I'm having a good dahlia season, even though two dahlias have been especially tardy about showing up. 'Belle of Barmera' is within days of opening its first blooms; however, 'Hometown Hero' finally made its first appearance last week. Fortunately, it's made up for lost time by producing a large number of blooms all at once.
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| 'Hometown Hero' was named to honor the firefighters who fought wildfires in Oregon in 2020 |
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Back view: In addition to Zinnias, I reused the stems of Leucadendron 'Blush' I originally cut for my "Flashy Lady" IAVOM post 2 weeks ago, which still look fresh.
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Abelia grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope', Dahlia 'Hometown Hero', Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', Leucadendron salignum 'Blush', Zinnia elegans 'Benary's Giant Coral', and Z. e. 'Golden Hour' |
Meanwhile Dahlia 'Catching Fire' has been on fire all season. I haven't used it often for IAVOM but I've given the flowers away now and then. As the season gradually draws to its end, I thought it deserved a swan song.
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| Dahlia 'Catching Fire' was joined on this occasion with a single bloom of Dahlia 'Iceberg', which has been stingy with its flowers this year |
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| Back view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Correa 'Ivory Bells', Dahlia 'Catching Fire', D. 'Iceberg', Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', and Pelargonium peltatum 'Dark Burgundy' |
The heat is trailing off at last here. This week's forecast shows temperatures ranging from the low-to-upper 60sF (17-20C), which in our terms is practically cold! Of course, that doesn't mean we won't see another heatwave but it's a good sign. There are even chances of drizzle in the coming days but I'm not counting on that. The marine layer is expected to be heavy most of the week so we may pick up a hundredth of an inch of precipitation here and there in any case.
For more floral arrangements, check in with our IAVOM host, Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2024 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Some fab fiery blooms highlighted in those gorgeous vases.
ReplyDeleteI usually shy away from red but I seem to have a lot of it among my dahlias this year, Donna. I'm not sure how that happened ;)
Delete'Catching Fire' is splendid, but what dahlia isn't?
ReplyDeleteI think I'll be saying goodbye to my dahlias this week, it is forecast to be close to freezing. It is time for it, I guess. I'll be looking forward to your weekly vases all the more then. :) Eliza
In the absence of freezes here, the decline of the dahlia foliage due to primarily to mildew is what usually leads me to pack up my dahlia tubers and move on to planting a cool season garden. This year, I've pinched away all the ugly foliage, leaving many of the dahlias with bamboo-like stalks, but there's very little mildew. However, if I want a cool season garden, I probably can't hold onto the dahlias much beyond the end of October. It's a conundrum!
DeleteI'm partial to your 'Hometown Hero' today and the story behind it. So many good people do good work in this world. I like your Correa 'Ivory Bells' and D. 'Iceberg' paired with Dahlia 'Catching Fire' too--a good match. Hope you get some rain. We've hit a drought since Helene passed through, not another drop.
ReplyDeleteI think the rain prospects are a forecasters' pipe dream, Susie.
DeleteOh that first vase is stunning, Kris, and what a great story behind Hometown Hero. Your growing seasons are so very different from ours and I am always intrigued by the timing of your blooms. When would you expect to see the last of your dahlias?
ReplyDeleteThe dahlias are holding on tight to the season this year it seems, Cathy. I'm very surprised at the 2 holdouts. I expect at least some would carry into mid-November or even later if I let them - only one, 'Break Out', seems to have given up thus far. However, if I'm going to have a cool season garden, I'm already late getting started so I may have to plan a neighborhood flower giveaway in late October or very early November.
DeleteWow, stunning colours and some equally lovely vases in there. Love them all.
ReplyDeletehttps://zonethreegardenlife.blog/2024/10/14/in-a-vase-on-thanksgiving-monday/
It's been a very good year for dahlias (if not my zinnias), Jenny. They got a somewhat slow start but they've more than made up for it.
DeleteInteresting that you showcase both a dahlia named for firefighters and one named 'Catching Fire', though thankfully not in the same vase.
ReplyDeleteThose 2 dahlias wouldn't fit together well. I did realize they did reference 2 sides of the spectrum on fire but elected not to try marrying them into a single theme when it came to establishing the post's title ;)
DeleteThe fiery dahlia in the first vase is so lovely Kris, and I love the goden zinnia too. Do you find all these zinnias and dahlias at a garden centre or order them online? We have little to no choice of plants like zinnias here unless you can find seeds and grow them from seed. You have had an amazing dahlia season, but I bet you are glad it is cooling down now. 17-20°C sounds perfect to me for October! (It was about 11°C here today!)
ReplyDeleteI grow the vast majority of my Zinnias from seed, Cathy. I planted a dozen plugs later in the season to fill empty spots but many of those failed because they just aren't rooted deeply enough to survive our hot and dry summer conditions, even when they're in my cutting garden, which gets extra water. I grow the dahlias from tubers, most of which I get by mail order.
Delete'Hometown Hero' late but great. ' Catching Fire' such a beauty--mine did not come back this year. You gave them both beautiful companions to honor their loveliness.
ReplyDeleteWarm weekend forecast (but not hot, :) ) Enjoyed the grey day today, gardened for hours, nice and cool. Plants liked it, too.
We're still socked in today and it's cold enough that I'm wearing a light jacket! (It's 62F.)
DeleteGorgeous Dahlias again! I think you have the magic touch. Love the Correa mixed in there. Happy Fall! Amelia
ReplyDeleteThanks Amelia. I hope the remainder of the fall season is hurricane free for you!
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