The Day of the Dahlia

As the hydrangeas hit the skids the dahlias are taking center stage. I have creamy-white, pink and this spectacular purple lady. The structure of this flower is so intricate and perfect I never get tired of looking at them. The heat and humidity of this particular summer, almost tropical (yes, with short-lived thunderstorms in the late afternoon), has been perfect for flowering plants. The mums are already starting to burgeon, maybe too early since the “done” plants like the peony and iris are not yet ready to be cut back, but we shall see…which is part of the glory of gardening