The heat "on" switch here has blessedly been turned off, at least for a time. We had beautiful weather this past weekend and it's expected to hang on through Thursday, after which another heatwave is expected to descend upon us. I'm going to make the most of the cooler weather while it lasts.
With the exception of 'Labyrinth', the dahlias have been stingy with their blooms thus far. I followed the advice offered by Nicholas Gitts (owner of Swan Island Dahlias) in the latest issue of Fine Gardening and applied a bloom booster fertilizer a week ago but it hasn't has a material impact as of yet. However, I do have one arrangement featuring dahlias this week.
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Dahlia 'Labyrinth' is once again stealing the show but 'Candelight' made its first appearance this week as a supporting actor
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I used what may be the last of the "green" gladiolas to dress up the back of the vase, along with a few stems of my sweet autumn clematis
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Top view
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Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlias 'Labyrinth' and 'Candlelight', Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Alstroemeria 'Inca Sunshine', Clematis terniflora, Cuphea 'Honeybells', Callistemon 'Cane's Hybrid', and Gladiolus 'Green Star'
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I made use of some of my limited collection of sunflowers for a second vase.
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I mixed the sunflowers with Rudbeckia and Cosmos
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The back view features a couple of mutant sunflowers (below the larger sunflower). I sowed seeds of Helianthus annuus 'Greenburst' and 'Ruby Eclipse' and these don't look like either but they do look much like the mutant blooms that appeared in my garden last year. Apparently mutant sunflowers are relatively common as described here.
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Top view
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Clockwise from the upper left: Rudbeckia hirta 'Denver Daisy', Helianthus annuus 'Delta Sunflower', mutant sunflowers, hybrid Helianthus 'Sunfinity', Cosmos bipinnatus, Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', and Chondropetalum elephantitum
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A few leftover blooms landed in a tiny vase on the kitchen island.
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I cut two stems of pink Eustoma grandiflorum (aka Lisianthus) for the first vase but they weren't a good match so they and a few extra stems of Callistemon 'Cane's Hybrid' ended up here
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For more IAVOM creations, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Lovely colours in the first vase. Very fetching. Your mutant sunflower actually looks like some from the 'Starburst' series. Wonder if some seeds didn't get mixed in with your other variety or a helpful animal planted them for you.
ReplyDeleteLast year I planted seed of Helianthus 'Panache' and got the same kind of mutant sunflowers with no central disc whatsoever but it could be that 'Greenburst' had some stray seeds of another type, although I note that both last year's sunflower seeds and this year's came from the same supplier and I don't recall them offering one that looks like my "mutants."
DeleteAll lovely, from the extravagant to the lowly. In fact, that last one is so sweet. I like how it allows the Callistemon blooms a little more presence.
ReplyDeleteI also grow Gladiolus 'Green Star': I wish they stayed green longer as they seem to fade into yellow too quickly.
I can't say my 'Green Star' ever looked green, even when in bud. Although I love lemon yellow, I admit I was disappointed that these blooms didn't look anything like the grower's photos.
DeleteBright and colourful vases - as always! I particularly like the second one because, I suppose, it smacks of autumn which is definitely making itself obvious to me, even though it still only the last day of August! But I love autumn, its colours, smells and change in the light. Your golden flowers reflect all of that! Thank you Kris. Amanda https://therunningwave.blogspot.com/2020/08/a-tangled-vase-on-monday.html
ReplyDeleteWith another heatwave on its way later this week, we're far from reaching autumn anytime soon, Amanda. Summer lasts well into October here.
DeleteKris, you've outdone yourself. Your first vase is gorgeous. The colors are exciting, yet so soft. It looks like a new arrangement from the back. I like your sunflowers too. I've never tried to grow them but next year...
ReplyDeleteI was worried that the gladiolas might look a little out of place in the first arrangement, Susie, so thanks for your comment. It was a matter of using them in a vase now or letting the wind take them out virtually overnight.
DeleteI did mean to make an effort to feed my dahlias this year, but haven't done so, although they have still all flowered well. The dahlias, gladioli and callistemon blend beautifully in your main vase, but I love the simplicity of the other two - the little pick one is a gem!
ReplyDeleteMy relatively stingy supply of dahlias thus far this here may well be just another byproduct of my delayed planting but I'm hoping the bloom booster gives all of them a jolt anyway.
DeleteKris, I think your Dahlia vase is painting worthy, gorgeous. Find a Dutch master to do it justice. I can't wait for a little cool weather myself.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, our cooler weather is going to be short-lived. More heat is on its way. I hope it doesn't hang on as long this go-around!
DeleteDahlias are amazing g, so beautiful they almost look unreal.
ReplyDeleteSome dahlias are more incredible than others, Lulu, but 'Labyrinth' is spectacular.
DeleteOh my! The Dahlia vase is simply fantastic! My Kris’ Plant List is growing larger and larger. Now, I want Labyrinth, as well as Cuphea 'Honeybells' and Callistemon 'Cane's Hybrid'! Enjoy the cooler days!
ReplyDeleteThat Callistemon might be a little big for your garden, Kay!
DeleteWhoa, I really LOVE the 'Labyrinth' vase - those colors work so well together - it gives me a 'happy' feeling (probably late 60s-fabric flower-power flashbacks, hehe).
ReplyDeleteGlad you've had a break from the heat, the whole west coast is overcooked between the heat and fires. Enjoy it while it lasts!
We've enjoyed the cooler weather for three days now and we should have three more before the thermometer climbs again. The inland valleys are likely to bake again but I'm hoping our marine layer will take the edge off here.
DeleteThere must be so much planning and hard work just to arrive at such a range of plants to give this amount of perfect blooms. I take my hat off to you.
ReplyDeleteTransforming my vegetable garden into a floral cutting garden transformed summer for me, Noelle. In the old days you'd be seeing succulent arrangements at this time of year.
DeleteI love those pink fluffy blooms with the dahlias. You can't go wrong with Sunflowers and rudies.
ReplyDeleteThe Callistemon has been offering a series of bloom flushes this year, Lisa. Luckily, they complement 'Labyrinth' well.
DeleteOh, isn't Labyrinth a beauty! Love that first vase in particular Kris. I do admire you for growing and tending so many beautiful flowers in your climate. Enjoy the brief break inthe heat, and I do hope you get some fresh breezes to clear the air of the forest fire smoke.
ReplyDeleteOur fire season (isn't it sad that we designate it as such?!) is a long one, Cathy. We won't count ourselves out of the woods there until the rains return in November or December.
DeleteOh...that Dahlias 'Labyrinth' arrangement is just gorgeous!
ReplyDelete'Labyrinth' set the tone - literally!
DeleteI certainly would be more than happy with a few stems of the Labyrinth dahlia - it's lovely! I wish I had mutant (or any other) sunflowers make it to the stage where I can cut them. They grow just fine, and even self-seed, but something (I have yet to figure out what), usually chews the heads right off at the stem (which is often over 1" thick!), just as they are flowering. Then I'll find a half eaten head on the ground...so annoying! Our temperatures are finally cooling down too, but that usually signals that the season is coming to an end in a month or so...gotta enjoy what I can while it lasts!
ReplyDeleteOh, too bad about the sunflowers! There are innumerable suspects in the garden when it comes to plant destruction these days. Most of my tomatoes this year went to rats it seems.
DeleteWe've had a lovely cooldown too but the forecasters tell us that a "record-breaking" heatwave is on its way.