Dahlia Time

Every summer, about this time I am thinking about and blogging about my dahlias. I did a quick search on the blog, and found that I have posted about the dahlias for the last four August seasons. But, but they are such amazing creations that I want to post once again and go for five straight seasons.

We are really fortunate this year in our weather. Normally, by last week-end we would have had at least a mild frost, if not a really hard one. This year our nights have been in the 50's most all month, and the dahlia's are loving it. Here in Central Oregon they come on right now (end of August), because we have to plant late due to June frosts. I think that's partly what makes them so special, all the work and worry involved. I do try to dig and store the tubers over the winter, but only have mild success. So, I order some every spring from Swan Island Dahlias in Canby, Oregon, and try to just look at them as annuals. I did have 3 tubers make it this year, and they are blooming as I write.

 

 

 I thought I would show a few of the dahlias, and the uniqueness they bring to a garden. This beauty is called 'Lynette' and has petals that curl the way you curl your tongue. She is a deep pink with a yellow center, large and about 5" wide.

 

 

 This one is called 'Sheer Heaven' and does come close I think. What a beautiful dahlia! The insurance man and I marvel each time we walk by the bouquet on our kitchen table. These leaves are flat and wide, with a full center almost like a peony. The outer leaves are a blush peach/pink with the inner leaves a creamy yellow. How amazing to find two very different colors unfolding and complimenting each other.

 

 This one is 'Brittany Rey' and these two photos were taken a day apart, so that the dahlia had opened up a bit more, and you can appreciate the white edges on each deep rose petal. What amazing forms these flowers have. There's just nothing else quite like it.

 

 

 

And finally there is 'Gabrielle Marie'. A deep orange dahlia. Orange is not usually my favorite color in the garden, and I pretty much try to avoid it as it clashes with my pinks and purples. But when it comes to dahlias, there are no wrong colors and they all flow together wonderfully. This one is a bit smaller, probably about 3-4" across, but just as showy.

 

Wow! I know I am a bit obsessed, but I just love growing these, and enjoying them for the few weeks they treat us. My mother-in-law was telling me that her Aunt grew dahlias, probably in the 1930's and 40's. She only had one standard yellow form to start with, and starting crossing them. I feel so lucky to have so many wonderful choices to order from, and they have done all the work for me. But of course, all the glory goes to the Master Creator!