unexpected garden surprises - kogana fubuki
"The Earth laughs in flowers"--Ralph Waldo Emerson
There are many quotes that apply to my current garden but Emerson's is particularly fitting. Last year when I was deciding what dahlias to grow I knew I wanted to grown dahlia 'Kogana Fubuki'. When I saw it I was in love. So I ordered it. Planting time came and the tubers arrived...except they weren't that dahlias I ordered. Due to crop failure they couldn't send it to me and instead sent me some plant I never seen before. I was upset because at no point did the seller inform me of this issue. But I was determined to grow it so I immediately ordered the tubers from another seller and in they came.
Now to be clear, the tubers went in later than they should, so I knew fronthe get go that it would take a prayer and a miracle to grow them. Then summer got on its way... and then Kogana broke the crust... and that was it. It is now three months later and they have not grown one bit. I'm not sure what happened but they are done for the season.
How is this a surprise? Here is where the stories of two dahlias intersect.
I wanted to try a delicate dahlia called 'Breakout'. It almost looks like a Cafè au Lait. The only problem was that it was sold out everywhere. After much research online I found a seller on eBay and I was ecstatic! But the whole time I had this feeling that I was sold a dahlia that was not Breakout. But I planted it and waited. But as it started opening I was a bit dissapointed that I immediately knew it was not 'Breakout'. As it started opening (you can see it at various stages below) I started wondering what it was.
Then the more it opened I noticed the petals started changing colors. And suddenly it struck me-- this looked a lot like Kogana Fubuki. Could it be? It certainly was a lot lighter than what Kogana normally is.
I went into a Facebook dahlia group and posted the pic and within minutes people confirmed that it was a Kogana Fubuki. And I had to laugh out loud at the surprise blessing that this garden and serendipity gave me. No I did not get Breakout but coincidence gave me the one I truly wanted and thought I would have this season. Instead I got this beauty that reminds me of the skirt of a 1950s dress like in the film "Mrs. Arris Goes to Paris". Actually I think as a personal joke, this will forever be known in my garden as dahlia 'Mrs. Arris'. What do you think? 😊
FIMBRIATA DAHLIA, Kogana Fubuki – Dahlia
FULL SUN TO PARTIAL SHADE Dahlias grow from tubers which are hardy in Zones 6 and higher. In this area they are considered a tender perennial due to the harsh winters. They are indigenous to the Mexican Central Plateau and Highlands. Kogana Fubuki is a gorgeous dahlia which produces large (6-7 in.), salmon orange blossoms with a lemon yellow center. The fully double, broad petals produce a gently frilled effect-hence the name Fimbriata meaning frilly. The plants reach a height of 36-40 in.