverboy, I think they may follow separate paths this season but then hearts can be fickle so you never know...
DeleteI was missing this Drama! Dahlias are so beautiful and so are Eustomas, I tried to find Eustomas here but no one seem to know them :( Have a wonderful week!
ReplyDeleteMost Eustomas are sold by their common name of Lisianthus, MDN. They seem to be easier to find in dry areas, which may be why you can't find them in your area!
DeleteBeautiful, as usual!! I do love a dahlia and some gomphrena!
ReplyDeleteThis Gomphrena has become a favorite even though it's so exuberant it can be scary.
DeleteLove, love, love dahlias but have never had the nerve to grow them. You've inspired me and also reminded me that their beautiful colors are worth the effort. Eustoma grandiflorum 'Mint Cocoa' is a stunner and goes so well with the terracotta dahlia; an artist's palette to be sure.
ReplyDeleteI never had any success with dahlias until I started growing them in my cutting garden, CD. That area gets more water than anywhere else. While the tubers like to be kept dry once the plants die back until early spring, they like lots of water during their growing season. I've been lifting and storing my tubers in the late fall and replanting in April, even though that's not technically required by the climate here - it just works for me from a water management perspective.
Delete