In a Vase on Monday: Bright spots within a smokey haze

California is on fire again. The current estimate is 560 active wildfires. Over one million acres have burned, which is already roughly four times the number of acres burned last year. Two large fires in Los Angeles County have been burning since August 12th and 13th respectively, and although both are quite a distance away and now over 50% contained, their smoke has left us with hazy skies and poor air quality. However, the fires in the northern part of the state, most caused by lightning strikes, are far worse. Members of my family living up north have been dealing with the threat of evacuation since last week. Two hundred thousand people state-wide are presently under evacuation orders.

Under the circumstances, wandering through my garden putting together materials for floral arrangements seems almost ridiculous but there's nothing my husband and I can do from several hundred miles away but worry. Cutting flowers is a distraction.

Dahlia 'Labyrinth' provided the centerpiece of my first arrangement.

I replaced the 'Labyrinth' tuber I used last year after I mistakenly allowed it and many other dahlia tubers to dry out. The new tuber produced blooms more in keeping with the color the flowers are supposed to have rather than the pale blooms I had last year.

I fleshed out the arrangement with seed-grown Zinnias and sunflowers. The blooms of the latter are small and aren't readily visible in any but my close-up photos.

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia 'Labyrinth', Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Zinnia elegans 'Queen Lime Blush', Helianthus annuus 'Ruby Eclipse', and Zinnias from the 'Northern Lights Blend'

Two other dahlias provided the focus for my second arrangement.

Dahlia 'Loverboy' got pride of place at the front of the arrangement

Two stems of Dahlia 'Mr Optimist' dressed up the back of the arrangement

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlias 'Loverboy' and 'Mr Optimist, Alstroemeria 'Claire', Clematis terniflora (aka sweet autumn clematis), Coprosma repens 'Plum Hussey', Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', and Leucanthemum x superbum

It's nominally cooler than it was last week but the gladiolas aren't going to last much longer so I cut more of those stems this week. The arrangement is nearly identical to one I created last week.