My daughter's newly planted dahlias are blooming and they are spectacular. Okay, so they are not an armful and they are not exactly Carolyne Roehm's magnificent selection, but it's a start.
You are not going to believe where I got the bulbs...Tuesday Morning! and they were an afterthought after I had already checked out. I gave them to my daughter for her cutting garden and she did the rest.
I had the most gorgeous photos of the dahlias in bloom in the garden but I erased them by mistake. Don't ask, I was trying to clear the 516 photos in the camera card and poof!
So I took multiple photos of these three, hoping you would be impressed by my photography.
Don't tell anyone but I have a photo editing program for idiots that does a pretty good job.
The dahlias have been a godsend as the hydrangeas, which usually put on quite a how at this time of the year, are a bust. Some blooms here and there but the frigid weather this winter took quite a toll on them and other plants, like the gardenias. No blooms from these babies either this year, but they have come back. Told you...You will see what I mean in a later post.
I would love to add some of the deep burgundy and purple colors as well as pink and white next year. I love the variegated ones such as the red and white above. Any suggestions?
All photos Lindaraxa
Your assortment of dahlias are gorgeous and so beautifully photographed. After seeing these, I'm thinking we should add some to our garden. You are right about the hydrangeas being a bust this year. Our gardener cut ours to the ground he said because of the cold winter while we were away and we were most upset when we saw what he had done. With a good dose of fertilizer they are coming back, but I don't think they'll bloom this year. After that episode, he has lost his cutting privileges for next winter.
ReplyDeleteSam
Well, don't be too harsh on him. I gave the big ones a pretty good clip myself and like you fertilized them. Lots of dead wood. I found out just a couple of years ago that they bloom on new growth so you havent lost that much. The garden was devastated I lost a lot of plants but given time they are coming back. On the other hand, the peonies were gorgeous. Never seen so many blooms.
DeleteDo add some dahlias. they are very rewarding, as you can see. but here we have to store the bulbs in winter and replant. A real pain so don't go nuts and plant too many!
Sam,
DeleteI made a mistake, hydrangeas bloom on OLD wood, last year's growth. See Sandra's comment below, she is a pro. So take away his cutting privileges!
Wonderful selection of Dahlias! You & Christie are quite the gardeners! The Hydrangeas (Big blue heads) bloom on OLD wood. i.e. last years growth. That is why there are no blooms this year, last years growth was killed in the Polar Vortex. The plants should produce again next year from the growth they are putting on this summer. Even my gardenias are coming back.
ReplyDeleteAh, I stand corrected! Thank you. I did get some blooms on the old blue hydrangeas, no wonder...what an idiot I am, so many things to remember! Your gifted one has no blooms, but it's plugging along. My gardenias are coming back too. What joy!!! I have 4 big bushes and last year they put on quite a show. Nice to see you back. I miss you.
DeleteWow, lovely photographs (editing program or not!). The colors are vivid and and the shapes beautiful. Dahlias are such a happy summer flower, a signal that the hot months have arrived. I don't grow any (I should, I know!), so rely on the farmers' market bunches, which are due to arrive within the next month. And, talking of summer, we've hardly seen any of it around these parts. As I type, I see clouds dominate the sky and the temperatures are in the high 60s today. At least my sweet peas have finally blossomed. Must cut those this evening.
ReplyDeleteIf I had a farmers market like the one you have in SF I probably wouldn't bother. That cutting garden is so much work and on a slant. Great exercise for the back of the legs. though and thank heavens it is her domain!
DeleteI do love dahlias, and these are spectacular!!! I'm about to order (well, in a few months) tons of the old fashioned Daylily "Hyperion". They are my #1 favorite, and very hard to find. My Mother had them by the bushel, I dug up some of hers years ago for our garden up north, but didn't bring any down here. P.Allen Smith says they are his favorite too!
ReplyDeleteBut it is an endless wonderful journey to garden, isn't it? Always something new to learn!
Libby, email me where you buy them. White Flower Farm has them but they are so expensive!
DeleteOne of the things I miss most about my old garden is the dahlia patch. Even digging them up every year was worth the incredible crimson spectacle. I wish I could tell you the name but it escapes me. They were always much admired by visiting gardeners.... I do love a coppery bronze color I saw lately.... you are lucky you live in a warm climate and can leave them in the ground!!
ReplyDeleteWe have to dig them up every year too, here in north Georgia. Luckily it's my daughter's :project", the cutting garden. But worth it! Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteHey: just stopped by and saw your comment here. Well, I have to say, I didn't dig up my dahlias last winter. They all stayed in the ground, and you know how cold it was last year. But, amazingly, they were ALL fine! Every single one, in different locations, survived quite nicely and the little red shoots appeared just about on time. So you might try leaving some in the ground and see what happens!
DeleteChris will love hearing that. Tnx!
DeleteWow, those are absolutely gorgeous!
ReplyDeletethank you.
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