I am back tonight with a quick Monday share – a jugful of beautiful dahlias and asters! As ever on a Monday I am linking up with Cathy at Rambling In The Garden to join in with Cathy’s challenge to find something from the garden to put in a vase every Monday.
I have not been doing too well with my weekly vases recently – I always have the intention to share a Monday vase, but the day seems to slip away from me and with these long evenings I am often out weeding and watering until quite late. This week I am very happy to announce that the dahlia season has finally started in my garden. It feels very late this year – even now the plants are quite small and have some way to go before they are pumping out the flowers. I think the cold spring and that very wet period in June when my beds were flooded has held them back. I am counting myself lucky though that they have not been eaten by slugs and looking forward to a beautiful September when they should be looking their best.
This is my third summer growing the glamorous Cafe Au Lait and the first one where she has been one of the first dahlias to flower! What a topsy turvy year I am having.
I have added dahlias Preference and American Dawn, aster Tower Chamois and a few stems of amaranthus to keep my Cafe Au Lait’s company today.
Isn’t she pretty! The pale colouring and dinner plate size of the flowers do mean that she is a very delicate beauty though and she does not cope well with wet weather.
Aster Tower Chamois is one of my favourite asters – a lovely fruity apricot shade. I grew plenty for the July wedding but they have only just started to flower, so I will be enjoying them in the house for the next few weeks.
Dahlia Preference is another favourite dahlia. A cactus variety this dahlia is smaller flowered than Cafe Au Lait and very easy to grow. I don’t even stake this one as she is fairly sturdy and the flowers are quite weather resistant.
With one last look at this lovely aster I will say goodnight – tonight I am rushing off to catch up on the Olympics! I have almost finished my post about the Wedding Flower course that I have been promising you, so do pop back tomorrow evening when it should be posted.
Have a lovely week everyone and take a peek at Cathy’s blog to see what she and the others have made this week.
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Hi Julie, wow, that is a stunning vase! I am totally in love with dahlia ‘Cafe au Lait’ and the combination with the draping amaranthus is genius. Well done!
I think you have inspired me to grow ‘Cafe au Lait’ next year!
Unfortunately I have planted my dahlia tubers only in July, but if I am lucky I still may get a few blooms this year. With our long summers and warm autumn temperatures I hope that it possible!
Warm regards from Southern California!
Christina
Thank you Christina and I do hope you have a go with Cafe Au Lait next year – I am sure you will be delighted! I didn’t get some of my dahlias in until July either but they have such a long season I am not worried – we will have plenty of flowers to look forward to in the autumn – especially you in your lovely Californian climate.
So beautiful, I am going to have to search out Cafe au Lait for next year. Really lovely arrangement
Thank you Dorris – I bought mine from Rose Cottage Plants. I have heard reports of Cafe Au Lait being inconsistent in appearance but the Rose Cottage ones have been the same each time I have bought them. I struggle to overwinter dahlias in my wet soil so I now buy new each spring.
I recognised your Cafe au Lait straight away, remembering it was one of your favourites. I am sure it looks pinker this year, or is that my imagination..?! Don’t you just love amaranthus too? Strangely my green tassels haven’t grown very long this year, not as yet anyway. Lovely photographs, as always – and it’s good to have you back!
Thank you Cathy – I think it is probably just the light in the photo making it appear pinker. It is actually more a nude or champagne shade. Amaranths is stunning – mine is just beginning to get going so I expect the tassels will increase in length as the season progresses. I have only had a handful of long ones so far. My red version has not even produced one tassel yet – hopefully will improve soon!
Its good to be back!!
STUNNING flowers – not your standard fare and they have me drooling with envy. 🙂 Cafe au Lait is a prize-winner. Well, they all are really!
Thank you Eliza – I am glad you loved this collection – whilst Cafe Au Lait is the showstopper the others are all stunning flowers too.
Lovely Dahlias Julie; I agree with Cathy that Cafe au Lait looks much more pink this year but beautiful just the same.
Thanks Christina – I think it is just the light – although it is described as a dahlia with peach pink and nude tones. Some growers complain about their stock being too pink, but looking at her this morning mine are certainly more nude than pink. That hint of pink does mean that you can mix Cafe Au Lait with pinks or apricots though which is handy both in the garden and with arrangements.
I am going to be ordering my tulips soon so do let me know your plans for the refrigeration so that we can do a comparison – I don’t have a lot of spare fridge space but will certainly squeeze some bulbs in.
Wow – beautiful Dahlias – and especially the “Café au Lait” – I have to see if I can find that one in Denmark! Have a nice day – and I really look forward to your post about the Wedding Flower Course 🙂
Love Nina
Thank you Nina – lovely to hear from you. I do hope you can find Cafe Au Lait – if not let me know and I could send you a tuber next spring if there are no restrictions on postage. I hope you are having a lovely summer in beautiful Denmark. xx
Hello Julie – I’m smitten too having seen this beautiful Cafe Au Lait on Instagram and seeing it arranged here has definitely made my mind up to try this one. I opted for really dark dahlias this year in a bed with jewel gladioli all from Sarah Raven and am really pleased with the result. I do love a soft romantic look too and you have given me much food for thought with your brilliant flower combining. Enjoy the Olympics while you can because next week I think we will all (here in the UK) be very busy watering as a heat wave has been forecast!!
Hi Teresa – I have a similar bed of dark dahlias and gladioli but they are not flowering just yet although there are plenty of buds. I do love the dark shades but they are harder to photograph – the camera seems to distort the colours which is why I often pick the paler shades for my Monday vases. Cafe Au Lait is all over Instagram isn’t it! I wonder what the next dahlia diva will be – I noticed that Erin from Floret Flowers has been showing a lovely peachy dinner plate dahlia but it is not available here yet. Thanks for the tip off about the heatwave – we are going away later next week so I had better make sure my pots are all moved together and in the shade to make watering easy.
If someone had been in the next room they would have rushed in as I let out a gasp when I saw the first picture. Truely beautiful…both the dahlia and the aster. They are on my wish list for next year.
That is so kind Noelle! You really must put them on your list for next year – I am sure you will love them.
Hi Julie, your arrangement is sheer perfection. Flowers are so fresh and at their peak and your photos capture their loveliness.