About my garden

Monday 5 November 2018

Autumn colours In a Vase on Monday


We've had two hard frosts in the last week which meant the end of anything remotely tender, sadly. I've started cutting back the dahlias and I will lift them. I've read ( and watched on You Tube) plenty about whether or not to lift, and how to store and divide. There are many options and I've decided to lift them as I think they'll get a better start next year and there is the opportunity to divide and make more plants. Always good! I'm not sure where I am going to store them yet. In the past I have treated them very badly and still found the majority grew well the next year. That doesn't mean it's a good idea. 

I picked this vaseful in seconds yesterday. Chrysanthemum 'Orange Allouise', Pineapple sage flowers and a stem of Dusty Miller. This plant has so many names it's thoroughly confusing. Today I'm calling it Cineraria maritima though I'm not sure that is correct. It doesn't have the divided leaves of the more common one. If anyone has experience of growing this and over wintering, I'd be interested to hear how you got on. 


It's a lovely plant which I really recommend as it goes with many things in a vase. 

These flowers are growing under cover so I can try and prolong my harvest a little longer. I am looking at yellow roses through my window though so there are some tough plants outside still giving. 
Pop something in vase and join in with Cathy for In a Vase on Monday. 

9 comments:

  1. I'm in love with that Chrysanthemum! You don't see many of these plants in garden centers or nurseries here, although most bring in small pots of runty little plants with very ordinary flowers before our Thanksgiving holiday and most of those aren't worth looking at by the time the holiday arrives. Best wishes with your preparations for winter. I've already lifted my dahlia tubers but they still need to be properly cleaned, divided and stored, tasks I can't say I'm looking forward to doing.

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    1. It is a gorgeous Chrysanthemum, so fat and full. I buy rooted cuttings and have some wonderful ones which are just starting to flower. I suppose you need a specialist nursery for good plants. No the dahlia job is not a fun one but I think they are worth the effort! How many do you have?

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  2. I'll try again - I was saying how much I liked the shape and simplicity of the white vase which was perfect for the strong orange of the chrysanthemums. And how my pineapple sage also has buds and I am still debating whether to plant it outside instead of keeping it in a pot in the greenhouse. Is yours outside, and how hardy do you find it? Thanks for sharing, as always

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    1. I got it this time, thanks for persevering. Thank you, this vase is in almost constant use as it goes with everything. I left a Pineapple sage outside last winter and it lasted until the snow, I think it might make it through a mild winter. What I do is take a few cuttings, they root easily in water, and then if I lose it I have insurance. I think I have 4 now and they are quite large. I'll try keeping some inside and some outside and see what happens...

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  3. Alison, your Chrysanthemum is pretty fabulous and you did a nice job arranging it.

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  4. Lovely colours. I grew a pineapple sage one year and it got huge. Why didn't I ever think to use some in a vase?! Great accompaniment to the Chrysanths. :)

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  5. Oh that's a most dashing chrysanthemum Alison. I know that I should treat my dahlias better especially my favourite ones.

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