Last week I complained that I thought I was in a rut with my dahlia-based flower arrangements. In response, my friend HB of Piece of Eden suggested that maybe I could try a minimalist or Ikebana-style arrangement if I felt stuck. I'm not good at minimalism when it comes to flowers, seemingly compelled to stuff everything I can find into most of my vases. The last of my dahlias have yet to bloom, although 'Breakout' is close; however, it occurred to me that maybe I could do something with my mutant 'Fairway Spur' Dahlias. I have two clumps of 'Fairway Spur' in my cutting garden, one of which is producing a large number of deformed - but interesting - blooms. So I used them for my first arrangement, which was also created as a nod to the early days of autumn.
 |
| The form of the mutant dahlias vary somewhat but, in all cases, the inner petals fail to fully develop, and sometimes fail to develop at all. However, the bees seem to like them as the mutated form allows them to reach the nectar at the flower's central disk more easily. Thrip damage seems the most likely explanation for the deformities. |
 |
| Back view: Hibiscus 'Haight Ashbury' provided the autumn flair |
 |
| Top view: As I was arranging the flowers a tiny green grasshopper, perhaps 1/2 inch in size, hopped out of a flower. I tried to catch it but it got away and I couldn't find it. My husband wasn't amused. |
 |
| Clockwise from the upper left: Abelia 'Kaleidoscope', Sutera cordata (aka Bacopa), malformed Dahlia 'Fairway Spur', D. 'Summer's End'. Hibiscus acetosella 'Haight Ashbury', and Zinnia elegans 'Queen Lime Orange' and 'Benary's Giant Salmon Rose' |
Last week I also swore I'd finally put together an arrangement centered around Dahlia 'Enchantress', which has been blooming for well over a month now without being included in an IAVOM lineup. Here it is:
 |
| Dahlia 'Enchantress' usually grows taller than it has this year but I think it's stems have been held down (literally) by its neighbors |
 |
| Back view |
 |
| Top view |
 |
| Clockwise from the upper left: bi-color and white Cosmos bipinnatus, an oddly formed Cosmos specimen that has formed on only one plant (look carefully at its center), Dahlia 'Enchantress', Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', and Zinnia elegans 'Benary's Giant Purple' |
It's feeling very fall-like here at the moment, or at least our version of fall with daytime temperatures in the upper 60s to low 70sF (20-23C). Working in the garden is downright comfortable, although I've earned some aches and pains in the process. We filled three jumbo-sized green bins last week (and I topped off two of a neighbor's bins as well). We've already stuffed two of the bins again this week and I fully expect the third to be full by the next waste recycling pickup date on Thursday as well. In addition, current predictions suggest that the El Niño climate pattern is likely to bring us significant rain again in the 2024 "water year" starting October 1st, perhaps not this fall, but in late winter and spring as was the case in the 2023 water year. The latest Weather West summary makes interesting reading about changes in the weather in California and the Pacific Northwest.
For more IAVOM creations, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2023 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Those peachy colours in the first vase are the ones I will forever assocaite with you, Kris!! 😉 You always combine them so well with foliage and in so many different ways 👍
ReplyDeleteThanks Cathy. I was at a loss regarding the foliage to combine with those peachy dahlias until the Hibiscus almost literally hit me in the face as I walked through my garden.
DeleteI really like the burgundy foliage of the hibiscus (which reminds me of Jap.maple) with the orange and blush flowers, a lovely combo. The pink vase is sweet as well, 'Enchantress' must share lineage with 'Pinelands Princess' that I have, they look similar. Hope your cool weather continues, and good news about another promising water year on the horizon! Eliza
ReplyDeleteI should probably knock wood every time I mention the possibility of another good rain year, Eliza, especially as El Nino conditions don't guarantee heavy rain. That Hibiscus was a good investment. I grew it once before but it wasn't nearly as vigorous as it's been this time.
DeleteThat cosmos with the new buds developing in the center of the flower is pretty cool! Scary predictions in that report for the Pacific Northwest. Glad things are looking relatively promising for you all down in CA though!
ReplyDeleteWell, El Nino conditions don't guarantee what actually happens in terms of weather. Let's hope that California gets the rain it needs but the PNW gets its fair share as well, Jerry. I was surprised a couple of years ago when I learned how differently parts of the world are affected by both El Nino and La Nina conditions in the Pacific Ocean. As Swain pointed out in that article, other factors can sway things.
