Deconstruction of my cutting garden is well underway. I left four dahlias with large buds in place for awhile last week but ultimately gave up on all but one of them. All the other dahlias - or at least those I've chosen to keep - have been dug up, washed, divided, and tucked away in the garage for the duration of their dormant period. The last dahlia produced a single bloom and I cut it for an arrangement as a nod to the end of my dahlia season.
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| Dahlia 'Breakout' is the centerpiece. I added bits and pieces from elsewhere in the garden to fill out the squat decorative teapot, including a stem of Amarine 'Emanuelle'. I planted 5 Amarines 2 years ago and so far 4 have bloomed, albeit each on its own schedule. |
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| Back view: I added 2 stems of the pale yellow Senna bicapsularis to play off the yellow tones at the center of the dahlia |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Amarine belladiva 'Emanuelle', Callistemon 'Cane's Hybrid', Correa 'Wyn's Wonder', Dahlia 'Breakout', Leucadendron 'Jester', Senna bicapsularis, and noID Zinnia elegans |
With the dahlias and also the zinnias now gone, the pickings will be slim for the next few months. This week I made use of some of the remaining Rudbeckias and Helianthus before they're also gone. Rudbeckia hirta is a short-lived perennial but I generally treat it as an annual as it gets scruffy at the end of the summer season. Helianthus 'Sunbelievable Brown-Eyed Girl' is classified as a half-hardy annual and, given that we're frost-free, it could hang on but, after four solid months of bloom, it's suddenly looking tired so I may retire it in favor of a plant that will add color to my cutting garden.
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| The remaining Rudbeckias are short-stemmed but Tagetes lemmonii and Pennisetum grass added needed height to the arrangement |
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| Back view: I also added stems of Aristea inaequalis studded with seedheads to play off the dark tones of some of the flowers |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Aristea inaequalis seedheads, Corokia virgata 'Sunsplash', Helianthus 'Sunbelievable Brown-Eyed Girl', 2 colors of Rudbeckia hirta 'Cherokee Sunset', Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder', Pennisetum advena 'Rubrum', and Tagetes lemmonii |
For more IAVOM creations, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Gardens. For those of you who observe the holiday, Happy Halloween!
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| I added a few Halloween-specific props to my arrangements this week |
All
material © 2012-2023
by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Both are full of color and vigor. I've admired your dahlias this year Kris. Dahlia 'Breakout' is lovely. I'm leaving my dahlias and hope they'll overwinter.
ReplyDeleteDahlia 'Breakout' has joined the tubers I've put in storage. Like you hope yours make it through the winter in the ground, I hope my divisions come out of storage in good shape and kick off another good showing in 2024.
DeleteSlim pickings here too. I do love bother but the first with the mix of pinks and foliage plus that pale buttercup yellow Senna is my fav. Of course I love the skeleton mice! Hehe!!
ReplyDeleteMy skeleton cat came out of storage missing its head and my (plastic) human skeleton has a broken arm but the mice are very cooperative ;)
DeleteI imagine your slim pickings will still out flower my garden, not that it's hard to do that. I've made a couple of small arrangements for the house featuring autumn garden offerings. Not a one of them actually has flowers.
ReplyDeleteYou may see an all foliage arrangement from me yet before the year is over, Loree!
DeleteOh that's another lovely dahlia Kris. Mine are staying put in the ground with a good layer of mulch and my fingers crossed for their survival 😂 My favourite vase this week is the second one with those seasonal orange, yellow and russet tones and the gorgeous grass stems.
ReplyDeleteI expect your dahlias will come through the winter with flying colors, Anna, and they'll probably get a head start on mine! My issue is space, not winter weather. I'm already taking over the raised planters in my cutting garden with plant plugs and bulbs.
DeleteThe senna and leucodendron do a good job in bringing out the yellow tones elsewhere in the first vase, Kris, but I especially like the autumnal shades of the second vase. I also look forward to seeing what your 'cool season' brings...
ReplyDeleteThanks Cathy. I've already planted a dozen foxglove plugs and 30 Anemone bulbs but there area a lot more to go in, along with seeds, later this week. Last year my cool season flowers were very slow to get rolling because we had an especially long stretch of cool weather. It'll be interesting to see if we get an earlier start this year.
DeleteWe're finishing our dahlias the same week! Always sad to see them go, but they gave a good show this year, so I can't be too sad! Both vases you've created are beautiful, the first reminds me of spring/early summer and the second a nod to autumn. Can't believe October is almost gone already! Eliza
ReplyDeleteThe dahlia season was slow to start here but, when it arrived, I got very used to being able to depend on dahlias and zinnias each week. Now I have to really think about what's out there beyond the cutting garden ;)
DeleteYou have had an incredible run with Dahlias this year, Kris. I like the color combo in the first and the grasses in the second. Cheers to Dahlias!! Amelia.
ReplyDeleteI can no longer imagine what summer and early fall would be like without dahlias, Amelia. I'm addicted!
Delete"Slim" for you is plenty for me, so I'm jealous. As always, these are beautiful blooms, and the combinations and structures are SO lovely. :)
ReplyDeleteAnnie of Annie's Annuals would call me a "flower floozy" but I wear that badge with pride, Beth ;)
DeleteTwo lovely vases, the second of which with the autumnal tones, seed heads and grasses is my favourite this week.
ReplyDeleteThanks Noelle.
DeleteTwo lovely vases with a definite autumn feel to them Kris. I always love seeing your Leucadendron, and your dark Pennisetum… I can grow some kinds of Pennisetum but the ones I fall for with reddish or very dark seedheads always seem to be the non-hardy ones! Enjoy that last Dahlia!
ReplyDeleteAlas, the last dahlia has drooped its head and will shortly end up in my compost bin, Cathy.
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