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02.27.2008 :: 58. D is for...
Dahlias.
When we moved into our home 19 years ago, the neighbor's yard was pitiful. Overgrown in spots with weeds, the rest a dustbowl that was used for extra parking. And then Mr. Connelly started to plant Dahlias. Only a few that first year. But if you know anything about Dahlias, they are not hardy in our winter. They have to be dug up every fall and replanted in the spring. Every year he would buy more and have more from the tubers multiplying.
To my delight, his 2 huge yards are filled to the brim with dahlias in late summer. They are worth the wait. Their personalities and exteriors differ from each other. There is nothing better than strolling through the thousands of dahlias on a warm summer evening. And bonus? I have no weeding to do!
Dahlias are Delightful.
~Click to see bigger photo~
Posted by Sandy on 02.27.2008 AT 05:21 PM
Comments
Beautiful! *sigh* I can't wait for spring...
Posted by: Lucia on 02.28.2008 AT 03:26 PM
I've never tried dahlias... now I'm wondering...
Posted by: Nora on 02.28.2008 AT 01:57 PM
Yes, that's the perfect D! :-) I remember when you first told us the story of the dahlias--I could hardly believe the care and effort that must go into planting and digging and re-planting those bulbs every single year,
Posted by: Beth S. on 02.28.2008 AT 01:30 PM
Oh, we really do get weather that produces such lovely things, don't we? I'm afraid I've forgotten what it was like. Thanks for the warm memories!
Posted by: Dava on 02.28.2008 AT 10:53 AM
I love Dahlias! My mother grew them in her garden in Greece- some were dinner plate ones. They kind of remind me of floral fireworks! I've grown them in the past though not very successfully. They were plagued with grubs and rot during the growing season and never made it into the digging up and dormant phase in the basement. It would be nice to give them another shot. I wonder if voles and chipmunks love them- I have quite a few of those unfortunately!
Posted by: Manise on 02.28.2008 AT 09:53 AM
Those are gorgeous! My parents started planting dahlias and I hated them, but I think they were just bad color combos. (I also hated peonies because the ants crawled all over them, but now I adore them.)
Posted by: Anne on 02.28.2008 AT 01:06 AM
That's a great "D" -- beautiful!
Posted by: Kathy on 02.27.2008 AT 10:28 PM
It took me a long, loooong time to even consider dahlias. Now I love them, not as much as I love peonies, which is a far cry from where I started!
Posted by: KT on 02.27.2008 AT 07:32 PM
The colors are so vivid and the flowers so full and exquisite. It must be such a sight to see them all at once.
Posted by: margene on 02.27.2008 AT 07:23 PM
Gorgeous! You are on an alphabet roll!
Posted by: Teresa C on 02.27.2008 AT 06:36 PM
Love!
Love the photos. Love the dahlias. Love Norma wanting to learn how to grow them.
Maybe she can teach me once she has the trick because I'm another one who can't get them to grow.
Posted by: Cookie on 02.27.2008 AT 06:23 PM
Please, you must have me down to visit when the dahlias are in bloom. I have never gotten the hang of dahlias. Strange, huh, with my otherwise fairly green thumb? I just don't seem to have the knack with dahlias. I love them to pieces, though.
Posted by: Norma on 02.27.2008 AT 06:09 PM
Dinner plate dahlias are the best!
Posted by: Carole on 02.27.2008 AT 05:59 PM
Sounds almost like Camelot... I bet it only rains at night in Mr. Connelly's garden, too.
Won-D-erful!!!
Posted by: Vicki on 02.29.2008 AT 10:01 AM