Thursday, September 29, 2011

Dahlias: Summer's Last Fireworks

I feel I have to apologize for disappearing again: we have family staying with us for a few weeks, and spending much time at the computer has not been possible.


However, I still hope to come up with blog posts every now and then.


Yesterday we went to San Francisco and stopped to look at the dahlia garden at Golden Gate Park.


I was glad to take some pictures again, I find I really miss flower photography, and here is the result.


I confess that not a single dahlia graces my garden.


They compete for sunny spots with roses (and roses in my case win every time)...,


...they require staking (too much work), and they are not fragrant.


What I dislike most, however, is an absolute faultless perfection of dahlia blooms...



... often I have trouble believing they are actually real.


The most attractive feature of dahlia blooms to me is an incredible variation of color within a single bloom.



Like roses, dahlias come in every color except blue, but the brightness of colors far surpasses that of roses.


In fact, off-hand I can think of no other flower that shares such exuberance and range of color within a single bloom.



Maybe orchids come close.

The variety of bloom forms is also amazing.


In fact, some of the highly structured bloom forms gave  my pictures an almost abstract quality.


 I feel there is lots of room for creative photography in dahlias.

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33 comments:

  1. MarijkeSeptember 29, 2011 at 7:52 AM

    Hello Marsha,
    Your dahlia's are gourdeous.
    Brillant pictures.
    Gr. Marijke

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  2. MashaSeptember 29, 2011 at 8:09 AM

    Thank you, Marijke, I am glad you liked them.

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  3. LonaSeptember 29, 2011 at 8:31 AM

    How spectacular! They are all just so beautiful and what a riot of wonderful colors.

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  4. MashaSeptember 29, 2011 at 8:34 AM

    Thank you, Lona. You are right, dahlias are probably some of the most beautiful flowers, I enjoyed photographing them very much.

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  5. organicgardendreamsSeptember 29, 2011 at 8:55 AM

    Masha, I am surprised that the dahlias are still going that strong in the Golden Gate Park Dahlia Garden! You got some stunning shots of these amazing blooms. I enjoyed reading this post a lot!
    Christina

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  6. MashaSeptember 29, 2011 at 9:44 AM

    Christina, thank you. I was thinking about you when I was writing this post: it seemed amazing that with all the variety of flora in California, two people should be blogging about the same thing at the same time:). I enjoyed your dahlia post a lot, too.

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  7. b-a-gSeptember 29, 2011 at 11:48 AM

    Masha - I walked past dahlia bulbs when I saw them in the diy store. (I've never seen multi-coloured dahlias before). Your post has opened my eyes, they are now on my list for next year.

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  8. Dani P.September 29, 2011 at 12:09 PM

    Lovely, perfect dahlias ! I try to grow some, but this year, without succes ...

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  9. Carolyn @ Carolyn's Shade GardensSeptember 29, 2011 at 2:21 PM

    I don't really like dahlias eithr for the exact reasons you mentioned. They do make beautiful photos, the the shot of all the different colors in the public garden is fun.

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  10. HolleyGardenSeptember 29, 2011 at 2:53 PM

    Your dahlia photographs are gorgeous. I have never seen dahlias grown around here. We must be missing something they need. It is amazing all the different forms there are. I bet that garden is glorious to see with all the different colors combined together.

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  11. NancySeptember 29, 2011 at 3:21 PM

    I agree that roses are first, but dahlias in the cutting garden are a good second. Mine are in bloom now (I live 70+ miles south of San Francisco,in the Santa Cruz Mountains.) Roses still going strong, of course.

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  12. MashaSeptember 29, 2011 at 5:56 PM

    Dani, I tried to grow dahlias too, and they all died. I think they either rotted in our heavy clay or maybe the squirrels got them...

    Carolyn, you are so right. I would much rather photograph than grow them :)

    Holley, thank you. The garden is an awesome sight, although it is a bit too bright for my taste.

    Nancy, you are right, dahlias are wonderful cut flowers. I remember my grandmother making bouquets of them in her garden. I am glad both your dahlias and roses are blooming - your garden must look so beautiful.

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  13. OneSeptember 29, 2011 at 7:11 PM

    Your photos are just amazing! They are all so beautiful.

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  14. AnonymousSeptember 30, 2011 at 5:59 AM

    Wow, I haven't any in my garden too but this makes me feel wrong... very wrong. I have to reconsider dahlias! thanks for this post, you inspired me.

    Alberto

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  15. MashaSeptember 30, 2011 at 6:16 AM

    One, thank you. I am glad you liked them.

    Alberto, I am glad I did. I hope you get some and post pictures. I am looking forward to that.

