Snowflake Dahlia

Snowflake is a very small dahlia, known as a pom pom dahlia. In this container I have it growing with the larger ball dahlia called Jowey Martina. I am enjoying this delicate color combo.

Here is my second container of Snowflake.

In the background I have an heirloom variety of rudebeckia, commonly known as the “outhouse flower”. I love to use the outhouse flower for indoor bouquets.

I especially like this one because it matches my window valance.

Red Geranium Wall Planter with Red Border Dahlias below

 I have saved this container of red geraniums in my basement for the past five years.  It started blooming last week and it did not disappoint!

It is loaded with blooms.  Last fall I decided that I should underplant my garage container with something that would carry on the lovely red color.  I decided to order some Red Carpet Border Dahlias from Brecks.  They are very short --less than 20 inches tall.  I planted the tubers and crossed my fingers that the red would somewhat match.

The Red Carpet Border Dahlias have begun to bloom:

Yahoo!  I think they are a near perfect match.  I have planted more of them under the window to the left of this.  They have buds, but have not yet bloomed.  I ordered 5 from Breck's and they all came up. They are combined with pink Park Princess spider dahlias.  Can't wait to see it all come together!    I will show that combo when it blooms.

Beginning to Enjoy the Deck

 I have my deck containers planted with mostly dahlias, calla lilies and canna lilies.  The calla lilies bloom first and now the dahlias are beginning.  So far only a few have bloomed, but it is enough for me to enjoy sitting out here.

My first dahlia to bloom was American Sunset (purchased from #Brecks).  I love this one!

Here it is today July 25, 2021:

Boom Boom Red was next.  I am disappointed that this one is NOT the bright red the Breck's site said it would be.  It is burgundy.  I already have enough ball dahlias in burgundy.  But Boom Boom Red is still a gorgeous one.  Only one of the two tubers I planted came up.

Here is the container this one is growing in:

The spider dahlia on top is called China Town.  
This is another new one I purchased from Brecks.   Both of these tubers came up and I am happy with this purchase.

Here is a close up of China Town:

I am eagerly awaiting the first bloom of the other dahlias I have planted.  I did purchase a beauty called 'Dutch Carnival'.  

Unfortunately this one never came up.  Soooooooooo disappointed! 

Spring 2021 Orders

So excited for my new flowers to arrive (still at least 2 months away)

 Brecks:

Red Carpet Dahlias:  Ordered 5 of these.  They are low growing - less than 2 feet tall

Boom Boom

Red ball dahlia 36 inches tall - ordered 2

Dutch Carnival

36 inches tall

Ordered 2

American Sunset

36 inches tall

ordered 2

China Town

40 inches

Ordered 2

                                                                           Jowey Martina

                                                                           44 inches tall

                                                                           Ordered 2

Spring Hill order:

                                            BBQ Banana Ligularia                

                                                          Cimicifuga Pink Spike

                                                           Ordered 1

 

                                              

Phasion Canna

                                               Ordered 2

\

Willow Obelisk Plant Support

      Ordered 3

Enjoying Autumn on the Deck

 I am loving these two dahlias with the dark-leaved canna:

The purple ball dahlia is Natal (new this year) and the one below it is American Dawn.

I have added some fall fun to a few containers:

Boo!

Scarecrow fun:

Pumpkin in Tropicanna Gold:

Gotta love the beautiful leaves of Tropicanna Gold:

I sure hate to see the growing season end!

Whiskey Barrel Containers are Getting Humungous!

 

Everything is now blooming.  This one is at least 3 feet wide and over 5 feet tall.

This is my current favorite container on the deck:

The red canna bloom is almost the same color as my favorite new dahlia around the bottom.  The petite dahlia is called Pulp Fiction.  It only gets 10 to 12 inches tall.  I love the fiery red flowers with the dark foliage. The huge green leaves are calla lilies. They are yellow and have already finished their bloom.  I love that the green leaves last for weeks after the flower fades.

Here's a close up of Pulp Fiction (I got it from Breck's):

I changed the bicycle centerpiece to something very neat and tidy:

Stems of Sedum Autumn Joy still in their green stage and balls of golden marigolds.  I added a little sprigs of the blooms from my Japanese Bottlebrush shrub. This should look good for at least a week before the marigolds dry up.  The sedum will probably be fine for much longer.

Deck Containers are Really Filling Out

 I call this one the Pelican Container. The Tropicanna Gold does not have a bloom yet, but those gorgeous striped leaves still gives me pleasure.

This is the first container you see when you step onto the deck.  This is the full corner planting:

Planting under the whirligig:

Same area viewed from the glider:

A couple more containers that I am enjoying on this beautiful August afternoon:

A few new deck container blooms

First canna lily

Natal dahlia (new this year)

American Dawn dahia is in the same big container as the Natal

The End of Summer

I can hardly believe that summer 2015 is gone....I did not even get to enjoy the deck ... not once did I put out the rugs, quilts, or pillows to spend a relaxing weekend at home...

I went out at 9am this morning and took this picture of the two whiskey barrel planters full of yellow daisy-like dahlias and yellow calla lilies. The callas have finished blooming, but you can still see the huge white spotted leaves.

Here are the same planters two hours later;

Everything has been dug out and placed on the back lawn to dry:

It always amazes me that those HUGE calla leaves came from one of those small croms with the white roots!

I left the other two whiskey barrels planted because the Tropicanna Golds are just beginning to throw up their bright orange flowers and I can enjoy them inside from my family room windows.

I like the spotted calla leaves with the striped canna foliage.

One of the new dahlias that I bought from Breck's has put out its first flower:

It's called 'American Dawn'.  I am less than happy with this one. It's almost the end of September and I have had only one flower which is full of bug holes...but at least it bloomed.  Maybe I will see a  better performance with more of a purple center next year.

I am hoping to get at least 3 more weeks from my garage urns and under-the-window garden of  pink dahlias.

 The Sedum Autumn Joy  really brings this garden to life. 

SAJ is such a  carefree perennial...once planted it takes almost no work.. never needs watering...just a bit of weeding...nothing more...gotta love that!

Last night I made ham and scalloped potatoes for dinner.  I took the time to caramelize the onions prior to baking and left the skins on the potatoes, then poured the roux atop:

 and baked until the taters were tender and the top was browned:

YUM! The perfect side dish to a brown sugar/mustard-glazed ham.