Willow's Dahlia's - They're starting to bloom!!!!

This is what we wait for , the first dahlia! This little gal is called Mary Jo, it's a miniature about 3 inches across, new in my garden.

Number 2 popped open it's big head, the leader in the white garden, Tsuki. Thanks Annie! I'm in love with this one

Great Willow, that Tsuki will not be ignored that's for sure.

Camano Grace is so beautiful, a new favorite for me. I didn't exspect such a big flower. Hoping for good tubers!

My Unwins that I started from seeds have started to open.....

Bigcityal, mine is also 10 inches across, it's just amazing.

Nice Camano.

My Tsuki is about that wide and probably 8" deep for great flower volume - hey I made up a term ;)

That 'Camano Grace' is a very nice catus one.

Good for you. Nice to have them finally start blooming. Keep the show coming.

Wonderful show Willow. I was wondering if you got flooded out in the rainy NE spring, but no way!

Camano Grace is early for you, I only had a couple blooms on it last year- must be happy there. I love Tsuki Yori, but find I could never keep a bloom in the vase long no matter what I tried. Let me know if you cut one and how it behaves for you. I bet your White Garden will be splendid!

Thanks everyone!

Annie it's been so hot and dry here the entire season. It's 96 today and humid, not fit for man nor beast. The only thing that is happy is the Japanese beetles, uck! I have crushed more of them then I want to think about. It's getting out of control around here again this year, I guess we will have to resort to a evil potion to keep them at bay. I hate spraying nasty chemicals but it's coming to that if I want any flowers at all.

here's one I have been waiting for....Bright Star

Blackberry Ripple has joined the parade

Here's another Unwins stared from seed

Willow! Wow, how exciting! Beautiful flowers...aren't the seedlings fun!?!

Nice 3 there Willow. Glad you're getting more flowers.

Good going Willow! Your stems looks like rebar, they're so sturdy- how do you do that? BBRipple will be along shortly here too- I love that one.

I think I suffer from "general weather report" if they say it's raining cats in dogs in NYC I think the whole state is inundated, but you've been dry there! Join me in watering, won't you? Can't believe it's been 6 days since I did the shade beds- back I go right now.

Keep those flowers coming!

It's raining, it's raining! It's 70 out and it feels chilly after 2 weeks of 90 to 100 degree weather. My plants are signing with relief, nothing like a soaking rain .
Here's Honka all decked out and there's a few more on there way.

Do you get many blooms on Honka? My Jazzy doesn't seem as free with flowers as some of the others.

Little Honka is back! I had that in front and center row last year and the bush was wide and full with at least 5 blooms at any given time with plenty of others right behind. Below is a bad photo of the Honka bush last October. It was about the last dahlia I cut down because it was so pretty I hated to see it go!

Willow started me off on the orchids: " the stars" of the dahlia bed! KKK Katie will be blooming soon enough. Another new one is Juul's All Star.

And plenty of stem for cutting!!

Willow, looks like you enjoy the cactus variety. That first photo is stunning.

Lenjo, That was a wonderful gift from Annie. She got me started on IC dahlia's , it's all her fault as if I needed any help more dahlia's,LOL

Annie I have tahoma hope and tahoma star this year. T. Hope opened today so I will get a photo tomorrow, she sits pretty in my white garden. Tahitian Sunrise should be all the way opened tomorrow , anew one for me this year.
Oh, by the way, I did a cutting of Tsuki and it only lasted 2 days in a vase so I cut another yesterday and I will report back on that one. I read on the net if you cut the stem off under water it will last a lot longer so that is what I did. It seems that if you do it under water no air gets up the stem to shorten it's vase time. Time will tell!

Willow, I had read that too about cutting under water. It seems to help just a little bit.

I saw Tahoma Star willow, I want to hear how it does for you.
Yes Tsuki is a problem child. I love the lacy white fluffy bloom, but it just doesn't last. I've cut under water, pierced the thick stems with a hat pin to let out air bubbles, floral preservative of every sort and it just seems to be one that frumps early. Perhaps better enjoyed on the plant?

Let us know how that second one comes out, and of course, post photos of your new kids on the block !

WILLOW 22552,
Where'd you find Tahitian Sunrise?? Wheres the pic??

Here's Tahitian Sunrise and I think I bought it at Connell's

Here she is again in the full

Tahoma Hope , an orchid dahlia, for my white garden.

Oh my! Tahitian Sunrise is dramatic to the core! And I love Tahoma Hope! Is it a Connell's origination? Seem's like the senior Connell's use "Tahoma" in some of their dahlia names.

Little known factoid: Mt Rainier, Washington state's highest peak at 14000+ ft, was called "Tahoma" by the Native Americans. It is one whale of a volcanic mountain peak that rises majestically afar on our SE skyline when smog permits.... grrr. When we moved here 26 years ago and I first saw it, I nearly had to pull off the freeway, it looked so unusual sticking up on the horizon, so impressive. Kind of like Tahitian Sunrise LOL

Mt. Rainer is my most favorite mountain!
It is one of the most prettiest shaped mountain with a snow cone cap.

Tahitian Sunrise looks great - bold.

I don't have any orchids, are they prolific?

Al, Orchids are very prolific in flowers as well as in tubers, atleast I can say Honka and KKKkatie are. This is the first time for Tahoma Hope and Tahoma Star , so we will have to wait to see on them. As it stands right now , I have 6 bubs on Hope and 2 are opened.

Pooch, yes I got both from Connell. T. Sunrise is a very strong and sturdy flower with great long stems and there are about 5 buds on the plant right now so it should be quite a show if I can keep my knife away from them. I love cutting and putting them in the house.


robin Hood is getting ready to open along with Mel's delight and curly cue should be opened today.

Robin Hood is here. At first it was bright red so not like anyone else's but now that it has seen more sun and opened fully , I think it is closer to what it is suppose to look like. Which ever way you go , it is one of my favorite's today.

K-K-Katie is load with buds and here is the first of many.

You know those cold winter days and you don't have anything to do , searching the dahlia sites for new arrivals...well I fell off the wagon and bought a dahlia for far more than I should have. It's a weakness when it comes to this flowers I guess. Anyway, I bought Mel's Yellow delight, an AA 2005 introduction. You don't see to may AA's in the cactus form so I took the plunge ! Here he is in the bud stage, a bit orange at this stage but losing it's orange as it is opening. When it opens fully ,I will post .

Wow, my first thought was it looked like a football mum.

Here's Mel today, a bit more opened . Now if the Japanese Beetles don't get it anymore before it get's a chance to open completely...sigh

Looking like a big crazy dahlia that's for sure

OOOHHHH,,,lalalala I like it even better.