My dahlias are clearly on their way out the door now. It's possible that I may be able to cobble together another arrangement including a few stems next week but I'm not counting on that. I've pulled the majority of the zinnias already and more of the dahlias will go this week. There are promising buds here and there but, if temperatures soar later this week as predicted, they may end up in a green bin rather than a vase.
My first arrangement was created using bits and pieces of four different dahlias.
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| Dahlia 'Fairway Spur', shown front and center here, got a very late start on the season and has only recently picked up its pace |
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| I dressed up the back of the arrangement with stems of Dahlias 'Brown Sugar' and 'Creme de Cognac'. The latter was badly afflicted by the mosaic virus and had only just produced another flush of flowers. |
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| Overhead view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Zinnia 'Benary's Giant Salmon Rose', Dahlia 'Fairway Spur', D. 'Summer's End', D. 'Creme de Cognac', and D. 'Brown Sugar' |
Stems of three other dahlias ended up in the second arrangement with a few leftover zinnias.
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| Dahlias 'Lady Darlene' and 'Miss Brandy' were also late bloomers. They're similar in color but not in form. |
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| Back view |
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| Overhead view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder', Zinnia elegans 'Queeny Red Lime', Z. e. 'Benary's Giant Lime', Dahlia 'La Luna', D. 'Lady Darlene', and D. 'Miss Brandy' |
Preparing the raised beds in my cutting garden for cool season plants is always time consuming. The fact that I'll probably toss all of the dahlia tubers this year so as to avoid another round with dahlia mosaic virus next year will actually simplify the process as I won't be spending hours cleaning, dividing, and storing tubers as I usually do. However, removing all remnants of the tubers before refreshing the soil for replanting will require more effort this year. I'll approach the process in stages, leaving the plants with the most promising buds to the end. I'll receive some assistance. The raccoons and/or possums are paying me almost nightly visits at present so I expect they'll be "helping" me clear the beds of grubs - yesterday, I saw the first evidence they they'd already been digging in the raised planters.
For more IAVOM creations, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Raccoons and possums hardly ever (never!) get a positive writeup and are rarely mentioned unless to complain about their mischief. So yes, its nice to have little help from them for a change :-D
ReplyDeleteI find it fascinating that the color of many Dahlia booms shift as it matures, and as always D. 'Summer's End and D. 'Lady Darlene' never fail to knock my sock off!
Chavli
I will miss my dahlias, Chavli. Their season seems too short this year but perhaps it's just time in general that feels as though it's flying.
DeleteOutstanding dahlia colors. Love the way the Leucadendron supports them. Hope all is well.
ReplyDeleteAll is reasonably well here, unless I include the political environment in which we're living, Susie. Every day presents a new nightmare.
DeleteBeautiful Kris! Damn the critters in your raised beds. I think my recent digging has only enticed them to go to town, its a free for all! Lady Darlene has really nice coloring, did you grow that one last year, too?
ReplyDeleteYes, I think this is the third year I've grown 'Lady Darlene'. The damn dahlia mosaic virus appears to have spread to it too so, unfortunately, I can't keep the tuber. I need to find a new one but I haven't managed to do that yet.
DeleteThese are gorgeous, lush arrangements! The colors are so warm and (I can't believe I'm going to use this word) delicious. I spent yesterday afternoon cutting down and digging out my crop tank veggies in the drive. It was time, even though we are back in a sunny stretch with warm temps for a few days the production is falling off. Our tasks for changing seasons...
ReplyDeleteMy seasonal overhaul of my cutting garden pales in comparison to the effort you expend in overwintering plants in your climate. My fingers are crossed on your behalf that you'll have a milder-than-usual winter.
DeleteLots of coral colours here today, Kris, is it your favourite clour, or does it just seem that way sometime? Your dahlias may be on the way out, but they have certainly done you credit today. Good luck with clearing your beds, with or without help!
ReplyDeleteI do love the color coral and I agree that both arrangements lean in that direction this week, Cathy. I do have some decidedly pink blooms left but I don't know if they'll make it another week and I didn't have the energy to put together a third arrangement yesterday. My lavender/purple dahlias were somewhat less bountiful this year.
DeleteI know I've said it before, but those warm peachy/apricot/orange/coral colors are so special. And when they're in one bloom or collection of blooms in a vase, well...wow. And then you add the Agonis and Leucadendron foliage...very, very nice!
ReplyDeleteThe foliage plants - and especially the Leucadendrons - are invaluable in my garden, Beth!
DeleteI'm sorry this year's dahlia crop wasn't your usual best, Kris. It is heartbreaking to put in so much effort and then be defeated by heatwaves, drought and virus. Super frustrating. :( Let's hope your cool season crops will be exceptionally great! Eliza
ReplyDeleteMy biggest wish for the coming garden year is more rain, Eliza! Rain is the bringer of all things beautiful in the garden.
DeleteReally lovely Kris. 'Summer's End' remains my favourite out of all the dahlias I have seen in your vases this summer…. how many different ones did you grow this year? And your zinnias are wonderful too. We also have various creatures digging up our turf looking for grubs - fortunately they haven't started on the flower beds. We think it is mainly foxes and pine martins, but the woodpeckers, crows and jays also dig with their beaks and make a real mess!
ReplyDelete'Summer's End' is one of my favorite dahlias too, Cathy. Regrettably, it looks as though both plants have been affected by the dahlia mosaic virus, which means I won't keep the tubers and must search for a replacement. I planted 20 tubers in total this year, using 17 varieties and 3 duplicates.
DeleteWhat beautiful Dahlias and Zinnias, you must be so happy to have such great blooms, and I can tell that you have a delightful skill in arranging them.
ReplyDeleteThanks Noelle. Dahlias and zinnias make arrangements easy. I'll miss both!
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