Returning home with us from the allotment yesterday were more apples, raspberries (some for porridge, some to be ginned), the last of the potato harvest and some flowers or so we thought. However some stowaways had sneaked on board in the shape of the little snail that you can see above and below, a green shield bug and an earwig. We eventually caught up with the first two extra passengers but the latter seemed escaped in transit. It wasn't until that I set to photograph the dahlias that I spotted the snail who seemed to be having great fun showing off its mountaineering skills. The dahlia has been flowering all summer now. It was all of a couple of pounds from Wilkos and has been growing at the allotment for a few years. The label is long gone but I'm reasonably certain that it's 'Arabian Night'.
The second vase contains more allotment pickings in the shape of cosmos 'Rubenza', a pink cosmos (the seed packet said 'Purity' - something went seriously amiss there!) and dahlia 'Magenta Star'. The photo seems to make the dahlia more pink than it is. It has beautiful dark foliage which has a sheen to it whilst the flowers are most striking.
Thanks as always to our hostess Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden' who gives us the most welcome opportunity to share our 'In A Vase On Monday' posts come rain or shine.
Ahah! Perhaps I had your Cosmos Purity and you had my Dwarf Cosmos Mixed!! Love the dark dahlias too - and the little snails! Aren't the tiny ones cute?!
ReplyDeleteWho could believe the dear little snail could do as much damage as they do? Your dahlias are gorgeous and they do look like Arabian Night. Pretty pinks too.
ReplyDeleteFabulous colors in these vases....they complement each other perfectly.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I know how destructive they can be, the tiny snails do manage to tug at one's heartstrings. Isn't it funny how you miss the smallest creatures when preparing a vase ? I often see them in my photos but of course they're long gone when I go looking for them...
ReplyDeleteArabian Night is one of my fsvourite dahlias. Such pretty pinks in the second vase.
ReplyDeleteI really like the dark color of that dahlia! Nice picture of the snail, too (although they are regular pests in my garden)! I grew 'Rubenza' cosmos a couple years ago...isn't it lovely? :)
ReplyDeleteI've grown Arabian Night in the past, I really like the dark varieties of dahlia. I'm glad the little snail hadn't started tucking in before you discovered it. It really annoys me when seeds and plants are labelled incorrectly but sometimes it can be a happy accident.
ReplyDeleteOne of our dahlias was wrongly packaged. It should have been the colour of your top photo but turned out to be a bright scarlet. Very pretty but as I chose the dahlias colours to compliment one another not what I wanted.
ReplyDeleteI often find unexpected stowaways on my flowers too! and I sometimes don't notice until I see the photographs. 'Arabian Night' is definitely on the wish list for next year.
ReplyDeleteLovely flowers...we are having a good autumn, aren't we? We are getting more shield bugs, which I have only just noticed during the last five years or so. All interesting to watch.
ReplyDeleteI've taken to shaking out my flowers as I pick them, only my passengers are usually spiders, which I'd prefer continue 'working' in my garden. Snails and earwigs are found of my dahlias, too. I'm never happy to see them!
ReplyDeleteI have grown Arabian Night in the past, it does look like it. A beautiful dahlia.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous colours and combinations, Arabian Night is a wonderful dahlia, such a rich colour.
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