Thanks to the Dahlias Forum!

I've always gardened and taken pictures, but since my retirement these two activities have really grabbed my soul. I wanted to share my dahlias with you guys. I don't have nearly as many as most of you but hope to keep getting more! This thread is a thank you for all the helpful information and gorgeous inspiration I've gotten from this forum. A special thanks to Al for sending me such great tubers (and mentoring my photography). All but the stargazers, which I started from seed about 5 years ago, came from him.
I'll start with Tarahiti Ruby

Monarch on red stargazer

Gay Princess

Golden Cloud

Chimacun Kathleen

Grasshopper on Yvonne

Another view of Chimacun Kathleen

Ferncliff Illusion

Ferncliff Illusion again

Red Stargazer

More Red Stargazers

Fantastic shots you've captured! Thank you for sharing!

Bumblebee on Orange Stargazer

White and pink Stargazer

Thanks Gemini...I'm not done yet!
Yellow Stargazer

Wildwood Marie (with Red Stargazers behind)

bebop what beauty you have there keep up the good work !!!!
I,m gathering info for the spring I so would love to grow Dalihas first I have to find a way to store them ;0) sheds to cold and house is to warm
Gloria

I like that Stargazer series! How tall are they?

Golden Cloud (with sunflowers behind)

The Stargazers are at least 4 feet tall and very, very prolific. I don't even have to divide the tubers.

Tarahiti Ruby

Tarahiti Ruby (the last post of her had a filter applied to make it look like a painting)

Bea Paradise

This is silly. I made a deep dish blueberry pie with our own blueberries and wanted to take its picture. I had a vase of dahlias nearby so I decorated it for the shot.

Golden Cloud, Bea Paradise, Ferncliff Illusion, Gay Princess, Chimacun Kathleen

Yvonne

Keith H

Keith H and Bea Paradise

Our scarecrow (Marv) with Chimacun Kathleen, Contessa, Kari Blue and Onesta

Kari Blue

Onesta

Last one! This is just a photo of part of the garden with some dahlias in the foreground along with acidanthera, verbena, corn, sweet Annie and an apple tree in the background. I used a filter on this one to make it look like a painting.

Oops...I think the very first one is Contessa. I don't know how to edit these posts.

LOVE your garden! Those shots with the filter are gorgeous! ...well, they all are, but those are my favs! The Stargazers have such a nice presence in the garden- love the effect of the starry bloom shape.

Wonderful dahlias and photos. Great way to start the day.

One more. How could I forget the Orange Stargazer...

Wow-please tell me you are submitting these somewhere! These are fantastic-of Nat'l Geographic quality, seriously. I hope that I could capture even one photo of this caliber in my life.

The filter to make the photo look like a painting-is this on your camera or your photo editing software? Very cool-I've never seen it before.

Thanks for posting these and sharing your talent!

Carrie

Thanks, Carrie! The filter is the Dry Brush Filter that comes with Photoshop Elements 6. I'm sure it is also on the big Photoshop program as well. I just take these for myself because I love their beauty. I'll probably submit 2 in the DG contest, though. Not sure which yet.

I love the bug shots, just perfect, super dahlias too! You have a true talent for garden design. And I'll bet that really grouchy scarecrow works. :)

I JUST LUV your photos bebop. Each one is breathtaking. I'm sooooooo glad you are going to enter one or two dahlias in the photo contest ^_^

I'd love you to enter Keith and Yvonne. They are so beautiful.