We're facing another heatwave this week so I cut a lot of what was blooming in my cutting garden on Sunday morning. Dare I hope that this will be our last heatwave of the year? There are no guarantees and rain is still a distant prospect but my cutting garden is in peak giving mode nonetheless.
The intense color of Dahlia 'Rip City' grabbed my attention when I first saw a photo of the flower online early this year. I ordered the tuber but I didn't really expect it to live up to its publicity photo; however, it has.
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The blooms of 'Rip City' are almost black
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Back view: The dahlia's color made it difficult to find partners that would complement rather than clash with its dark bluish-black undertones
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Top view: Hot pinks offered the best match and the purplish color of Ageratum corymbosum's foliage gave the arrangement additional interest
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Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia 'Rip City', foliage of Ageratum corymbosum, Coprosma repens 'Plum Hussey', Callistemon hybrid 'Hot Pink', Cuphea hybrid 'Starfire Pink', and Pentas lanceolata
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Even though I used Dahlia 'Enchantress' in a vase last week, a good flush of fresh blooms had me cutting it again for another vase this week. 'Enchantress' performed well last year as well. It's an especially prolific bloomer.
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New blooms of a noID Japanese anemone that came with the garden were a last minute addition to play off the yellow in the center of the dahlias and the in the Lantana flowers
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Back view: I used a few Zinnia 'Envy' flowers as accents here
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Top view
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Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia 'Enchantress', Abelia grandiflora 'Hopley's Variegated', Lantana 'Samantha', noID Anemone hupehensis, and Zinnia elegans 'Envy'
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As it's fall and I'd like to welcome the change of seasons (even if it doesn't yet feel like fall here yet), I cut sunflowers for a third vase.
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The bees and the birds have been all over the flowers of this 'Delta Sunflower' in the cutting garden so I felt a twinge of guilt in taking some but the bush is still producing a steady supply of new blooms
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Back view: I added stems of variegated Corokia x virgata 'Sunsplash' to brighten the mix a bit
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Top view
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Clockwise from the top: Helianthus annuus 'Delta Sunflower', Corokia x virgata 'Sunsplash', Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', and Pennisetum advena 'Rubrum'
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A friend planned to stop by to bring me a package of the cleaning wipes that have eluded me for months, so I prepared a final impromptu arrangement in a jelly jar to hand off to her as well.
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The centerpiece of this arrangement was Dahlia 'Belle of Barmera'. Other elements included: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana' (foliage), Correa 'Wyn's Wonder', and Zinnia elegans 'Queen Lime Blush'
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I hope you enjoy a colorful week too! For more flower arrangements, visit the leader of our merry IAVOM band, Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party