My dahlias and zinnias are pushing out blooms at a faster pace now with the end of their season looming. It's been very hot again since last Thursday so I cut most of what was looking presentable on Sunday morning, mixing varieties, some more successfully than others.
The first arrangement consists of flowers in fruit sherbet colors.
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| This mix included Dahlias 'Summer's End', 'Break Out', and 'Cafe au Lait'. It'll be interesting to see if 'Break Out' turns pinker after being cut. 'Cafe au Lait' is still producing deformed blooms. One flower in the garden has petals only on one side. |
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| Back view: I hate to see the zinnias go but the mildew is awful. More than half of my zinnia plants went into the refuse bin when I finished cutting flowers Sunday morning. |
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| Top view |
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Top row: Abelia 'Kaleidoscope', Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', and Eriocapitella hupehensis (aka Japanese anemone)
Middle row: Dahlias 'Break Out', Cafe au Lait', and 'Summer's End'
Bottom row: Zinnias 'Benary's Giant Salmon Rose', 'Queen Lime Orange', and 'Senora' |
The second arrangement, featuring fiery-colored dahlias, provides a strong contrast to the first one.
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| The Dahlia 'Akita' used as a centerpiece has more yellow than the plant's prior blooms, which sported cream highlights. I managed to include one flowering stem of Dahlia 'Waltzing Mathilda', marking its IAVOM debut. |
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| The back view was dressed up using Grevillea 'Superb', a year-round bloomer here |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Grevillea 'Superb', Leucadendron salignum 'Chief', L. 'Safari Sunset', Dahlia 'Akita', and D. 'Waltzing Mathilda' |
The last arrangement was thrown together to make use of the dahlia sold as 'Penhill Dark Monarch', which it almost certainly is not. I was afraid the bloom wouldn't make it through another hot day without its heavy head toppling over. The arrangement could've used an infusion of lighter-colored materials but, as the morning got warmer and warmer, I decided I was done.
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| I picked this vase specifically to hold up the heavy dahlia bloom but it still faces downward |
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| I used another dahlia, 'Enchantress', to dress up the back. Although there are fuchsia tones in both dahlias, I don't really care for the combination of the two. |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Abelia grandiflora 'Hopley's Variegated, Correa 'Ivory Bells' (aka Australian fuchsia), Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', Dahlia 'Enchantress', Zinnia 'Benary's Giant Wine', and Dahlia '(Not) Penhill Dark Monarch' |
Visit our IAVOM host, Cathy at Rambling in the Garden, for more arrangements created from materials contributors have on hand in their gardens.
All material © 2012-2021 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Your first vase is a stunner, Kris. So far my D. 'Break Out' has remained rather subtle. Your have so many great plants that work well together. I like D. 'Waltzing Mathilda' with all the other fiery colors.
ReplyDeleteSo far the 'Break Out' bloom I cut yesterday has also retained its soft appearance, Susie. Maybe the stage at which the bloom is cut is a controlling factor.
DeleteOh! I thought I liked the sherbet, but then you throw fire at me and bam! I'm in love. It's fabulous.
ReplyDeleteIf you were to grow one dahlia, Loree, I think 'Akita' might be the one for you. The blooms are huge, complex, and variable enough to remain interesting.
DeleteWhat a shame about the mildew... �� Your first vase is defintely a tongue-tingling sherbert mix but I especially enjoyed the dark stems of your last vase that support the Dark Monarch
ReplyDeleteOnce the mildew starts on the zinnias, it seems unstoppable. Next year I'll try an organic fungicide early in the season to see if I can control it. At least the dahlias don't seem much affected (yet).
DeleteGorgeous colors today, I love the sherbets..so pretty together. Hope cooler weather finds you soon. ugh, mildew.
ReplyDeleteThe mildew seems particularly bad this year, Amelia, but that may be an impression based on the fact that the zinnias (and dahlias) were so slow to reach peak bloom this year. The mildew's impact was certainly ill-timed. I'm usually pulling my plants out in October but, with some plants only recently budding out, I was hoping to keep them going into November.
DeleteEnd of summer mildew woes I can empathize with totally. So bad this year!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful dahlias in your arrangements, no matter the names, each offers such beauty. I wonder how much longer mine will last as we've had many nights in the 40s with days cycling in the 60s/70s, which has been lovely for working and being outside in general.
I saw on the weather that there a chance that you will get some rain? Hope so!
Such a shame about the oil spill off HB. Sadly, the wildlife pays the price.
We just had a thunderstorm move through, Eliza. It exited all too quickly. While it was accompanied by LOTS of lightning, it dropped only 0.04/inch of rain. The oil spill in Orange County makes me sick to my stomach.
DeleteDahlia 'Akita' is very impressive, a true attention grabber, but I'm sticking with 'Waltzing Mathilda' as my favorite dahlia today, and congratulations on its debut. That said, I love the third arrangement best: there is something very cool and fresh about it, perfect for hot day, plus its in one of favorite vases in your collection.
ReplyDeleteThat dahlia masquerading as 'Penhill Dark Monarch' would get more of a nod from me if it would just hold up its heavy head a bit higher! Even the newly formed buds nod their heads.
DeleteYou never fail to deliver Monday flower power! Great color combos for fall.
ReplyDeleteThe well-watered dahlias and zinnias are to be credited for the late season flower power, Gerhard. My vases would be far fewer without them.
DeleteI love that second vase in particular -- it's spectacular. :) I'm wondering whether you find any of the zinnia strains to be better in the heat?
ReplyDeleteSeed-sown zinnias generally do better for me than plugs, Amy, but the plants require a lot more water than I expected to survive and flower well, which is why I've consigned them to my cutting garden. My favorites are the varieties in the 'Benary's Giant' and 'Queen Lime' series.
DeleteWow, those are all pretty. The color combos are great. I admire your patience and ability to do those arrangements.
ReplyDeleteMy brain doesn't seem to like to do them--too fiddly or lack of hand-eye coordination. I quickly get tooth-grindingly frustrated and anxious. But I can enjoy yours, so, no problem!
The arranging takes less time than photographing and posting about them in my case, HB. The arranging has become more of a Zen-like process. I haven't been able to go whole hog with floral foam and all that stuff - I mainly just cram materials into vases.
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