It's October and I've got more dahlias than I know what to do with, even though I've been giving bouquets away here and there. In 2017, the first year I grew dahlias, they were gone by September. 2021 was a banner year with thirteen dahlia varieties still in place but, on average, between 2017 and 2022, I've had just seven varieties left by the time October arrived. This year I have fourteen varieties and what's more, I have duplicates of many of these. It's overwhelming - in a good way. I'm already saving glass and plastic bottles, imagining a large scale giveaway of cut flowers in November (absent a nasty heatwave beforehand). Needless to say, dahlias fill all three of this week's vases.
The first vase contains some newbie dahlia blooms: 'Breakout', 'Calin', and Romantique'. Another newbie, 'Lady Darlene', also made an appearance last week but I'm waiting for additional flowers before cutting them for a vase.
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| Dahlia 'Romantique' is a diminutive variety relative to most of the dahlia blooms surrounding it. I mistook it for a bud of 'Breakout' when I first noticed it, as they're similar in color if not size. |
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| Back view featuring Dahlia 'La Luna' |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Acer palmatum 'Sango Kaku' foliage, noID double-petaled Calibrachoa, Prunus ilicifolia foliage, Dahlia 'Breakout', D. 'Calin', D. 'La Luna', and D. Romantique |
My second vase includes one of the dahlias with the largest blooms, as well as this year's most prolific bloomer: 'Fairway Spur' and 'Summer's End'.
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| While one Dahlia 'Fairway Spur' is still producing a lot of mutant-shaped blooms, the other has produced huge, fully-petaled flowers |
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| Back view: I planted only one Dahlia 'Summer's End' but it still manages to out-produce even the varieties with 2 or 3 clumps in terms of the sheer number of flowers |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Abelia 'Kaleidoscope', Leucadendron salignum 'Chief', Dahlia 'Fairway Spur', D. 'Summer's End', Xylosma congestum (foliage), and Zinnia elegans 'Benary's Giant Salmon Rose' |
The last arrangement was inspired by the foliage of Vitex trifolia but it contains three dahlias that make the most of the Vitex's purple leaves: 'Enchantress', 'Lavender Ruffles', and 'Mikayla Miranda'. 'Lavender Ruffles' is this year's floppiest dahlia and I unfortunately planted three of them, all holdovers from last year, only one of which was properly supported at the outset. The plant is only supposed to get three feet tall and I generally don't cage dahlias that are that height or shorter; however, as it's blooms grow up to twelve inches wide, their sheer weight pulls the stems down. Next year, I'll plant only one of those tubers and it'll be surrounded by a tomato cage.
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| Dahlia 'Mikayla Miranda' got center stage as it's become one of my favorites. Unfortunately, Vitex trifolia stems don't appreciate being cut and droop almost immediately. I cut the stems at an angle and sliced the bottom inch in half before immediately putting them in water but, when that didn't do the trick, I immersed the stem tips in hot water for 15 seconds before arranging them. The stems are looking better since these photos were taken but I suspect I should treat them a day before including them in an arrangement. |
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| Back view featuring Dahlias 'Enchantress' and 'Lavender Ruffles' |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Cosmos bipinnatus, Dahlia 'Enchantress', D. 'Lavender Ruffles', D. 'Mikayla Miranda', tiny Vitex trifolia flowers, and the Vitex's dual-colored foliage (olive green on top and purple underneath) |
Despite my skepticism, we received a little rain this past weekend after all. The majority of that, 0.04/inch arrived Sunday morning, most of it as a single downpour. As October 1st is the start of the 2024 "water year," I'm choosing to see that as auspicious. We're expecting a warm-up on Wednesday but it doesn't look like it'll get much above 80F (27C) here.
For more IAVOM creations, visit our host, Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2023 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Always better to have too many rather than too few flowers to play with. Love that dark purple in the 3rd vase. We are having lovely warm weather that's about to disappear. Hoping that frost is still far away as many of my fall bloomers are still just in the bud stage.
ReplyDeleteThe Vitex foliage in the 3rd vase had straightened up and was looking much better this morning, Linda - I'll have to remember to cut the stems a day in advance before using them in an arrangement in the future. I hope your first frost holds off another 4 weeks or more to allow you to enjoy those fall bloomers!
DeleteGosh, your dahlias have proved to be astonishing this year, and no doubt beyond any expectations you might have had! You combine them with foliage and other fillers so well, to create three gloriously abundant vases!
