Hi Liza! How are my dahlia babies doing out there on the island?

I am still grieving the loss of HIllcrest Kismet this year... such a beauty. I have thought of it many times this season. Rotted the only two tubers I had :(
Nothing jumps out as such a hands-down stunning favorite this year yet, but I'm thinking about it. There are about 20 contenders LOL!
And now back outside to enjoy our wonderful, wonderful summery weather.

Poochella,
I have enjoyed your dahlia babies immensely! Ivory palaces is wonderful! Too big to sell but it sure made a great centerpeice at a party! Hi Salvia is another real winner! Bright Star is a love but didn't produce many flowers this year. Next year she should shine more brightly! Mazama is wonderful in one of my shrieking purple and orange bouquets that sells so fast! Cameo didn't make it. hmmm, Trying to think which others were from you and which were orders from Connels and Swan Island. Oh yes, Jomanda! I really like Jomanda! Those are the ones that stand out in my mind.

Do you have any of the Karma dahlias? I am more and more impressed with my few as the season progresses. I just picked the most beautiful handful of Karma Fuchiana! All last week they had those ugly yellow centers but with the sun this week suddenly they are the biggest fullest fuchia with gold undertones, flowers and just the right size for bouquets! Hard to imagine that all these came from those tiny little tubers I planted this spring as a 2 yr old clump smaller then my hand!

I lost my beloved Fuzzy Wuzzy and Rebecca Lynn. Perhaps literally lost them when I was moving clumps from one garden to the other. I ended up with quite a few tubers that had lost their names. I have been trying to grow them on in pots this summer so I could see a bloom and identify any I still want. Most turned out to be those "Prolific Pinks," Chilson's Pride and Rosemary Webb. I did rescue Ripples, and a white ball this way. The white ball you gave me is very nice and growing well.

Would you like a clump of Karma Naomi? I got 3 out of my bag of 5 from VB, and they are so prolific that I decided 2 were all I need. I have the clump pulled now, so could bring it up some weekend when we would like a nice drive in the sunshine? Karma Naomi is a deep dark red with a bit of purple in it, a nice "shadow" to add depth to a bouquet, or it takes on a real life if you add some oranges with it. Your florist would probably really like it.

Go ahead and spring for a new Hillside Kismet! You will be glad you did!
How they could call that color "Pink" I do not know! Must be a different climate! Here she is a golden orange beacon that calls me from across the yard with just the slightest pink and lavender undertones down deep in the petal base....and what a stem she has on her! About as big as a 5 yr old alder tree! I bought her from Corralitos Gardens as a rooted cutting along with 6 other beauties, all of which I really like except the unfortunate Bert Pitt. (Well, I would love him if he were not such ear wig bait!)

I hope you still have several weeks of Late Summer to enjoy yours in!

yes Liza, Ivory Palaces is a champ. Big fluffy fluffster- I just love it although it is big, it stands alone well to impress any onlookers. Sounds like you've had a good crop.

Is your extra Karma Naomi in a pot or just sitting around? I would love it indeed, I've seen photos of it and can always use another dark red. The Fuschiana has been tops here along with Ventura in a bright sunny yellow. I find you need to really watch them and tend to cut early or they'll go too open to be appealing ( except for the dynamite color.) Karma Sangria is stellar! The top bloom is hovering at about 8 ft tall! Was supposed to be a 3 foot plant like the others, maybe that one got extra goat poop, I don't know! Great number of blooms and stems that held up to rain/wind without fail.

Sangria- kind of blurry but the colors are right. The ends curl up a bit when a little older. Very nice flowers.
{{gwi:647922}}
Fuschiana
{{gwi:628479}}

Ventura closing up for the night
{{gwi:628459}}

Karma Lagoon, not as many blooms for me but worthwhile ones in a deep rich lavender.
{{gwi:659576}}

If you like Jomanda, as do I, you will love Mary's Jomanda in hot pink. It's been a very good plant for me this year. Also towering at 6+ feet tall.
{{gwi:628470}}

My favorite from you has been Ala Mode- whew great color! And Fidalgo Butterball, lovely bright yellow. I could go on and on! I better get outside and tend these beauties while the tending is good. Despite the calender, it's still summer here and I think I might even have to water one more time- bummer. Look for an email in the next couple weeks.
Pooch

OHHH , could I have starts of Karma's Ventura, Lagoon and Sangria? I would love that! Do you have Serena? I do.

And I love (WOULD LOVE A START OF) MARY'S JOMANDA ALSO! do you have any of the other karmas' If not, maybe we could split an order of the others from Van Bourgoundian next spring. Two for me of each is enough. I will put Karma Naomi in a pot (hee hee hee!) not to cook, but for you. She is a tall gal, long legs like the model of the name.

Wish I had a picture but my faves this year were:

Productivity-Chilsons Pride, lots of blooms at once. Nice soft pink too.

Splendid Color and Size-Moonlight Sonata

People's Choice-Wheels. Everybody wants one! (hope I get lots of viable tubers ...)

When I get my rolls developed (yes I am still using a normal - but nice - camera!) I will get my pics put on disk and figure out how to post them.

I do beleive that given the right circumstances, Chilson's Pride is the most prolific dahlia on earth! I had one 3 years ago that I was actually getting up to 100 flowers a day off of...think I spilled the osmocote bottle when planting it! Too bad my customers are not into pink flowers this year ...Chilson's will be one of the last blooming too with the flowers down to almost white.

I tried two new pink dahlias this year as I am a tad bit tired of Chilson's. THe two I tried were Grandma June and Gay Princess. I love them both, but Grandma June has certainly been outperforming the Princess by many blossoms. I like the light yellow shining through from her center too. Gay Princess is a lovely shape and I love her fringy tips.