Five of my dahlias have now produced blooms and 4 others have buds. Only one,
'Diva', living up to her name, has failed to produce any buds as yet. Caving to their siren calls, I ended up with 3 vases this week despite limitations on places to put them while living in half a house during our remodel.
The impetus for my first vase wasn't actually one of the dahlia blooms but rather the interesting blooms on a succulent.
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| It took me awhile to formally identify this succulent as Sedum reflexum 'Blue Spruce'. Although I recognized it as a Sedum, I'd listed it in a bed other than the one in which the blooms appeared this weekend. I planted it from a 6-pack in 2015 but I think this is the first time it's bloomed. The flowers appear at the top of an 8-inch stem in an interesting snowflake configuration. |
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| I picked Dahlia 'Citron du Cap' as its companion |
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| I dressed up the back of the vase with ruffled Shasta daisies (Leucanthemum x superbum) and the fading stems of Sideritis cypria |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia 'Citron du Cap', Abelia grandiflora 'Hopley's Variegated', Lonicera japonica, Leucanthemum x superbum, Sedum reflexum 'Blue Spruce', and Sideritis cypria |
Dahlia 'Enchantress' was the first to bloom in my cutting garden this year and she continues to produce a steady series of flowers.
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| I used a couple new pink-tinged white lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum) to bring out the white touches in 'Enchantress' |
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| I used Abelia "Edward Goucher' to dress up the back of the arrangement |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the top: Dahlia 'Enchantress', Abelia grandiflora 'Edward Goucher', Eustoma grandiflorum, and Tanacetum parthenium |
Dahlia 'Bluetiful' produced her first 2 blooms this weekend. I'd intended to tuck one into my second vase with
'Enchantress' but I decided that wouldn't do justice to either.
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| While not nearly a true blue,'Bluetiful' leans further in that direction than 'Enchantress' |
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| Polygala fruticosa 'Petite Butterfly' is a near color match for the Dahlia |
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| Top view: I'd ignored Melaleuca thymifolia too long and finding flowers fresh enough to include in this arrangement was a challenge |
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| Clockwise from the left: Dahlia 'Bluetiful', Polygala fruicosa 'Petite Butterfly', and Melaleuca thymifolia |
I managed to find spots for all 3 vases. For more IAVOM arrangements,
visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
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| Good light inside the house is hard to find these days! |
All material © 2012-2019 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
