Thomas A. Edison Dahlia

September Plant Surge

| Flower Roberts

It seems as though the garden celebrates its survival through the summer in September. I know if I can just keep plants alive until now that they will experience a second wind. My new Oxblood Lily has shown up to celebrate fall.

Oxblood Lily

I am glad that I am home to enjoy this last little splurge of garden flowers.

Thomas Edison dahlia

The blue ginger has finally settled in after years of struggle. It bloomed last year but is much healthier now.

Blue Ginger

The Life Saver plant, Huernia zebrina, is putting out many blooms and buds.

Life Saver Cactus

Even the Night Blooming Cereus is budding one last time.

The dahlias are blooming as well. I am glad they survived another summer of neglect.

Firepot dahlia

I guess all living things breathe a sigh of relief as cooler and wetter weather moves in. I am glad to be home for a bit.

FLOW in fall

Neglected Green Babies

| Flower Roberts

I have tried to explain to people that a plant acquistition is an adoption with responsibilities. I am serious about this. Plants know things and communicate in their own way with posture and color just like humans, only more subtle.

My neglected dahlias are falling over with heavy blooms.

I let Mr. Flower use their tomato cages for his garden, thinking I would get more later. The Dahlia row looks like a junk yard of fences, sticks and stakes that I have haphazardly added to the unsupported bloomers. Bless them!

My beautiful, messy life!

This mess is a visual representation of my present life. A gorgeous ghetto of growing problems, half-ass solutions and sincere love. I would prefer neat and tidy. I won’t hold my breath waiting for that.

Thomas A. Edison dahlia

I will go out into the garden in my pajamas and enjoy my floppy Dahlias this morning before I take off again to take care of needs elsewhere.

Cafe’ au Lait dahlia

My apologies to my flowers and friends. Family comes first.

FLOWER

Dahlia Disaster

| Flower Roberts

I try really hard to be a good ‘plant mama’ but I fall short each spring and summer. This year it was the dahlias that took a hit.

The dahlia ‘Nonette’ got left in the bag until I discovered it in June when I almost threw it away. It could not be revived.

The lovely ‘Kelvin Floodlight’ got a disease again this year. My overzealous treatment killed it. I will miss its giant yellow blooms.

I had two batches of ‘Thomas Edison’ dahlia. My usual potting soil messed up the mix this year. It was too wet. Many of my plants rotted including one pot of ‘Thomas Edison.’

‘Cafe Au Lait’ is spindly and floppy with no blooms. I keep propping it up, hoping for improvements. The weather has cooled so there is hope for it.

I know this row looks lovely from afar. I know how it could look. That’s my problem. Gardener’s Guilt is real!

The “glass is half empty” and the row is half empty. I am extra grateful for ‘Firepot’ and ‘Snow Country.’

They have survived the many mishaps and are happily blooming.

FLOW

Dahlia Row

| Flower Roberts

There are some new beauties in the line-up this year.

These were introduced to me last fall by the famous pianist, Harold Brown of Bramwell.

The three new faces are Nonette, Cafe’ au lait and Kelvin Floodlight.

I ordered these from Old House Gardens. https://oldhousegardens.com/

The Kelvin Floodlight photo does not do it justice.

Kelvin Floodlight Dahlia

Cafe’ au Lait is even more gorgeous than I expected.

Cafe’ au lait dahlia

Nonette needed some extra water to make bigger flowers, but did not disappoint.

Nonette Dahlia

My heart still belongs to my three favorites Thomas Edison, Firepot and Snow Country.

Thomas A Edison Dahlia

Firepot Dahlia

Snow Country Dahlia

Dahlia Row has taken a lot of feeding, composting and watering BUT these blooms are worth it.

Dahlias

Flower

Cool Dahlias

| Flower Roberts

Dahlias need four things to thrive.

First, they need rich soil. I enrich mine with homemade compost and mushroom compost.

Second, they need a lot of water to grow. Mine are at the bottom of a hill with a berm.

Third, they must be supported. I have been negligent in this so excuse the messy stake job.

The fourth thing that MUST happen is cool weather. Dahlias struggle until it cools down.

Then they show off with giant, heavy blooms.

These are my three favorites, Thomas A Edison, Snow Country and Firepot.

Thomas A. Edison Dahlia
Snow Country Dahlia
Firepot Dahlia

I love the cool weather, also.  I have wilted and withered all summer. Hooray fall!

FLOW

My Three Favorite Dahlias

| Flower Roberts

I have many dahlias.  It may not surprise you that most of them are purple.

I have three favorites.  Only one of which is purple.

These three are the most trouble, because they are dinner plate dahlias.

The blooms are so large that plant must be supported by stakes and fences.

These three need more water that the smaller dahlias. They need more nutrients.

It takes a lot of work on my part and the plant’s part to produce those big beautiful blooms.

I have decided to let some of my dahlias go.   I can’t bring them all in.

There is not enough space… or energy… or time to save them all.

So which three will be dug up, stored and treasured?

Firepot Dahlia

The three big, needy ones will.

Thomas A. Edison dahlia

Snowy Country dahlia

Because when we work together, we make something beautiful.

Synergy in the garden.

FLOW

The Heat is Gone

| Flower Roberts

I hope this cool Monday morning is a sign of things to come.

There seems to be a collective sigh from the garden.

IMG_2468
Water hyacinth blooming among parrot feather and water lettuce in the pond

This summer has been a struggle.

I have constantly pruned and watered in an effort keep things alive.

The stress has shown in yellowed  leaves,  fragile stems and smaller and fewer flowers.

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‘Picotee Blue ‘morning glory single bloom

The tide seems to have turned this morning.

A light rain has plumped up the plants and made them glisten.

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Pink Muhly Grass/ Muhlenbergia capillaris

My favorite dahlia, Thomas A. Edison has decided to stand up and bloom at last.

IMG_2474
Thomas A Edison dinnerplate dahlia

Let’s hope that we all can thrive for a bit in this cool.

Except for the weeds. They will be killed as usual.

FLOW