Garden Bloggers' Blooms Day: Mind the Gap

May's allium display - I love it!

I must admit I've not been that brilliant in the past at filling the gap that always appears in the top terrace bed mid summer. The alliums like it here so much the initial couple of packs I planted have grown into 150+ blooms this spring. Down on the lower terrace bed asters and anemone 'White Swan' manage to fill in admirably, but I've yet to get it right at the top. My attempts so far struggled to grow past the dense leaf cover the alliums throw out at the start of the year.

Fast forward a few weeks and I was pondering a couple of gaps and thought some dahlias would fit in just right. I scoured the local nurseries and garden centres, but either their offerings had been snapped up, or the problems we've heard suppliers had during coronavirus meant they never actually appeared.

A lovely new red dahlia which fills a late summer gap in my garden

Fast forward another couple of weeks and I never expected the perfect solution to leap out at me as soon as I entered the supermarket to do our weekly shop. It was the pictured dahlia, so wonderful I simply had to have it, despite its huge pot and the possibility the rest of the shopping might overwhelm it. Some careful positioning of the rest of my trolley's goods, followed by a careful placement in the car and thankfully it arrived safely home to grace my garden.

"Boo, I should have bought another", I thought knowing full well I couldn't have fitted another in my trolley at the time, "Ahh well, at least that one's brightening up the garden."

Fate must have heard my thoughts, because an emergency shopping trip a few days later revealed they still had 2 left. When I left the shop, they had just the one.

A quick search of the internet and it looks like this dahlia is a new one for 2020. If my ID is correct, may I introduce you to the fabulous Dahlia 'Venti Red + White'? Unusually for a double dahlia, bees seem to cope with the blooms and spend ages drowsling amongst them, which is heartening.

Same plant, completely different bloom


This week a bloom has popped up which is more white + red that makes me love this cultivar even more. I wonder if this is another example of a plant which throws out differing blooms according to the temperature like the Salvia 'Hot Lips' and Petunia 'Night Sky' I've featured previously? I'm investigating further and will keep you posted if and when I find out more. 

The lack of rain this summer means I've kept them in their pots for now as the ground is so hard, but I hope to plant them out later and will attempt to overwinter them with the aid of my usual dahlia duvet. Keep your fingers crossed for success!

Have you made any surprise plant discoveries this year?

Garden Bloggers' Blooms Day is hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens.

Comments

  1. Carol Michel15 August 2020 at 14:00

    I love that idea "mind the gap" and yes, the entrance to the grocery store can be problematic because some of them put out some beautiful plants in flower. Then you have to calculate if there is room in the shopping cart (as we call it, though I like trolley better!) for the plants and the groceries, or make two trips to the car. Love the allium and dahlias.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP22 August 2020 at 20:04

      Yes there's usually a good display, but unusual for it to have dahlias. We've had quite a bit of rain lately so I'm going to try planting them this week. I'm glad you like our word trolley!

      Delete
  2. Lisa15 August 2020 at 15:45

    What a beautiful purple photo that first one! I haven't tried dahlias before, but should.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP22 August 2020 at 20:05

      I feel a bit guilty using the allium photo for Blooms Day but I needed to show you how prolific they are!

      Delete
  3. Kris Peterson15 August 2020 at 19:56

    Your Alliums are incredible. I've yet to find an Allium that wants to spend more than a single year in my garden in Southern California. Congratulations on the dahlia purchases too. The flowers of both are gorgeous. I've never seen 'Venti Red+White' anywhere before (and I've spent lots of time scouring grower websites for new introductions). I grow these plants in my cutting garden, the only place that gets the water they want, but mine were planted very late this year and are only just now starting to show up. Happy GBBD!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP22 August 2020 at 20:06

      I think it's a new one this year Kris judging from the small amount of information I've found on them thus far.

      Delete
  4. Lea15 August 2020 at 20:38

    Beautiful flowers!
    Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Karin / Southern Meadows15 August 2020 at 22:11

    dahlias are so lovely although I don't grow them. I enjoy them in other gardens. Happy Bloom Day! Missed you on the zoom today but hope you are having a lovely Saturday!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP22 August 2020 at 20:08

      I missed you too Karin! I was away without any internet :o A lovely tech detox :)

      Delete
  6. Arun Goyal16 August 2020 at 03:30

    I could not wait more for spring to grow Alliums,those are beautiful . It would be my pleasure if you join my link up party related to Gardening here. http://jaipurgardening.blogspot.com/2020/08/garden-affair-link-up-party.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP22 August 2020 at 20:08

      Thanks Arun. Too bad I was away and missed the party!

      Delete

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