ReplyDeleteThe abundant dahlia blooms is what I'd hoped for but didn't think I'd get, Cathy. I'm even enjoying the mutant blooms ;)
DeleteA really sumptuous use of Dahlias, what beauties.
ReplyDeleteThanks Noelle. Despite the poor job I did in supporting the dahlias before they bloomed, I'm pleased with the results nonetheless.
DeleteOh I'm in dahlia heaven. I wish I had room to grow so many. You made beautiful use of yours in these vases. If I lived close I'd take a few blooms off your hands! That last vase is my favorite especially for this purple loving woman.
ReplyDeleteI grow a few of mine in half-barrels, Donna. If you have a sunny spot on a patio or your front porch, you might be able to grow one or 2 there - at least if you avoid a floppy variety like 'Lavender Ruffles'. As you love purple, 'Mikayla Miranda' might make a good choice.
DeleteWow, just wow. Your dahlias are fantastic. Love the purples with the Vitex, i have one in the garden. They are not highly regarded here, but I really like them and the color of the backs of the leaves. Amelia
ReplyDeleteVitex trifolia is an exuberant plant here, although I don't see it used often, Amelia. It's flowers don't amount to much but I agree with you that the foliage alone makes it worth growing. The stems did straighten up after 24 hours with the treatment I gave them yesterday.
DeleteDahlias are fast becoming your signature plant Kris 😂 They obviously thrive in your garden and make such splendid vase fillers.
ReplyDeleteDahlias are the floral centers of my summer and fall garden, Anna. I can't imagine those seasons without them. In contrast, my roses are pitiful...
DeleteKris, your dahlias are stunning. It's wonderful seeing the variety you have. D. 'La Luna' is really gorgeous (well, they all are). I used tomato cages for some of mine this year and it made a great difference. The dark purple vitex sets off the purple dahlias to perfection.
ReplyDeleteThe sad thing is that I had an entire stockpile of tomato cages sitting behind the garage specifically intended to provide support for the dahlias and I somehow never got around to putting all but 3 in place :(
DeleteDahlia heaven! I'm amazed you've grown 14 varieties, Kris. I thought my 7 were too much, ha. But you must enjoy the abundance and variety. I'm thinking of cutting down to 5, but I'm sure come winter, I'll get catalog fever, break down and order more. 🤪 Eliza
ReplyDeleteI lost (buried) many of my zinnias this year as they were swamped by the dahlias, Eliza. As there are other plants (in genera other than Dahlia) I'd like to try next summer, I think I need to trim down my dahlia palette a bit too but that may mostly be a matter of cutting out the duplicates ;)
Deleteoh, all lovely - but that vitex is my favorite here.
ReplyDeleteI was pleased to find that all the Vitex stems are now standing up straight 24 hours after I initially plunked them in the vase. They're now fully living up to their promise.
DeleteI love this display of floral riches, so lovely!
ReplyDeleteBetter late than never for the dahlias to show up as a group, Loree. I've learned that their flowering schedule is clearly dictated by weather conditions and my efforts to accelerate the season to fit my calendar are largely for naught. It's a good lesson in patience.
DeleteHey, better too many than not enough. Could there be too many beauties like those? I like the last one especially--such rich, intense color! --hooverboo
ReplyDeleteThe last arrangement was my favorite at the outset but then the foliage drooped. However, the foliage rebounded within 24 hours, proving that the hot water dip trick does work. Now I just need to plan ahead if I want to add Vitex foliage to an arrangement.
DeleteHow wonderful to be overwhelmed with dahlias Kris! And while you are worrying about a heatwave finishing them off early, we would be worrying about a frost! LOL! I especially love that gorgeous two-tone D. Romantique. But the lavender colours also grabbed my attention. Enjoy them, and what lucky friends and neighbours you have to receive a few bunches too!
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely not the dahlia season I'd feared I was going to have back in early summer, Cathy!
DeleteEep, I'm in love with your purple arrangement! I've just started collecting dahlias this year, but am definitely hooked. I'm expecting the weather to do them in this week, but have very pleased with the amount of flowers they produced this year. Now, fingers crossed that I get the winter storage right!
ReplyDeleteDahlias ARE addictive, Angela. As we don't get frosts, cold temperatures aren't what does them in here. As I was reminded today, it's the terrible condition of the foliage that usually leads me to pull them out even while they continue to produce new blooms. The cool, moist air that made days so comfortable in September have been followed by the dry warm/hot air that now allows mildew to spread seemingly overnight.
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