The dahlias in my cutting garden are still relatively plentiful but, as many of the new blooms are side shoots growing on slender stems, they tend to collapse before I'm ready to cut them. Hence my decision to stuff my vase with the flowers of three different dahlias.
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| Dahlia 'Punkin Spice' got the starring role |
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| The back of the vase was filled out with Dahlias 'Terracotta' and 'Labyrinth' |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia 'Punkin Spice', Duranta repens 'Gold Mound', Leucadendron salignum 'Chief', Dahlia 'Labyrinth', D. 'Terracotta', and Zinnia elegans |
In search of additional flowers for that first vase, I paid my first visit to my back slope in a month or more. It's a mess and it needed tending well before now but, after two run-ins in a row with fire ants down there, I kept finding excuses to avoid the area. Piles of lemons are rotting under the tree, which is seriously in need of harvesting, and burned-out
Centranthus and other plants are in need of pruning. I made a start before turning to attention to the flowering crossvine that drew me down there in the first place.
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| Flowers of the crossvine (Bignonia capreolata) open with a tangerine color but quickly turn pinkish and I decided they'd look better with Dahlia 'Otto's Thrill' than the vivid red-orange of 'Punkin Spice' |
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| Back view: I filled out the vase with pink zinnias and the flowers of what I think is English ivy (Hedera helix). The ivy is an invasive pest in Southern California. I'm constantly cutting the plants that creep across our property line on the south side, as well as the ivy on my upper slope, inherited with the garden. |
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| Top view: The crossvine is also a pest. While its massive trunk sits on our property, it was planted by a neighbor long before we purchased the property and it's woven through her fencing. The flowers are pretty but the vine is a monster to control. |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia 'Otto's Thrill', Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Hedera flowers, Bignonia capreolata (aka crossvine), and pink varieties of Zinnia elegans |
I hope to get back to work on the back slope today or tomorrow while our temperatures are on the cool side. The roofers will be back today and the painters are expected to be back to finish spray-lacquering my kitchen cabinets as well - facing the fire ants may well be preferable to their combined auditory assault.
For more IAVOM creations,
visit our host, Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2019 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
What loveliness! I am always amazed at your variety of flowers that never seem to end. I have maybe 2-3 kinds of flowers blooming right now, and those are looking rather pitiful from the continuing heat and lack of rain.
ReplyDeleteBD (before dahlias) my late summer garden didn't have much to offer in the way of flowers, Cindy, despite the fact the coastal Southern California generally allows year-round gardening. My cutting garden made a big difference. That said, the foliage on my dahlias is looking downright sad as the season nears its end.
DeleteTwo very pretty arrangements...I am impressed by the lovely foliage too.
ReplyDeleteThanks Noelle. I was surprised when I realized I hadn't used the Leucadendron foliage much, if at all, this season.
DeleteYour gorgeous dahlias don't looked stuffed at all! They are fabulous. Beautiful colours, and the zinnias. Just delicious - as always! Amanda https://therunningwave.blogspot.com/2019/09/mellow-fruitfulness-in-vase-on-monday.html
ReplyDeleteI did cram a lot into that first vase, Amanda, but I'm glad it didn't come off as over-stuffed!
DeleteI enjoyed your stuffing!
ReplyDeleteThanks Lisa!
DeleteI can't imagine harvesting lemons! I have a small lemon tree I grew from a pip. It's never even produced a flower but I live in hope! Your dahlias are stunning as usual. Such fabulous colours. I'm afraid mine have suffered from a lot of rain damage in the last week. I'm hoping that won't be the end of them and I can still use them. Fingers crossed.
ReplyDeleteFlorida is now known as the US's citrus capital but California has a long history as citrus-country too, Alison. My lemon tree, inherited with the garden, normally bears fruit year round - except when we're hit by a horrific heatwave, which can cause all the fruit to drop nearly overnight. This summer has been moderate relative to most in recent years.
DeleteOf course it is. Mine, of course is in a pot and has to come inside for the winter. Currently it's lying on it's side having been blown over by wind and heavy rain! Not quite the same climate.
DeleteI hope your lemon tree surprises your one day, Alison!
DeleteOh, those invasive plants - aren't they a pain? Fire ants - another invasive pain that we have where I live, too. Your flowers are as lovely as always. Hope the back slope adventure goes well. I hope to get back into my woods this winter if winter, or even fall, ever comes! Still in the 90s and grateful for the cool mornings, even though they turn into blistering hot afternoons.
ReplyDeleteI got bit by something on my first round down on the back slope but they don't have the tell-tale look of fire ant stings. Nonetheless, I've added more precautions.
DeleteWe're experiencing a touch of fall - we even got 5/100ths of an inch of rain on Saturday - but I don't have any illusions that it's going to hold. October is usually a volatile weather month here. I hope you get relief from the heat soon, Barbara.
Thanks Kris, next week is looking hopeful. I've used mentholated chest rub on fire ant bites and it has worked well for me. Pretty amazing, actually.
DeleteThat's interesting. I noticed that spraying the affected stings with really hot water in the shower provided some relief too, if only temporarily. I've been using a Benadryl extra-strength gel but it isn't 100% effective either. I'll try the mentholated rub!
DeleteSO pretty!
ReplyDeleteThanks Sue!
DeleteOK, coveting your Dahlias, side shoots or not..and I haven't seen a Crossvine in years and years. Do you like the Goldmound Duranta, it grows here, but I don't have any...fire ants were keeping me away from some things as well, the exterminator was here and they are so gone I almost feel sorry for saying anything.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with that Duranta is that it seems no one is able to accurately estimate its mature size, Amelia. The first one I bought years ago said it'd grow to 3x3 feet - and it grew 8 feet tall, even when pruned regularly. I have others that have remained small but I keep a watchful eye on them.
DeleteSimply gorgeous arrangements, Kris. You have such a great eye for color. My favorites this week are Dahlia 'Pumpkin Spice' and 'Labyrinth' and everything in the second vase!
ReplyDeleteHave you ever tried sprinkling corn grits on the fire ant mounds? My sister used to live in FL and that was her cure. They eat the grits, which expand inside them and well...you know. ;)
Corn grits - it's worth a try, Eliza. Fire ant stings aren't trivial!
DeleteYour arrangements are stunning Kris and the Dahlias are beautiful! The color on the Pumpkin Spice one is gorgeous!
ReplyDelete'Punkin Spice' and 'Diva', both late bloomers, are my favorite dahlias this year, Lee.
DeleteDalia-stuffing is allowed and even encouraged! Gorgeous Kris. We're had a problem with fire ants over the years too. Sorry you're having to contend with them.
ReplyDeleteI didn't think fire ants had made it to SoCal - until I got these weird bites (actually stings). It turns out, they're here!
DeleteVery pretty! It's not possible to have too many dahlias. :o)
ReplyDeleteI agree, Tammy, although it is possible to run out of places to put them. I saw a post on IG about a flower farmer who was using grow-bags for hers, cramming a lot of dahlias into a relatively small space. I'm tempted to try that next year.
DeleteStuffed to the Gills for the win! Actually I like them both, but seriously, a vase full of flowers is always welcome. Our next door neighbors are in the midst of a kitchen remodel, and while they're at it they've added two egress windows to the basement. Lordy! Talk about an auditory assault, and it isn't even my project....
ReplyDeleteI've learned that a remodel can be incredibly loud, as well as dirty, smelly, and destructive, Loree. I've never gone through anything like this before. All prior home improvement projects have been done by my husband on a more limited basis. I can tell you, this will be my last major remodel. And to think I scoffed when a friend told me it'd be easier to go buy another house...
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