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 The combination of peach and burgundy is both
striking and sophisticated. Peach-colored flowers add a fresh and
soothing feel to the garden. Dahlia American Dawn is a blend of
peach, mango, and papaya with plum-purple highlights. Good partners
include other varieties in the same warm, sunset tones, such as
dinnerplate dahlia Belle of Barmera, decorative dahlia Great Silence
and ball dahlia Maarn.
Planting dahlias in a perennial garden ensures non-stop color from
July into October. The fluttering, melon-colored blooms of HS Date
work particularly well, due to this variety’s maroon foliage and
open growth habit. Complete your peach and burgundy theme with the
dark-hued flowers of Rip City. These large, velvety flowers are
almost black in the center and soften to wine-red toward the petal
edges. Add ball dahlia Jowey Mirella for blooms that are smaller in
size yet equally striking.
For another eye-catching color combination, narrow your selection to
dahlias with purple and hot-pink flowers. Historically, purple was
associated with royalty, spirituality, and knowledge. While pastel
purple evokes a sense of calm and serenity, deeper tones add drama
and excitement. Dinnerplate dahlia Lilac Time is an heirloom variety
with fluffy, lavender blooms that can measure eight to ten inches
across. Be sure to also include flowers in juicy grape and violet
hues such as dahlias Thomas Edison, Cartouche and Purple Taiheijo.
Complement these moody purples with vivid pink dahlias. Burlesca is
a cute little pompon dahlia with tightly rolled petals that reveal
hints of peach, burgundy and violet. Fascination’s rose-pink,
semi-double flowers contrast beautifully with the plant’s dark
foliage and the blossoms are irresistible to bees and butterflies.
Ball dahlia Rocco is an all-star variety that is long lasting in
both garden and vase.
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If you prefer pastels to brights, choose dahlias in
shades of pale yellow, soft pink and cream. The enormous flowers of
dinnerplate dahlia Café au Lait are a must. Complement them with
ball dahlias such as peachy Linda’s Baby or buttery Boom Boom
yellow. Decorative dahlia Fluffles has taffy-pink petals that fade
to white, while Milena Fleur’s are a mélange of pink, peach and pale
butterscotch.
When you start with flowers in compatible colors, designing floral
arrangements becomes so much easier. You’ll have all you need to
quickly create a centerpiece for any gathering, an impressive
bouquet for your own home, or an informal handful of blooms to share
with friends.
For more tips about cut flowers, read the Longfield Gardens article
How to Design a Cutting Garden (www.longfield-gardens.com).
Melinda Myers is the author of more than 20 gardening books,
including Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to
Grow Anything” DVD series and the Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio
program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds &
Blooms magazine and was commissioned by Longfield Gardens for her
expertise to write this article. Her web site is
www.MelindaMyers.com.
[photo courtesy of
Longfield-Gardens.com]
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