Almost Time for Garden Planting!

The main color in this post is green, so I'm starting with a photo of colorful Crocuses from last week. The little beauties are just about done now, so it's on to the next phase—celebrating the plants that need warmth.

In the meantime, I thought it would be fun to include an update on the seedlings I started in the sunroom in March. Our last frost date is in early May: Soon, I'll need to harden these babies off before planting.

First we have the mixed Dahlias. They're doing well; I'm so thrilled!



The California Poppies (Eschscholzia californica) are happy and dancing.



The three Milkweed species (Asclepias spp.) took a bit longer to emerge, but they're making progress now.



Oh, and 'The Watchman' Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea) look healthy, too.



'Zowie' and 'State Fair Mix' Zinnias (Z. elegans) are always reliable.

Finally, I'm celebrating the Calla Lilies (Zantedeschia spp.) poking through the soil! Now the race is on to fast, colorful blooms.

That's my "Six" for this week, with extra flowers at the start. Thanks to Jim at Garden Ruminations for hosting "Six on Saturday"!

Wordless Wednesday:A Few Dahlias From the Philly Fling

A lovely arrangement at Chanticleer showcasing Dahlias

[Dahlias presented mostly in the order I saw them; various Philadelphia gardens. Most cultivars weren't marked.]

Wednesday Vignette: Still Bright and Blooming

My vignette for today is a "planned" happy accident. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am new to growing Dahlias (and new to success with Tithonias!). In my continuing quest to make use of tiny spots of sunshine in my "Oak opening/Oak forest" garden, I placed this particular Tithonia (I grew many this year) between two bright, south-facing windows on the back of the house. I planted the 'Explosion' Dahlia tubers in a pot just in front of the Tithonia. I really didn't expect the colors of 'Explosion' to be so bright (it was hard to tell from the package). I'm sure they'll fade, but at this point they're perfect warm companions for the Tithonia.

As always, I'm finding the buds and nearly open blooms as beautiful and interesting (maybe more so) than the fully open flowers; the latter fade so fast. No frost yet, and none in the 10-day forecast. Yay.

Wednesday Vignettes are hosted by Anna at Flutter and Hum.

Playing With Colors and Vases

I'm new to growing Dahlias, and I'm pleased with final outcome. They're certainly dramatic and colorful, aren't they?



I was getting impatient because it seemed like it was taking forever for them to bloom. Now that they've shown their faces, I'm thrilled. I can't tell you what specific varieties I have, because they were labeled "decorative mixed." I'm growing them in pots, with plenty of stakes because they're tall and branching--I didn't want them to blow over in the wind.

The first two to bloom (a fuchsia and a medium yellow) seemed warm and deeply colored.



I thought they'd work as very colorful companions with the yellow and fuchsia of 'Zowie' Yellow Flame Zinnia. It's hard to see here, but Zowie has a fuchsia-colored ring near the center.

So I lined them up in bud vases and played around with the vases and the flowers. It worked until the Dahlias began to fade to pastel tones.



At that point, I clipped a Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia) as a companion for the warm Zowie.



The yellow took its time opening, as if it was shy and afraid to show its face. I liked it in all its stages.



I especially like it here, in the aqua vase, with just a "lock" of a petal draping over its "eye" or disc florets.



The fuchsia faded to a bright, vibrant pink--equally at home out on the patio...



Or in its little bud vase in the house. Do you see the lovely tinges of yellow at the bases of the petals. Dreamy, eh?

I don't know why it took me so long to grow Dahlias--I've enjoyed them as purchased or gifted cut flowers for years and years. All I know is that I will dig up these tubers after the growing season and plant them again next year. ... I'm in love.

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I'm linking this post to Cathy's In a Vase on Monday meme at Rambling in the Garden. My vases are very simple this time, but head on over to Cathy's blog to see creative cut-flower displays from around the world.