DeleteMagnificent blooms!
ReplyDeleteI don't know why I have become anonymous! Sandra here: https://daffodilwild.wordpress.com
DeleteSometimes I think Blogger and Wordpress collaborate to make communicating across platforms as difficult as possible, Sandra. The last time Wordpress made it impossible for me to comment on that blog platform, I had to set up a Wordpress account. It worked fine for a long time, even allowing me to comment with my Blogger ID but now its now forcing use of my Wordpress ID and I haven't figured out a work-around. I think Blogger's done essentially the same thing to Wordpress commentators - some people have established a Blogger account to allow commenting under their own names but many simply comment as Anonymous and just note their names or their blog names in their comments.
DeleteI love your 'Fairway Spur' arrangement Kris. Such an appealing color and the leaves do emphasize the shift in seasons.
ReplyDeleteI think the foliage gave that arrangement a kick that would have been lacking without it, Susie.
DeleteOh your first vase is full of beautiful autumnal colours Kris and that hibiscus foliage is most eye-catching. Your current temperatures sound like a summers day to me 😂 Well done on filling all those green bins. It sounds like you have weekly collections. If so I'm envious as ours are fortnightly
ReplyDeleteI referred to "our version of fall" because I know our temperatures generally run higher than yours, Anna. The contrast between our winter temperatures and yours would probably be positively shocking ;) We're lucky to have weekly pickups of green waste, especially this time of year.
DeleteLove the autumnal colors in the 1st one as the weather here feels like it (yay!). The Hibiscus(?) foliage is just right. Creative to use "weirdo" flowers. I found one this morning that had like 3 centers--though it was maybe overfertilizing because I was getting mad at some of the Dahlias for not blooming. Not everyone is a minimalist with flowers. I'm sure not! :)
ReplyDeleteI wish I could do that artsy Ikebana-like arrangements but I'm not capable of restricting myself to that degree, especially during dahlia season, HB.
DeleteI love visiting to get my dose of incredible flowers and arrangements. The peaches and dark purple is an incredible mix. You always take the vase to the next level in foliage. The pinks really stood out too. Someday I want to see your garden and wander around. Wow!
ReplyDeleteYou'd be welcome any time you're in SoCal, Donna!
DeleteThe foliage in the first vase is really pretty Kris, and you have created a perfect autumnal arrangement with those colours. Your dahlias just keep on giving, don't they! I hope you are not tiring of them in the garden. Will they last much longer?
ReplyDeleteLast year, I pulled the dahlia tubers out in early November, not because they were all done but because I needed to clear space in the raised planters of my cutting garden for cool season plants and bulbs. The same situation is likely to drive my timing this year. We don't get the frosts and cold winter temperatures you do, Cathy.
DeleteBeautiful! You can't be minimalist with the blooms you've got going on!
ReplyDeleteIt's too bad the dahlias didn't start earlier and stagger their arrival this year, tz ;) I do have a few I'm still waiting on but I expect I'll be pulling the bulk of them in another month just to reclaim the space in my cutting garden.
DeleteComment not working again. Trying this again.
ReplyDeletethat one worked?!?! -- hoover boo
DeleteSorry, delete the above if you like. Can't even comment on my own blog. This was the first time it worked in like 10 tries on different blogs.
DeleteAnyway, if it rains it pours as far as beautiful Dahlias from you garden. Worth the wait I hope? Better too many beauties than not enough. :)
Thanks HB. I can sympathize with the comment problem. I can't comment on my own blog when I use Firefox, although I have to use that platform to create my posts because Chromium has made adding photos ridiculously difficult so I switch between the 2. I'm still having problems commenting on Wordpress blogs - even after I created a Wordpress account. Wordpress doesn't seem to want to link back to Blogger.
DeleteAiming at one carload each for the next two weeks ... then it must wait till December. We used to have weekly garden waste collection in our first garden. Oh so many years ago!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes with your spring cleanup, Diana. We're lucky to have a weekly green waste pickup (and 3 bins for that purpose). We even have an extra pickup in late October, a bid on the city's part to encourage residents to clear areas prior to fire season perhaps.
Delete