After a VERY long wait, Dahlia 'Iceberg' has produced its first blooms just as the other dahlias in my garden are finishing up. I pulled several dahlias out of my cutting garden on Saturday, dumping those I don't intend to store as tubers through the winter. I'm already late in planting the bulbs and sowing the seeds for my cool season flower garden and I need to free up space, especially as it now seems summer may have given up its hold on my part of the country.
 |
| The 'Iceberg' blooms, about 6 inches in diameter and not fully open, were so heavy I had to shorten their stems to allow the vase to support their weight |
 |
| Back view: My bush violets (Barleria obtusa) serve as the arrangement's main filler. The shrubs are only now beginning their annual bloom cycle. |
 |
| Top view |
 |
| Clockwise from the upper left: Angelonia 'Archangel White', Barleria obtusa, Dahlia 'Iceberg', Lavandula multifida, Myrtus communis 'Compacta', and Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata' |
My second arrangement couldn't be more different from the first, at least in terms of color. Dahlia 'Gitt's Crazy' is still pumping out a steady supply of flowers, eclipsing even 'Enchantress', which has dramatically slowed down with respect to its floral output over the past two weeks.
 |
| I have to admit I didn't envision combining Dahlia 'Gitt's Crazy' with wine-colored Zinnia until I placed the two up next to one another. As temperatures have gotten cooler, the gold tones of 'Gitt's Crazy' have become less prominent than the raspberry tones, making the match seem more reasonable. What do you think? Do I need my eyes examined? |
 |
| Back view: I hadn't planned on incorporating Dahlia 'Akita' in the arrangement either; however, its color is now less red and more pink than it was earlier in the season. 'Akita' has only one more partially open flower so this is probably its IAVOM swan song for the season. I intend to save tubers of both 'Gitt's Crazy' and 'Akita' to plant next year. |
 |
| Top view |
 |
| Clockwise from the upper left: Colenema pulchellum 'Sunset Gold', Dahlia 'Akita', D. 'Gitt's Crazy', Plectranthus scuttellariodes 'Dragon Heart' (coleus), Prunus caroliniana, and Zinnia elegans 'Benary's Giant Wine' |
As I finish this post, the service I use to track local weather predicts a 100% chance of rain today. The trailing end of the extreme weather system that hit the northern part of the state, variously described as a "bomb cyclone" and an "atmospheric river," is expected to reach my part of Southern California by mid-day; however, it's not expected to pack the punch it unleashed on Northern California. We're projected to get just one-third of an inch of rain here. What I've read about the impact of climate change on California unfortunately seems to be bearing out: we'll continue to experience extended periods of severe drought, punctuated by periodic, potentially destructive, atmospheric rivers, creating flash floods and mudslides, especially in areas previously hit by wildfires.
For more IAVOM posts, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2021 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
What treasure and you've matched the colours with the vase very well. Following weather is a passtime of mine too, and we are also having very contrasting weather. That coleus is striking.
ReplyDeleteThe coleus was an impulse buy I stuck in my cutting garden to use as an accent plant in arrangements, Noelle. As the cutting garden gets more water than any other area, it's very happy!
DeleteThat second arrangement is fabulous! I love the colors and the use of the coleus was inspired. Well done! As for the weather I hope the rain exceeds the predictions.
ReplyDeleteI knew the second arrangement would appeal to you, Loree ;) So far, we've received just 0.07/inch of rain but the main front is expected around noon, which is still 45 minutes away...
DeleteI am missing some of your pictures today, Kris, but that doesn't seem to be the case with other commenters �� I can at least see you have those pretty bush violets alongside the gorgeous white dahlias... I will try to check back later and see if I can see the rest
ReplyDeleteI had problems viewing some of the photos myself earlier this morning, Cathy. I've also had spotty results viewing a few photos of other bloggers this morning. My guess was that it might have something to do with the storm moving through California but I'm a little surprised it'd impair views by readers outside my coastal area. Sometimes, if you click on the tiny icon in the corner of the frame that should display a photo, you can view the photo in another screen, hitting the escape (esc) button to return to the post afterwards.
DeleteI love D. 'Iceberg' and it looks beautiful in your vase. The dahlias and zinnias pair well together in your second vase too. Really great colors together. The coleus pulls everything together. We had about 5 drops of rain then the sun came out. Glad you will be getting some today.
