Although I have more dahlia flowers than I can use to fill my vases, some of those in my cutting garden are still keeping me waiting. Five varieties have promising buds but have yet to bloom. Two other plants have been stingy with their flowers and another has failed to produce any buds to date. So, while I wait out the stragglers, I've put together two arrangements using my more vigorous cultivars, hence the reference to "retreads."
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| I'd meant to give Dahlia 'Labyrinth' top billing this week but 'Summer's End' played tug-of-war for that spot |
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| Back view: I added several stems of Grevillea 'Superb' for extra interest |
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| Overhead view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Dahlia 'Labyrinth', D. 'Summer's End', Grevillea 'Superb', Zinnia elegans 'Benary's Giant Salmon Rose', and Z. e. 'Queeny Lemon Peach' |
I previously used Dahlia 'La Belle Epoque' in a mix with Dahlia 'Cafe au Lait Rose' but she's gone solo this week as the star of my second arrangement.
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| Well, Dahlia 'La Belle Epoque' received a little competition from Eustoma grandiflorum 'Carmine' (aka lisianthus) |
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| Back view: Lisianthus has a much longer vase-life than dahlias. The stem of pale pink lisianthus tucked into the back of the arrangement is a leftover from one of the vases I put together 2 weeks ago. |
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| Overhead view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Argyranthemum 'Grandaisy Dark Pink', Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', Eustoma grandiflorum in pale pink and carmine, Dahlia 'La Belle Epoque', Zinnia elegans 'Benary's Giant Wine', and Z. e. 'Queeny Red Lime' |
After a couple of days of moderate temperatures due to a brief recovery of the morning marine layer last week, we saw another uptick in temperatures again late last week. Temperatures in the low 90sF (32-33C) are expected to continue through Labor Day into at least the middle of this week before slowly dropping into the upper 70sF (25-26C). Until then I'm taking my daily walks during the early morning hours and minimizing work in my garden. Overall, however, California's coastal temperatures have been cooler than usual. In fact, one climate scientist's recent report indicates that our coastal area is experiencing one of the coolest summers in thirty years. Unfortunately, that can't be said for either California's inland areas or the Pacific Northwest.
For more IAVOM creations, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Gorgeous Kris, the first arrangement is a nudge for me to get Grevillea 'Superb'. It's a standout! 101 here today - ouch.
ReplyDeleteThe forecast here suggested that today would be the hottest of the current heatwave but it's only 85F so far so maybe the heat is waning...Grevillea 'Superb' is loved by bees and hummingbirds and literally blooms year-round for me. It did take a few years to settle in but now my biggest challenge is just keeping it from getting too big.
DeleteWell, I don't think we have had a Californian summer, but we seem to have had similar temperatures (and the same minimal amount of rain) for some of the time. It's certainly pleasanter here now, and the 5 or 10 minute showers will be doing some good, but a long downpour would be particularly welcome! Such a sunny first vase from you today, but your pink second one is especially lovely...that pink eustoma is glorious, and really complements the pretty dahlia
ReplyDeleteA 5 or 10 minute shower would be heavenly, Cathy! We haven't had a spot of rain since early May and probably won't get any until late October or November but then that's normal for my part of Southern California. The weather forecasters have teased us recently with the possibility of thundershowers moving in from the eastern deserts but that only happens in a blue moon and I'm not counting on it.
DeleteI enjoyed the zinnias you tucked in there, so beautiful! For a very brief moment our forecast next week included 106, hot enough to completely toast the end of summer garden. Thankfully they've backed off to 90.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you got a break, Loree! It's weird how much hotter it's been in your area than ours. The inland valleys here aren't as lucky, though. I understand that the area I grew up in hit 107F a week ago.
DeleteYour zinnias and dahlias are gorgeous. Dahlia 'Labyrinth' is such a beauty. Dahlias are surprisingly varied in how many flowers one plant will produce and how quickly. Hope the stragglers catch up soon.
ReplyDeleteOne new dahlia bloom opened today. It's not the color it's supposed to be though so we'll have to see if it morphs in a day or so ;)
DeleteOoh, what a pretty pair of arrangements. I love those carmine lisianthus and your dahlia choices. I have several new ones this year, but none I am in love with, so I'll probably be buying new for the spring. I'm looking for ideas and yours are looking gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteEliza
I'm still waiting on a few of the new dahlias I selected to plant this year but I inevitably change some out each year myself ;)
DeleteLovely arrangements Kris. La Belle is very pretty. Dahlias are putting on quite a show here right now so I have been picking a few for the house. Linda Baby is a particularly pretty mix of orange/yellow/purple.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't familiar with 'Linda's Baby' but she's very pretty, Elaine! It's another dahlia mixing a subtle range of colors :)
DeleteYou are the indisputed Dahlia Queen!
ReplyDeleteWell, I can think of quite a few flower farmers that outclass me by miles when it comes to dahlias but thank you, Gerhard ;)
DeleteI adore the two color "families" that you've displayed here--the peachy/apricot/golden grouping and the bright pink/red/wine-toned collection. Just lovely!
ReplyDeleteThanks Beth. Even the dahlias that have yet to bloom mostly fall into one or the other of those categories ;)
DeleteAs usual I am swooning over your dahlias Kris! You grow so many different one and I love them all. And the pink Eustomas are simply gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThanks Cathy. I can't resist trying out a "few" new dahlias each year ;)
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