.jpg)
I have a difficult relationship with dahlias.
I would love to have a dahlia border
with every extravagant shape
and the full spectrum of neon colours.
Unfortunately I know myself too well,
I am too lazy to stake floppy stems
and too forgetful to do the earwig patrol.
And so I look forward to late summer
when dahlias burst into flower
but they are an annual reminder
of my own failings as a gardener.
Perhaps next year...
*****
I would love to have a dahlia border
with every extravagant shape
and the full spectrum of neon colours.
Unfortunately I know myself too well,
I am too lazy to stake floppy stems
and too forgetful to do the earwig patrol.
And so I look forward to late summer
when dahlias burst into flower
but they are an annual reminder
of my own failings as a gardener.
Perhaps next year...
*****
I was sorry to see that Jane Brocket has decided to finish writing on her blog. I met Jane in January 2007 and it was as a result of a conversation with her that I discovered blogs and the window they offered into an inspirational world. At that time I had time to explore and I found such diversity : women creating beautiful work, overcoming challenges, enjoying life with their families, discovering the world around them. There was always a warm welcome in the comment box of these blogs and eventually I found the courage to write my own story. I am grateful to Jane for pointing me in a direction that would ultimately bring me so much creative satisfaction and wish her luck with her new projects.
.jpg)
I love dahlias too, I have a couple in pots, but I don't ever dig them up in autumn (tried that one year and they withered). I just leave them in their pots and ignore them. They don't do too badly, but one of them is a bit earwiggy!
ReplyDeleteMy dahlias are rubbish this year so by not having any you have saved yourself a lot of heartache. I am newly come to Jane's blog so am really disappointed she has decided to stop. I have been going through her archive posts and only wish I had come across her blog earlier. Hey ho - that's me - always late to the party.
ReplyDeletedon't feel that dahlia's demonstrate you as a failing gardener. rather that they are the mainstay of the country house, and the pride and joy of a team of loyal gardeners who look after them so we can just do the admiring without all the hard work.
ReplyDeleteAARGH, I have written a comment three times and it won't publish it.
ReplyDeleteOh look, it wrote this!
ReplyDeleteI just said those dahlias look gorgeous and I feel very bad when someone stops blogging and disappears. Hope this is not the case for your friend.
I used to hate dahlias, thinking their buds rather greasy looking and their petals stiff and unnatural. I thought they smelt funny too. I know they have gained popularity but really I haven't learnt to love them
ReplyDeleteNothing wrong with enjoying flowers in other people's gardens--my favorite kind of gardening! And I was very sad to see Jane go too. x
ReplyDeleteMy whole garden is a failure this year. Oh well, we are having a drought, and it also seems that you can't go away for months at a time and come back to a flourishing garden. Bah.
ReplyDeleteLife is not static and blogging is not a permanent event in our lives. I am sorry to hear that Jane is stopping blogging, I enjoyed her posts.
ReplyDeleteThe Dahlias are magnificent! I cannot grow anything so I always have to enjoy plants in other people's gardens!
Dahlias don't like my soil, or perhaps my attitude and refuse to grow here. Problem solved.
ReplyDeleteI have tried and failed to grow dahlias, I don't think they like our soil - more like dirt really! At least we don't have to do the earwig patrol though! xx
ReplyDelete