The dahlias are still blooming like gangbusters but lots of the newer blooms are on side buds with weaker stems and, as the flowers develop, the stems flop over with their weight. It hasn't helped that, after a good start at the beginning of the season, I neglected to tie the stems to their supports as the plants grew larger.
My first vase features
Dahlia 'Punkin Spice', the flashiest variety in this year's dahlia crop.
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| I left one of the side bud flowers dangling from a central flower's stronger stem to illustrate the floppiness of these flowers |
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| Back view |
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| Top view, showing something of the color variations among the 'Punkin Spice'flowers |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia 'Punkin Spice', Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Cuphea 'Vermillionaire', variegated Lantana 'Samantha', Leucadendron 'Jester', and Phylica pubescens (aka featherhead) |
I ignored rambunctious
Dahlia 'Terracotta' even though it's sporting a ridiculous number of blooms in favor of
'Loverboy' for my second arrangement. I looked far and wide throughout my garden to find companions for
'Loverboy' I hadn't used before but I was only nominally successful. However, my search provided evidence that the raccoons, who I'd thought were focused on
tearing up the fountain and the drip irrigation system surrounding it, are now wandering further afield. I discovered that there were few areas they'd left untouched in their relentless nighttime pursuit of grubs. I spent a good deal of time filling in the holes they dug. The only positive was that no plants seem to have been destroyed as a result of their extensive activity (this time).
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| I used the dark burgundy flowers of one of my ivy geraniums to pick up the dark center of 'Loverboy's' blooms and pristine white lisianthus flowers for contrast |
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| Back view, showing off the red-toned foliage I used as filler material. Also, Abelia 'Edward Goucher' once again helped pull everything together. |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia 'Loverboy', Abelia x grandiflora 'Edward Goucher', Eustoma grandiflorum (aka lisianthus), noID Pelargonium peltatum (aka ivy geranium), Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', Alternanthera 'Little Ruby', and noID Zinnia elegans |
My vases found their usual places. This week I even found a "new" prop to accompany the first arrangement.
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| While I've often used a mouse flying on a butterfly's wings as a prop, I'd all but forgotten about these little fellows, apparently charged with painting green leaves orange to celebrate fall. In coastal Southern California, this would be pretty much the only way we'd get fall color at this time of year. |
For more "In a Vase on Monday' arrangements,
visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2018 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
