It feels as though I'm recycling the same dahlias week after week. I checked my posts since my first IAVOM post featuring dahlias in mid-August. I found that I've used Dahlias 'La Luna', 'Mikayla Miranda' and 'Summer's End' three times prior to today's post. I've used two of those cultivars again this week even though I've ignored Dahlia 'Enchantress' for weeks. Next week, 'Enchantress' will get her due! And maybe one or more of the dahlias that have buds but have yet to bloom will come through for me too.
Vase #1:
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| While I've used Dahlia 'Mikayla Miranda' repeatedly, I've used 'Lavender Ruffles' just once before, even though the latter is more prolific with its blooms. 'Lavender Ruffles' is a dinnerplate type and most of the flowers swamp everything paired with them but this week I found one stem in a more reasonable size. |
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| Back view, featuring aster stems and Leucophyllum laevigatum. Leucophyllum usually burst into bloom as soon as we get rain but my plant didn't flower until weeks following Tropical Storm Hilary. |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Amaryllis belladonna 'Alba', Clematis terniflora, Dahlia 'Lavender Ruffles', D. 'Mikayla Miranda', Leucophyllum laevigatum, and Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata'. Also included but not shown in closeup is Symphyotrichum chilense. |
Vase #2:
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| Dahlias 'Summer's End' and 'Labyrinth' mesh together nicely |
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| Back view |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia 'Labyrinth', D. 'Summer's End', Xylosma congestum, Zinnia elegans 'Candy Mix', and Z. e. 'Queen Lime Orange' with Benary's Giant Salmon Rose' |
Vase #3:
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| Dahlia 'Belle of Barmera' also has huge dinnerplate blooms, It's a prolific bloomer too but one I've only used once before for IAVOM because the size and neon pink color of the blooms overpower just about anything else I include in an arrangement. |
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| Back view |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt', Cuphea 'Honeybells', Zinnia elegans 'Candy Mix', Dahlia 'Belle of Barmera', and Leucadendron 'Jester' |
We've had clouds and not a ray of sunlight for the past two days. We even got steady drizzle on Saturday morning, although it didn't amount to much in total. Morning clouds are expected to be with us all week but a we may get sun Monday and Tuesday afternoons. Meanwhile, the cooler temperatures have allowed me to make a dent in my end-of-summer garden cleanup.
For more IAVOM posts, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2023 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party