Late Summer and Fall Companion Flowers
Dahlias and Roses Flower Arrangement
What you need:
- 8 large burgundy Dahlias cut 10-13 inches
- 8 pink and white Dahlias cut 10-13 inches
- 2 large burgundy with white tip Dahlias cut 8"
- 1 doz. pink roses cut
- some Plectranthus Coleoides (Swedish Ivy) from the garden (green & white leaves) cut 8 - 13"
- 1 Sea green ceramic pedestal vase (5.5" H with 3.5" inside Diam.)
- 1 wet pack floral foam brick
- 4 floral wires 18 gauge cut into thirds
Steps: 4
Rated: Medium Difficultly Arrangement
It's late summer, early fall and it's the Labor Day weekend. It's still hot in LA, but we are beginning to see some cooler days. It is the perfect time to make a dahlia and rose flower arrangement. Dahlias are still in season. You may have to chase around to a few stores to find the right color combinations, but I tell you that dark burgundy dahlia is to die for and the pink and white dahlia has a splash of soft color that blends perfectly with it. Roses are everywhere in the stores and they are cheap. I found mine for $7.99 a dozen.
Dahlias are related to sunflowers, zinnias, daisies, and mums. The original dahlias came from Mexico but there are many hybridized varieties. Dahlias bloom from summer into fall and are perennials in hardiness zones 8 - 10 (Southern CA) and annuals in zones 1 -7. Dahlias grow from tubers, which kind of look like carrots. If you're interested in growing daisies, here's a great little video: http://www.americanmeadows.com/growing-dahlias
Dahlias and roses are only perfectly complement each other in a flower arrangement, but they are also late summer and fall companion flowers. In other words, you can plant them together in the garden and they grow well together, as well as look beautiful. See this great article: http://homeguides.sfgate.com/companion-flowers-plant-dahlias-64364.html
For questions and answers see this article: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/1611436/can-i-grow-dahlias-and-roses-in-the-same-bed
Well, if you have your sea green vase, your dahlias, roses, floral foam and wire you are ready. Let's begin.
Shape your floral foam with a produce knife so it will fit into the vase.
The shape at the bottom will look like the bottom of a teacup.
Fill with water.
Fill to to rim.
We're beginning. Cut stem to 12 inches and insert at an angle.
Repeat on left side. Add pink and white stems cut 13 inches to both sides.
Text
Add anchor flower bottom right in front.
Add half the roses to the front.
Add Swedish Ivy 8 - 12 inches long to fill in.
Like so.
Repeat in the back.
Here are some close ups.
They look hot.
For a table setting, pair this with seashells and sea green sand in a hurricane lamp and a sea green table cloth.
You can make summer last a little longer with these tokens from the sea.
Enjoy this last breath of summer.