As you read in my previous post, dahlias have been a challenge for me the past three years, but this year is making up for that! And my favorite girl has arrived! Penhill Watermelon is my favorite dahlia, I love everything about it— the fluffy petals, the color, the size and its growing habit. With its upright flowers, it makes it a lot easier to add to arrangements. The colors can range from a burnt orangey tone to pinks. And I love the variations it provides.

And while I have been able to grow them, keeping the flowers from getting eaten by Japanese beetles and Corn Rootworm beetles has been constant. They have decimated the cosmos, and I am not about to let them eat my precious dahlias. So I have been covering the booms with organza bags— a trick a dahlia flower farmer gave me a few years ago. And so far, it has been working great.

For this little arrangement, I just added an olive branch and rosemary, just to add some interest and green. But for me, this is all about the dahlias. And I am letting the take center stage. :)

P.S. I am also sharing a collage for Mosaic Monday with Angie.

Happy Gardening!

Other wonderful link-ups you may find me: Inspire Me Monday In a Vase on Monday, Mosaic Monday, Nature Notes, Wonderful Wednesday Blog-Hop, Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, Garden Affair, Love Your Creativity Link-Party, Thursday Favorite Things, Floral Friday Fotos, Farmhouse Friday, Pink Saturday