Here are pictures from my latest flower gig this weekend. When I picked up the dahlias, the wonderful girls at the flower shop were literally gushing at their gorgeousness, like only true flower lovers can, and I soon joined them. It was impossible not to: they were simply stunning. And huge. I brought them home, and had to stop myself from sleeping besides them. Seriously.
I made eight centerpieces, alternating the plate-size flowers with some big fresh apples and tiny crab apples I had a hard time finding (you can make delicious "butter" or jelly with them, but can't eat them as such). I scoured the fruit on wooden skewers, and it worked great.
I loved the results, and the clients did, too (it was their 10th anniversary party, at a cosy cabaret-type place in Old Montreal, with brick walls and dark velvet drapes, which I think worked great with the dahlias). Since I always learn something from each gig, this time it was how "fussy" dahlias can be, which might explain why they are rarely sold as cut flowers in retail. They are very heavy, for instance, and can have delicate stems; as a result, they are prone to be weighed down quite quickly. Very direct light and heat is also tough on them; at the end of the night, all the arrangements from one side of the venue, which had harsh stage lighting on them, were pretty much wilted (which broke my heart), while the ones from the other side still held on. But while they are in season at this time of year, I still wouldn't stop myself from using them. They are just so beautiful -among my favorites, definitely.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Red dahlias and apples
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7 comment(s):
Pretty! :)
Wilty or no, they look gorgeous. I love dahlias, too, but I've never actually bought them. Maybe I should; a little vase of them might distract from the piles and piles of laundry...
When you mention that dahlias "can have delicate stems", do you have any idea on what cause the stem to be more or less robust?
I have a few dahlia bulbs that my aunt gave me this spring. She gave some to my mom at the same time. I haven't been to my mom's house since then, but she says she should have tutored them because they don't stand up well. Mine, however, now reach up to 5 ft (maybe 4 ft on the picture which I took a month ago) and proudly stand up! Some have stems so wood-like that I'm wondering if I'll have to saw them off in the fall to take the bulbs in for the winter...
@Lucie Wow... I don't know, exactly... From the bunches I worked on this weekend, half were were sturdy, and half were very flimsy. They were all the same variety and all seemed to come from the same source, so go figure!
They're absolutely gorgeous! You did a fabulous job. I love dahlias. They were one of our wedding flowers last year. We searched for them while out at the farms this weekend but I was unsuccessful finding cut ones. I didn't realize how delicate they were. You learn something new everyday. Thanks! :) xoxo
Just lovely! I'm drooling...
Oh they look so gorgeous! I love that deep red colour, it works so nicely with your apples. Glad you got lots of pictures for your future portfolio!
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