Hello friends,

Today I wanted to share with you some of my favorite old and new dahlias for the 2024/2025 summer season that I didn't get a chance to do a dahlia profile on, because life is always crazy busy in the garden over the summer.

First up is Strawberries and Cream, a decorative dahlia I bought on a whim after a couple of dahlia tubers died last spring, and I needed to replace my Cafe Au Lait dahlia. The shades of white and pink are just so pretty and girly, and the flowers have nice long stems, which make them perfect for cutting.

Next we have one of my favorite old dahlias, Protegee, which is a pretty single dahlia bred by Dr Keith Hammett. This dahlia is a bumblebee magnet all summer long, and really stands out in the garden.

Next we have another old favorite, Penhill Dark Monarch, which is a huge dinner plate dahlia with just wonderful shades of purples, pinks, and apricots.

Next we have another new decorative dahlia, Iced Tea, which I've really fallen in love with over this summer. I am quite happily keeping this dahlia for next year, and can't wait to see it with lots of bright peach flowers.

Next up we have one of my first new anemone dahlias, The Phantom. It's pop of bright purple flowers is a great sight to see in the garden over the summer. Unfortunately I planted it in the wrong place, so I'll move it to a better position in winter.

Fenna Baij is another new anemone dahlia, with very pretty light purple and gold shades.

Pink magic is a floriferous waterlily dahlia which brightens the garden all summer. I've really fallen in love with waterlily dahlias this summer, so I think I'll invest in more next season.

I replaced my Cafe Au Lait dahlia this season, after the old dahlia tuber rotted last spring in October. I replaced it, and this dahlia has the purple-tinged shades my previous dahlia didn't have. I'm very happy about this, and will be moving this dahlia to a better position over the winter.

Next we have Silver Years, which is a mostly white decorative dahlia with pink vein striping, and a cream center. I really like this dahlia as a pop of white in the garden, and am quite happy to keep it for next year.

Dutch Pearl is another new waterlily dahlia, and it really is stunning next to my Little Miss Perfect rose. I can see why this dahlia is very popular in dahlia circles right now.

Next there is my new Cafe Au Lait Royal dahlia, another dinner plate dahlia to add to the Cafe Au Lait dahlia family. The light pink colours and striping are just stunning. I need to find a better way to stake the plant though, the flower heads are huge, and the dahlia has some trouble holding them up.

And finally we have another new dahlia, Pinky Swear, which is another large dinner plate dahlia, and the striped pink shades, along with yellow are just florescent. I'm very happy to have this dahlia in a darker part of my garden.

I'm just so pleased to have so many beautiful old and new dahlias flowering this summer, and hope to have some more new ones next season...

Have a wonderful day

Julie-Ann

Want to discuss my post? Feel free to chat with me on Instagram or Mastodon or Bluesky.

Tags: 2025, Anemone Dahlia, Autumn, Ball Dahlia, Bulbs, Cafe Au Lait, Collarette Dahlia, Dahlia, Dahlias, Decorative Dahlias, Dinner Plate Dahlias, Gardening, Keith Hammett, Mount Mera Botanical, Perennial, Single Dahlia, Waterlily Dahlias

Hello friends,

I was scrolling on Instagram recently, and came across a New Zealand flower seed business called Buds and Blooms Flower Farm. They were currently selling French and Italian ranunculus seeds in the most gorgeous colours. Before you could even say "shut up and take my money", I'd filled up my online cart and bought a bunch of ranunculus seeds for me to grow this March, for flowering next spring.

I bought the following ranunculus varieties:

* Bianco Sfumato, an Italian variety, "Shades of white, ivory and cream with a flush of pink. A fully double, luxuriant flower."
* Pastello 1, an Italian variety, "The perfect pastel mix of dreamy blush, pink, salmon and peach."
* Pastello 2, an Italian variety, "The perfect pastel mix of dreamy blush, pink, salmon and peach! This blend is heavier on the darker blush and salmon/peachy tones."
* Amandine Purple Jean, a French variety, "Gorgeous Mauve and purple blooms with a slight soft scent."
* Rosa, an Italian variety, "Rosa is one heck of a producer! Long, strong stems with the most perfect double pink bloom."
* Rosa Chiaro, an Italian variety, "Rosa Chiaro is a gorgeous, delicate Italian Ranunculus with it's pretty and delicate coloring. Long stems producing flowers in the most
 perfect range of soft pinks."

I am very excited to start all these ranunculus varieties from seed this coming autumn, and then overwinter them in the glasshouse this winter, before planting them out in spring.

And as a bonus I get to use my newly purchased Potting Bench Tidy Tray for potting them out this autumn. I've wanted one for ages, but no one in New Zealand makes them. Occasionally, they're imported into the country from England, but they tend to get sold out very fast. Last month I managed to buy two at Nichol's Garden Center, and I gave one to my sister for her birthday, and kept one for me. No more messy seed sowing and potting mix everywhere!

Summer is coming to an end pretty quick, with the nights getting darker now earlier, and some of the deciduous tress in our neighbourhood are already starting slowly to change colour. It's sad to think that summer will be gone soon, but I'm now excited to be sowing seeds in March for the coming spring in September.

Have a wonderful day

Julie-Ann

Want to discuss my post? Feel free to chat with me on Instagram or Mastodon or Bluesky.

Tags: 2025, Garden, Gardening, Perennial, Ranunculus, Seed Sowing, Seeds, Summer