The title of this post has less to do with my mental state than the fact that, at long last, Dahlia 'Gitts Crazy' has bloomed, earning it the starring role in my first arrangement. The dahlia was planted during the latter part of April, late based on my usual practice, but not as late as others that bloomed much earlier. I'd nearly given up on it when it finally budded out.
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I sacrificed several nascent buds to cut the first blooming stem of 'Gitts Crazy' but, as its season is going to be relatively short, that seemed a better approach than sacrificing the bloom while waiting for those buds to mature
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I filled the arrangement out with stems of Dahlia 'Labyrinth', which has continued to be generous with its blooms. The 'Labyrinth' and 'Gitts Crazy' tubers were planted on the same date.
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Top view
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Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlias 'Gitts Crazy' and 'Labyrinth', Abelia grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope', Auranticarpa rhombifolium, Calliandra haematocephala, Correa 'Sister Dawn', and Zinnia elegans 'Queen Lime Blush'
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My usual fall bloomers have recently shown up too, chief among them the bush violet (
Barleria obtusa). Since it made its first appearance with a few stray blooms last week, it's moved into high gear. Each stem bears literally dozens of buds. No single bloom lasts long but even those still in bud open gradually after the stem is cut, extending the show.
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Barleria obtusa was the inspiration for this arrangement but Dahlia 'Iceberg' is nudging everything else into supporting roles
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Back view: I used variegated mint bush (Prostanthera ovalifolia) to lighten up the darker foliage of the bush violet. Mint bush produces beautiful purple blooms in the spring but I grow it for its wonderful foliage.
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Top view
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Clockwise from the left: Barleria obtusa, Dahlia 'Iceberg', Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata', and Eustoma grandiflorum (aka Lisianthus)
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For more arrangements created by contributors from materials on hand in their gardens, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Lovely Kris. I like Dahlia 'Gitts Crazy' especially with the companions you chose an the arrangement is lovely from all directions. The zinnias in the overhead shot looks great. The second vase is gorgeous too.
ReplyDeleteThanks Susie. When I first saw 'Gitts Crazy' unfolding I wasn't sure what was going to sit well with it but 'Labyrinth' and the Zinnias worked well. I'm hoping I'll have a larger mass of 'Gitts Crazy' on its next run.
DeleteGorgeous. Love how the pinks in Labyrinth and Gitts Crazy complement each other. Can't beat dahlias for cut flowers.
ReplyDeleteThat pairing was a welcome surprise, Elaine. On first pass, I thought 'Labyrinth' might be too pink to make a good match.
DeleteI as really surprised when I swthe top view of the fisrt vase, as there were blooms than seemed apparent in the earlier view - the foliage and blooms must be really well-balanced to give that effect. The contrast of colours on the petals of your new dahlia are really attractive - shame you won't be able to apreciate for too long! Love the blue and whites too, as always!
ReplyDeleteHopefully, I can get all my dahlia tubers in the ground much earlier next year, giving 'Gitts Crazy' a longer run.
DeleteAs delightful as ever, Kris, I'm glad that it's just the dahlia that's going crazy. Here it's the other way around! Gitts Crazy is a beauty and you've set it off to perfection. Take care, Annette
ReplyDeleteOh, there's plenty to make one mentally crazy here, Annette. I just do better at tuning out the noise some days than others.
DeleteBoth vases are beautiful! It’s too bad that my Gitt’s Crazy never bloomed, but perhaps I should not give up. It is a stunning Dahlia! Labyrinth and Abelia ‘Kaleidoscope’ do complement Gitt’s Crazy perfectly. Auranticarpa rhombifolium is a new one for me.
ReplyDeleteI also love the foliage of the Mint bush which is another plant I am unfamiliar with. I don’t remember you using the vase before, but the colors in it blend wonderfully with the purple Lisianthus and Barleria!
Have a wonderful week!
I think it was the repeated applications of bloom booster (3 weeks apart) that finally prompted those buds on 'Gitts Crazy', Kay. Next time I grow it, I'll use that earlier in its growing period (after the tuber sprouts) to see if it makes a difference. Armstrong has the mint bush ;) In my experience, it's relatively short-lived (2-3 years) but does okay with adequate water and partial shade. I've got one in the ground and 3 in pots.
DeleteI really like that two toned Crazy. It might should have been called Lazy since it was slow to start blooming. Worth the wait I say. Happy IAVOM.
ReplyDeleteIt WAS a lazy dahlia, Lisa! I think it wants frequent applications of a bloom booster fertilizer before it shows its face.
Delete'Gitts Crazy' is well worth waiting for, IMO. Love the dark pink reverse. But it lags behind 'Labyrinth' by nearly a month, wow!
ReplyDeleteBarleria is a favorite of mine, looking forward to seeing more of it. :)
'Labyrinth' and 'Gitts Crazy' were planted on the same date (April 25th) but 'Labyrinth' produced its first blooms in mid-August, while "Gitts' has only just done so. That's a 2-month lag! Even if the latter blooms it's head off for the next couple of weeks, it won't come near to producing the number of blooms as 'Labyrinth' this year.
DeleteYou have all sorts of wonderful things in your first vase! That lovely dahlia and all the other delightful goodies sitting around her - just great! I love the correa and the zinnias too! And the second vase. You spoil us every week with the abundance in your garden! Thank you! Amanda
ReplyDeleteI love that Correa too. I'm fond of most plants in that genus but the flowers of 'Sister Dawn' are wonderful in my view.
DeleteBoth vases are lovely Kris. I was going to say I love all the purple and green together best, but then I realized it was a "toss up" between them. I am already envying you for your vast selection of blooms as ours fade. But, on the bright side, we've had 2 days and nights of nice steady rain. Much needed as we head into winter. With our lack of rain this year, I had forgotten how much I love a nice rainy day.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely week.
We go so long without rain under even "normal" circumstances, I always find rainy days a joy. I envy your steady rainfall. We have a 20% chance of light rain this coming weekend but no one I know is laying odds on that becoming a reality.
DeleteI was relieved to read the title of this post isn't about your mental state :-D
ReplyDeleteThat Crazy bloom is stunning and well worth the effort. You definitely have the touch when it comes to Dahlias. The second arrangement wins points for how well it goes with the vase. And the toad...
Getting my vote in and subsequently reducing my news exposure by about half has greatly improved my mental state ;) I'm preparing to let go of the dahlias in stages - I may dig up some tubers as early as this week. All their foliage looks worse and worse as the marine layer and warm (albeit not hot!) temperatures continue to promote mildew in my cutting garden. 'Gitts Crazy' will get more time and 'Labyrinth' too - and it looks like the last blooming hold-out, Dahlia 'Rancho', has finally produced a couple of buds as well.
Delete"Crazy" has great subtle autumn colors, and you've played them up nicely with its companions.
ReplyDelete'Crazy' has lots of buds so I hope I'll have more blooms for at least a couple of weeks yet. I just detected the first buds on Dahlia 'Rancho' (planted in early May from a late tuber delivery) at last too! I believe its flowers are orange but it's been so long since I ordered the tuber (mid-December 2019), I really don't have a clear memory of what it looks like.
DeleteReally love the orange and lemon dahlia combination Kris! And glad to hear that you are not going crazy, although it would be very understandable what with the world situation right now! ;-)
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to tune out a lot of the political news now that I've already cast my vote in advance of the election day. It isn't easy, though :(
DeleteGreat vases as always.'Gitts Crazy' was well worth waiting for Kris. It looks a most appealing soft orange. The bush violet reminds me of a campanula. Is it a relation?
ReplyDeleteThe bush violet is a South African native and apparently part of the Acanthus family.
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