SLOW FLOWERS: Week 42
October 20th, 2013
MARKET FRESH
The season for dahlias is almost over, but these vivid selections are a reminder of how much we LOVE this amazing flower.
Ingredients:
20 stems Dahlia ‘Audrey Grace’, ‘Keith H’ and ‘Pearson’s Patrick’, grown by Dan’s Dahlias
5 stems fountain grass (Miscanthus sinensis), grown by Jello Mold Farm
5 stems yellow crocosmia (Crocosmia sp.), grown by J. Foss Garden Flowers
6 stems millet (Setaria italica ‘Red Jewel’), grown by Charles Little & Co.
Vase:13-inch tall x 7-inch diameter galvanized metal flower bucket
Grow This
Dazzled by dahlias: Perhaps it’s because of their amazing diversity in color, form, petal shape and size, but the dahlia is no longer just an old-fashioned cottage flower.
It’s an in-demand ingredient for brides, hosts and floral designers who can’t seem to get enough of this plant that originated in the highland areas of Mexico and Central America. “They vary in size from less than two inches to ten inches,” Dan Pearson points out.
“People are drawn to those dinner-plate-sized flowers for the wow factor, but soon they realize that the smaller to medium-sized flowers are useful for bouquets.” You can learn a lot more about growing and harvesting dahlias at www.dansdahlias.com.