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  16. Roses du jardin ChênelandSeptember 30, 2011 at 12:18 PM

    hello Macha.. All dahlias are very beautiful in this garden. J like the dahlias but i prefer the roses also.
    Dood evenig jocelyne

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  17. Patrick's GardenSeptember 30, 2011 at 2:13 PM

    Hey Masha,
    What a treat to see so many dahlias in one post. You're spot on about being the last fireworks. Thanks so very much for posting.

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  18. NHGardenSeptember 30, 2011 at 3:11 PM

    Oh I also do not grow dahlias! But your photos are beautiful!

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  19. Jo_PyweedSeptember 30, 2011 at 4:13 PM

    Hi Masha. Lovely photos, as always. I have two dahlias in my garden - they are the compact variety and don't need staking; flowers are 2 inches across. They are bloom machines; over 150 flowers since late June and in flower now with many buds left. I still prefer roses, though! I just got my first flower on Francis Dubreuil (bought after I saw one of your pictures), and the fragrance is heavenly. Perhaps the warm spell we had the last few days helped. Thank you for the enabling!!

    Cheers,
    Jo

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  20. The GardenerSeptember 30, 2011 at 6:38 PM

    Such beautiful, bright flowers... Thanks for the pictures. I know what you mean about dahlias being too perfect, though. In my climate, there is also the added work of digging them up every fall because they cannot survive a heavy frost. Roses win, hands-down!

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  21. MashaSeptember 30, 2011 at 8:31 PM

    Jocelyne, I thought this is how it is in your garden, I like to look at dahlias too but I grow roses...

    Patrick, thank you. Dahlias are so photogenic I couldn't stop taking pictures.

    NHGarden, thank you. I am glad you liked the pictures.

    Jo, thank you. I didn't know dahlias could be such prolific bloomers. I actually have been growing one dwarf one for my son but haven't counted how many blooms it produced. I am glad you liked FD, it is a very fragrant rose as are most other dark red ones. I hope it does well for you.

    Lois, thank you. I remember we used to dig dahlias too when I lived in Russia, along with gladioli and lots of other things :).

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  22. GirlSproutOctober 1, 2011 at 10:32 AM

    I don't grow dahlias either, but I love seeing them in other people's gardens. On the way to work I drive by a neighbor's who has some the size of saucers. Beautiful photos.

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  23. AnnetteOctober 1, 2011 at 12:29 PM

    Was für wunderschöne farbenfrohe Bilder. Ich liebe Dahlien sehr weil sie so perfekte Blüten haben und in den schönsten fröhlichsten Farben blühen. Liebe Grüße Annette

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  24. Casa MariposaOctober 1, 2011 at 4:47 PM

    These pictures are incredible!! I have dahlias growing in a pot on my patio and I was tempted not to grow them again next summer until they started blooming. They are truly magnificent!!

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  25. sweetbayOctober 1, 2011 at 9:32 PM

    Your photos have amazing beauty!!! Unfortunately here in central NC dahlias tend to melt down, although they love the cooler temps in the mountains in the west of our state.

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  26. GigaOctober 2, 2011 at 9:29 AM

    Śliczne dalie no i oczywiście zdjęcia, a ta na 12 zdjęciu jest cudna. Pozdrawiam ciepło

    ReplyDelete
  27. DonnaOctober 3, 2011 at 7:13 PM

    I have been unable to visit in a while and what a treat to see the lovely dahlias...gorgeous...glad you are taking time to be with family..my excuse is work...rather be with family

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  28. CorinaOctober 4, 2011 at 2:46 AM

    Great photos as always!
    I love dahlias, such a grand show, however, I have no patience to take them out and plant them in spring, each year. Here they cannot stay in the ground in winter.
    Exquisite flowers.

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  29. StoBloggerOctober 4, 2011 at 7:45 PM

    I am so jealous of the incredible eye you have for these lovely flowers. I love dahlias but I've not been successful at growing them in Texas. Thanks for sharing your lovely work.

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  30. Beth at PlantPostingsOctober 4, 2011 at 8:09 PM

    Wow, your photos and your Dahlias are unequaled! I can't spend enough time on this page. Sigh.

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  31. Roses, Color, and LightOctober 12, 2011 at 4:20 PM

    Masha, lovely photos. I adore dahlias, but they must be lifted for winter here.
    Thanks for sharing your "borrowed" flowers with us!
    Sandra

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  32. JessOctober 13, 2011 at 2:56 PM

    I love these things, but have had no luck with them... I don't know what my problem is. Your pics from that garden are stupendous.

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  33. Sandra GardenerOctober 15, 2011 at 5:27 AM

    Hello, Masha!
    Spectacular!!! Just love those dahlias, what amazing colors. Lovely vivid colors making life more beautiful!

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I am so glad you have stopped by!