Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Dahlia: Centerpiece workhorse


The dahlia is plentiful in this season and blooms in every shade and size one could wish for, making it, in my book, one of the best flowers for centerpieces. My grandfather grew dinner-plate sized lavender dahlia on a largely shaded corner hill of his home. Each year at this time, I note all the dahlia's in magazine arrangements, think of that remarkable patch of earth, and wish I had those bulbs. Luckily, it is not difficult to get equally as spectacular cut dahlias from the market florist when I grocery shop. Here is some of the inspiration I am using for centerpieces this fall.









What is in your vase this week?

9 comments:

Kellie Collis said...

Sweet peas .... Still blooming in my garden! x

Jessica Ryan said...

My vases are empty! However, in my foyer are 3 lovely very large mum plants in this perfectly autum scarlety-pumpkiny spectacular color. They are so magnificent I walk through the foyer just to look at them!

Southern Aspirations said...

honestly, dahlias are one of my favorite flowers now... still have several out in my flower bed (though many were beaten to the ground by the rain).

An Aesthete's Lament said...

Dahlias have always been a favourite flower of mine. Have you read Eleanor Perènyi's "Green Thoughts" chapter about dahlias? You will clutch your sides with laughter, especially regarding her observation that most people find dahlias to be irredeemably vulgar (Mirabel Osler among them, I believe). The only trouble with dahlias is keeping them from wilting in the vase.

JMW said...

Great suggestion! The dahlias in the first pic are striking. They would make for a gorgeous centerpiece.

P.Gaye Tapp at Little Augury said...

I love dahlias- I had a beautiful"crop" of them several years ago-that I could not repeat. Don't you wonder? I didn't know how to plant them and hurried through hoping for the best-and got it. After that success, I honed my planting skills and Nothing! The dinner plate ones are divine. I floated the heads in a huge blue and white Chinese bowl. The names seduce as well- doesn't every well named thing do so? GT

LPC said...

Those black dahlias in the first photo are smashing.

LindsB said...

Too funny I was just getting a post ready about dahlias too!

I just came back from my parents house for the weekend and brought with me a bunch of beautiful dahlias from my mothers garden- I love them!!

the southern hostess said...

Gorgeous! I love dahlias.