My garden is in the midst of its summer doldrums; however, with little help from me beyond regular watering, my cutting garden has stepped up production in response to our higher temperatures. While both of this week's arrangements make use dahlias and zinnias, they deliver entirely different impressions.
The first arrangement is composed of cool colors. It includes the first flowers of Dahlia 'Mikayla Miranda', which was one of my favorites last year.
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| 'Mikayla Miranda' has beautiful white and lavender petals. I'm lucky that the last remaining foxglove in my cutting garden is still pumping out lavender flowers to fill out the arrangement too. |
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| I tucked in 2 stems of Dahlia 'Vancouver' to dress up the back view |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt'. Digitalis purpurea, Zinnia elegans 'Zinderella Lilac', Dahlia 'Mikayla Miranda', and D. 'Vanvouver' |
My second arrangement couldn't be more different. It includes the warm, rusty tones more characteristic of the fall season.
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| I added Rudbeckia 'Sahara' to play off the reddish tones of Dahlia 'Creme de Cognac'. I think the dainty, twisted green stems are wandering vines of a Pandorea jasminoides several feet away - it seems to attempt a sneaky takeover each summer. |
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| Back view: Each Rudbeckia 'Sahara' is a little different |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia 'Creme de Cognac', Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', what I think is Pandorea jasminoides, 2 varieties of Rudbeckia hirta 'Sahara', and Zinnia elegans 'Golden Hour' |
I've finally shaken off the chains of COVID but temperatures in the low 90sF (32C) are still restricting the time I spend outside. My list of projects remains long. Sadly, some forecasts suggest that September and October in California may be hotter than usual, and that our rainy season may start later. *SIGH*
For more IAVOM creations, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2024 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
I love the movement implied in your first vase, but of course the colors of the second are more my style. Oh how I wish I could grow Leptospermum 'Copper Glow'!
ReplyDeleteThose 2 'Copper Glow' Leptospermums have become indispensable to my garden, Loree. The only problem is that pruning them is getting darn close to beyond my capabilities/reach now. I may have to add them to the annual tree pruning list...
DeleteThese are definitely different but oh so scrumptious, both of them. I adore the dahlias in the first vase....those colors and shapes are wonderful.
ReplyDelete'Mikayla Miranda' was at the top of my list of favorite dahlias last year. I'm very glad she's come through for a second year!
DeleteLovely. I really love them both, and this time of year we have similar blooms to arrange. I keep cutting the Zinnias and Rudbeckias, and of course they keep on giving...until the first frost. It must be nice to have blooms year-round.
ReplyDeleteFrost is a foreign concept here, Beth!
DeleteOoh, gorgeous dahlias... you have a nice variety, Kris. (I think I really need to do some expansion next year!)
ReplyDeleteSorry about the long range forecast for CA, it has been a hellish summer for you all. Eliza
California had its hottest July ever, Eliza. Fortunately, those of us living directly on the coast had things much better overall than those who live inland; however, I understand there's a possibility that the heat will overtake even the coastal areas next month :(
DeleteFantastic Dahlias. I love the Cousin It foliage. My mind is still boggled with foxgloves in summer. Beautiful. I don't want to know the long range forecast! Amelia
ReplyDeleteWell, I pulled most of the foxgloves in June, even those in the cutting garden, with the one exception. That plant is one tough customer! It's flower stems tend to flop but they still work fine as cut flowers.
DeleteA beautiful blend of colors in both. No more holes in walls? Feeling better and out of "isolation"? Now, if it would just cool down...
ReplyDeleteNo more holes in the walls. No more groaning pipes (a post-repiping issue for a time). The chimney is done (except for painting when the stucco is dry). And, yes, I'm finally out isolation (and my husband wasn't infected)! Sadly, there's not much to do about the heat...
DeleteGreat news! :^)
DeleteWow, Kris these are both gorgeous. I love how bold and colorful they are! So glad you're feeling better.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised at how strung out I was by COVID, especially as I had yet another booster in June and took Paxlovid when I tested positive, Tracy. It started out mild...
DeleteYou just can't go wrong with dahlias and the colours of those in your arrangements are sumptuous. I'm sorry to hear you caught the dreaded covid. Hopefully you are well on your way to recovery.
ReplyDeleteCovid took me by surprise as I thought all the precautions I'd taken, including another booster vaccine in early June, would keep me safe but it appears that the newer FLiRT variants are sneaky. Even with Paxlovid, it hung on for over 2 weeks before I finally got 2 negative readings last Thursday and again on Saturday.
DeleteLove the colours of the first vase in particular - and the greens really work with the pinks, especially the unopened buds on the foxgloves. I am glad you are beginning to feel better after Covidm Kris, but sorry to hear that temperatures are making things difficult for you. It seems steange to think of your seasons already beginning to change from summer to autumn
ReplyDeleteWell, we really have only have 2 seasons, Cathy - a cool, sometimes rainy season and a long, dry, warm-to-hot season. It sounds as though the latter may actually last well into October this year. That's good for the dahlias perhaps, if not the humans ;)
DeleteBoth lovely Kris. The second one is very 'late summer' and yet you still have a foxglove flowering! I don't know how you do it. Mine didn't look that good even when it first opened! Do you have some shade in your cutting garden? Have a great week Kris!
ReplyDeleteI think what keeps that foxglove going it all the extra water it gets in the cutting garden, Cathy. There are a few foxglove plants in my front garden that aren't dead but also never bloomed at all.
DeleteKris, I've been busy with nonblog things so just catching up. So sorry to learn you had Covid and especially that it lasted so long after your precautions. Hope you don't have any lingerings.
ReplyDeleteBoth vases are lovely and as you say, quite different. Dahlia 'Mikayla Miranda' is beautiful just on the name alone and stands up to other scrutiny as well. Those rusty, dusky reds do portend autumn around the corner. The light is changing and I sense autumn signals. Stay well.
Thanks Susie. Fall can't come early enough here. I've noticed the change in light conditions too - I just wish temperatures would also shift.
DeleteI like your rusty colours. Still wrapped up with a fire going this evening. Not quite spring yet.
ReplyDeleteWell, regardless of what the calendar says, I can tell you we're still a LONG way from autumn here, Diana!
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