Although the calendar says we've entered the fall season, "Indian summers" are the norm rather than the exception here in coastal Southern California. For one thing, we don't get frosts. However, in contrast to the recent heatwave, our temperatures were on the deliciously cool side last week. It's supposed to be warmer today (low 80sF/27C) but our morning marine layer is back, which operates like natural air conditioning. If we're lucky, we can at least anticipate that the heatwaves are behind us and nighttime temperatures should continue in the low 60sF (17C). In other words, it's our version of fall even if very different from conditions in much of the Northern Hemisphere.
My dahlias are still going strong. The first arrangement includes two varieties of dahlias, one which I've used before (and also grew last year) and the other which is new.
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| I've featured the huge blooms of Dahlia 'Fairway Spur' before but the ball-shaped 'Brown Sugar' Dahlias are new to my garden. I haven't made up my mind about them yet but I thought their rusty orange color echoed that at the center of 'Fairway Spur'. |
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| Back view: The foliage of Leptospermum 'Copper Glow' may be too similar to the 'Brown Sugar' Dahlias |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia 'Brown Sugar', D. 'Fairway Spur', Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', and Zinnia elegans 'Golden Hour' |
The second arrangement contains another dahlia I'm growing for the first time this year. As with Dahlia 'Brown Sugar', I haven't decided if this one's a keeper either.
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| Dahlia 'Excentric' is supposed to be a hot coral-pink variety but in the garden it's more pink than coral, although the coral element is easier to see up close than it is in the photos here |
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| Back view |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia 'Excentric', Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', Zinnia elegans 'Benary's Giant Coral', Z. e. 'Raspberry Limeade', and Z. e. 'Zinderella Peach' |
For more IAVOM creations, visit our host, Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2024 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