ReplyDeleteThanks Susie. The rain here seems to have come to a full stop after having dropped 0.07/inch but I'm hoping that's temporary. I'm going out to do some work in the garden now - maybe that'll bring a downpour!
DeleteBoth your arrangements are beautiful, Kris, beautifully different. The Iceberg dahlia is so fresh looking but the colours of Gitt's Crazy and Akita are stunning. And the coleus is really lovely too. We're expecting the extremes of weather here in Scotland you're experiencing where you are. Without a doubt something has to be done so let's hope the upcoming COP26 will lead to real action.
ReplyDeleteI hope the COP26 can mount some real enthusiasm for change throughout the world, Elizabeth. At the moment, I'm not very impressed by the actions (or I should say, inaction) by the US Congress.
DeleteAnother gorgeous set of Dahlias, Kris. I think they were worth the wait and love the color combinations in both vases the coleus and the bits of chartruese set the colors off beautifully. Wishing you a nice, gentle bomb free rain.
ReplyDeleteThis rainstorm had its moments even here in the southern part of the state, Amelia, but it seems to have come and gone without delivering a disaster, at least in the local area. Our rain total from the storm was 4/10ths of an inch, which isn't to bad by our (low) standards.
DeleteBeautiful Dahlias. I'm so jealous, because mine were too shaded this summer so I didn't get many blooms. Gorgeous arrangements, too. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Beth. Dahlias do like a lot of sun. The light shade may have been a factor in delaying 'Iceberg's' blooms. Bloom booster fertilizer also helps a LOT.
DeleteBoth arrangements are beautiful, Kris! I'm happy to see Barleria again, it is a favorite. And the combination you created in the second is perfect. I love the way the coleus and 'Gitt's Crazy' play off of each other. I'll miss 'Akita' ... it put on a good show this year.
ReplyDeleteIt seems the weather gods are kicking up a few storms for us. The landslides and flooding out your way are pretty grim. And tomorrow we're expecting a big storm as well. We can only hope for the best, praying that there isn't too much wind to down trees and power lines. Life is one thing right after another!
Many of the west coast's weather eccentricities do seem to move east, morphing as they go. I understand that the Midwest is experiencing a lot of tornadoes. I hope the pending storm moves through your area peacefully.
DeleteThanks, Kris. We got off easy, but the coastal areas got hit hard with half a million homes without power. Very little wind and only a couple inches that did come down in buckets, grateful!
DeleteThat dahlia/zinnia/coleus combination is brilliant in every way, I think. The wine centers of the coleus leaves are fabulous. I'm curious how much sun they get?
ReplyDeleteYour Iceberg dahlias are scrumptious and work so well with the Barleria. (Sadly I had to leave my earlier garden before the Barleria really took hold.)
I hope the storm system gives you more rain before it heads out. We've been given a 20% chance of rain tonight and tomorrow, but so far all we've had is wind.
That coleus is partially shaded (by another plant) but it gets more sun than I've traditionally given that species of plants. Ample water may be a factor - that coleus is in my well-watered cutting garden.
DeleteWe got 0.4/inch of rain, slightly more than forecast for our area. The garden got a good soak, though, and I estimate I collected 288 gallons of water among my 3 rain tanks. Not too bad for our first real rain in many months!
Such a pretty Dahlia, with the touch of purple in the center of all the white. The Barleria is really pretty--do you recommend it?
ReplyDeleteThe other arrangement is very dramatic--good for autumn.
We got about 0.4", so not bad. Hope you got a good amount.
Have had problems trying to comment lately--have not been able to do it. We'll see if this one makes it...
Hooray, it worked!
DeleteWe got the same amount of rain. 0.4 inches. Although I always hope for more, I was pleased.
DeleteThe Barleria is a nice plant but it's also a prolific self-seeder. The seedlings are easy to pull up if caught early; however, it's sneaky about where it plants itself. I'm assuming birds may aid its movement as I can't always explain where it ends up. If you'd like, I can save you some seeds and/or some seedlings. I've never seen the plant in local garden centers - this is another one I originally picked up at my local botanic garden years ago.
I'm sorry to hear about the problem with commenting! I really don't understand those periodic flukes, especially when poster and commentator are using the same platform.
We were promised rain next week ... but the forecast has melted away to almost nothing after all.
ReplyDeleteYes, sadly, that happens all too often here too.
Delete