Wednesday 27 August 2014

My Dahlia showgirls...

I guess the title says it all! We started last year with a few PomPoms and now I'm addicted.  I dug up the bulbs and put them in pots in the green house over winter. They loved the early start and by the time they went in the soil they were big healthy plants.
 
                                   


I planted some new varieties but lost the names of them (apart from Fire Cracker which was one of my favourites. 

                                       
                                   

                                   

                                   
I planted them in the veg patch to make up for our crops being decimated by rabbits this year. If we're feeling grand we call it 'the Cutting Garden'! In reality its been the saviour of an otherwise disappointing year in the garden but rabbit news is for another day...


                                   

We've had an endless supply of flowers for the house and with a bit of deadheading they've had the longest season of anything in the garden. I was lucky enough to receive some gardening vouchers for my birthday and I'm already planning on blowing the lot on bulbs for a colourfest next year!

 

18 comments:

  1. I think dahlias are God's gift to earth --- we don't grow them in Southern California, so your photos are just mesmerizing!

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    1. Hi Sue - great to hear from you. I'm so glad you like them. They've been my favourite in the garden this summer.

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  2. Nice to see you again, dearie! I, too, love dahlias. They remind me of my mother's gardens. She alwayshad deep red and bright yellow pom-poms. Lately, they are becoming popular wedding flowers - my son was just best man for his best bud and they flowers at the wedding were various varieties of dahlias ... he said they were just beautiful! Just like yours!!!

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    1. Hi Susan - lovely to hear from you. I love the idea of dahlias as wedding flowers - makes me feel like redoing our wedding!!!

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  3. I have an area where I could have some flowers......ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh!

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    1. Go for it Denise - they're so easy to grow and will give you lots of colour all summer.

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  4. so lovely to see you again!... love these flowers, they're just so blousy!

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    1. Thanks Dom, lovely to hear from you - gotta love a blousy dahlia. I just can't do subtle when it comes to flowers!

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  5. They're beauties. I haven't grown any dahlias this year, I think I'll grow some again next year though, they're such showstoppers.

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    1. Hi Jo - lovely to hear from you. They're definitely worth a go - some of mine stayed in the ground all winter and still came up!

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  6. I have had a terrible year with dahlias this year only a couple have survived slug and snail attacks - such a shame as I do love them so. The colours of yours are wonderful - you are so lucky they have survived. Sigh. Oh well I'll try again next year I guess.

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    1. Hi Elaine - great to hear from you. Pesky snails! I hope you have better look next year - rabbits are my nemesis this year!

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  7. They are quite showy flowers. It's at times like this that I lament the loss of my gardens and condo living.

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    1. Hi Bellini - thank you for dropping in. They are the showgirls of the garden aren't they!

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  8. Glad to see you are posting again! I used to have dahlias, but they needed to be dug up/stored each year else the winter kills them dead. So I gave them up. Gotta pick your battles when ya get old. *heh* Your's are just lovely.

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  9. Lol I know what you mean Kris - I gave up on brassicas as I was just feeding the caterpillars! It's lovely to hear from you.

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I lovelovelove your comments and I read everyone. I might not always get round to replying but I will try my best to...girlguide promise x