I had a different kind of vase in mind this week but the dahlias in my cutting garden wouldn't be denied. Although I still hope I'll have them around for a few weeks yet, it feels as though they're putting on their final push looking toward the end of their season.
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| Dahlia 'Citron du Cap' was the starting point for this vase but 2 other dahlia varieties quickly got on board |
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| I hadn't planned on using the stiff Pittosporum foliage either but yesterday morning my husband went crazy trimming it to clear space for the painters we expect to start work on the outside of the house this week so it ended up here |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlias 'Citron du Cap', 'Labyrinth' and 'Terracotta', noID white Cosmos, Pittosporum tobira 'Variegata', and Tanacetum parthenium |
One vase containing dahlias wasn't enough so here's another one.
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| I was cutting Abelia for inclusion in the first vase when I decided it'd look even better with Dahlia 'Enchantress' |
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| Again, 2 additional dahlias jumped on board, along with a few foxglove stems. I pulled most of my remaining foxgloves 2 weeks ago but the 2 plants I left in place are still flowering. |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlias 'Enchantress', 'Diva' and 'Hollyhill Karen Lee', Abelia grandiflora ' Hopley's Variegated', and Digitalis purpurea |
Even after filling 2 vases, I had leftovers that landed in a third vase.
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| One of Dahlia 'Punkin Spice's' stems took a nose dive and I couldn't just leave her hanging |
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| The Coprosma was originally intended for the first vase but it got booted by the Pittosporum |
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| Clockwise from the left: Dahlia 'Punkin Spice', Zinnia elegans, and Coprosma repens 'Plum Hussey' |
For more Monday vases,
visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2019 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Unusually it it is the third vase with the orange blooms I would choose as my favourite today, Kris - a really striking little vase compared to the delicate colours of the first and the regal purples of the second. Dahlias just keep on giving, don't they?
ReplyDeleteDahlias are the saving grace of the late summer/fall garden here, Cathy!
DeleteYour garden always produces such glamorous girls for your vases Kris! Aren't they all just gorgeous! Amanda
ReplyDeleteThanks Amanda. Dahlias are very flashy, aren't they? The rest of my garden pales by comparison.
DeleteOh, so lovely. Amazing how many dahlias you grow. I adore the "sherbet" colors in that first vase. Jealous of your foxglove too!
ReplyDeleteThe foxgloves really surprised me with their persistence this year, Susie. Of course, that has a lot to do with all the water they get by virtue of placement in the cutting garden.
DeleteGreat Dahlias! A nice way to say goodbye to summer.
ReplyDeleteI hope we'll be waving goodbye to summer temperatures even before the dahlias make their final bow, HB. It was warm here today, albeit not truly toasty.
DeleteLovely dahlias, Kris. They really are rock stars in the garden– gorgeous in both color and form.
ReplyDeleteIf only dahlias had scent, they'd rule the flower world, Eliza!
DeleteBeautiful, Kris. I have two Dahlias in the garden! Plants, that is. They are rock stars. I am not expecting a Steven Tyler performance in my garden - I think you got it. I love the varigated Pittosporum in there with them it seems a bit weird but looks great. Sounds like your renovation project is coming along.
ReplyDeleteThe renovation is moving much faster than it did in the early months, Amelia, but I'm still more than ready for it to be done. Just the thought of putting the house and garden back together once the construction workers are gone is daunting.
DeleteWhat a lovely selection of dahlias Kris. I really love the last vase with the zinnia - those colours look great in the little green vase. And the Terracotta one in the first vase is gorgeous too. I think of orange as an October colour, so maybe that is why I am drawn to them today!
ReplyDeleteThe last vase of "leftovers" is my favorite this week too, Cathy. Sometimes simple is best!
DeleteWhat lovely dahlias. My Grandfather grew the prettiest dahlias and varieties I have never seen. Your beautiful bouquets remind me of him.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe it took me so long to fall under the spell of dahlias, Cindy. But then my former garden was both tiny and very, very shady. Dahlias wouldn't have been happy there.
DeleteThank you for growing dahlias so I don't have to. I was never a fan, probably because I didn't know them that well. If I ever get the gardens in shape (does that ever really happen?) maybe I'll try them. Your vases are lovely.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't into dahlias until I moved to my current larger, sunny garden, Barbara. Setting up a cutting garden was also a key factor for me - the dahlias I'd previously tried in my garden beds were kept too dry to thrive.
DeleteAll three vases are wonderful! I have never heard of Pittosporum - it has a lovely leaf. I should grab a few of the dahlias while I still can (those that haven't been munched on, that is!). Our first frost is probably not too far off after which they will be done until next year.
ReplyDeleteYour garden season is short but intense, Margaret! Pittosporum tobira is a popular foundation plant here. Ours came with the garden. I like the foliage but it has a funky scent that puts me off, which is why I seldom use it in arrangements. I prefer the varieties with smaller leaves and slender stems. I have some of those too but they're down on the back slope with the fire ants :(
DeleteAll of these gorgeous vases full of dahlias this time of year has made me think about planting a bunch of dahlias next spring. I do enjoy seeing all of yours. I imagine they get full sun in your garden.?? I will have to be very selective about where I plant them.
ReplyDeleteDahlias do want sun, Lisa. I planted one in a large pot in a shadier spot and, although it's produced a handful of blooms, it hasn't achieved the output of any of those in my cutting garden. The one in a pot also isn't watered as reliably as those in my cutting garden. While you need to be stingy with water until the tubers produce their green shoots to avoid rot, they seem to like plenty of water (a good soak 2x a week in my case) once they start blooming. They also need to be fed at least 2x in the course of the season.
DeleteSo many beautiful colors and shapes!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to miss them when they're gone.
DeleteWow, what a success your dahlias are this year. They are brilliant for vases because the more you pick the you get. Lovely to have them in so many gorgeous shades.
ReplyDeleteI need to find a way to more effectively manage their height, possibly by cutting back more of the side shoots even if it costs me some flowers. This year the plants have all gotten tall, some exceptionally tall, and those very long stems tend to take a nose dive.
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