Dahlia's near Linda's Knit and Stitch

When springtime and summer comes to the Northwest, you see beautiful flowers throughout the little towns of the Seattle area.   I"ll be sharing about many types of flowers as springtime approaches, but today, I'd like to show you some very pretty dahlias.

Dahlias grow very well in our area.   We even have a Dahlia Society that you can join if you love dahlias and would like to meet with other gardeners who grow them. 

Sometimes, the Dahlia Society will plant a dahlia garden in a grassy area of some place that normally might not have beautiful flowers....like a post office.

The Dahlia Society members will volunteer and take turns caring for the beautiful plants.   Everyone benefits by enjoying the magnificent blooms.

Sometimes, there are gorgeous roses mixed in with the dahlias.

Between the rows of flowers, many times, there will be a gravel path to make it easier to care for the dahlias and roses.

This dahlia and rose garden is located in the historic "Old Town" Silverdale area on a corner near a wonderful little knitting/crochet shop...Linda's Knit and Stitch. 

I love to go into this shop to look for yarn...especially when the Dahlia and roses are in bloom!  I browse in the shop and then walk through the lovely garden next to it.   Everyone in Linda's Knit and Stitch is very friendly and helpful.  When my step-daughter and her adorable little one...our grand-daughter...visited from Florida, I took them to the yarn shop.  Of course, we made lots of photos in the garden before going in to pick out her project.   Once inside the shop, they were so sweet to help us find just the right "beginner's kit" for our grand-daughter. 

There are so many types of dahlias...

It is hard to pick a favorite because they are all just beautiful!

You can see that each dahlia is staked.  They also have markers which tell you the name of the flower.

Dahlias come in a variety of colors and sizes...

From the very small to what they call "dinner plate" size. 

Here are a few of the pretty roses in the garden.




Part of why the dahlias are staked is because the blooms can become quite large.  The large blooms can become very heavy on the stems of the plants and droop.  To help with this, and give support, the plants are attached to stakes.

The blooms come in a wide variety of petal configurations.   I love the spiked petals on blooms such as this one in the next photo.

Notice how the tip is different color from the rest of the bloom. 

Dahlias do very well in our mild climate, and I have a few dahlias planted in my own yard that will be coming up this spring.

All of these photos were taken during the last blooming season.   The weather is still fairly cool here at the time of this posting--late March.  The plants are just beginning to bud out and grow in our area.   As this spring's blooms begin to open, I will make new photos and share them with you.

So, this is kind of tease of photos to come...   As you know, an icon of our times, actress/humanitarian Elizabeth Taylor passed away yesterday--March 23, 2011--at the age of 79.   She was a beautiful lady, a wonderful actress and supporter of many great causes.  I am posting some beautiful flowers today to honor a beautiful soul.  Ms. Taylor, you made the world a little better place by being in it.   We will miss you...

Have a beautiful day today.    xoxo Kim

Comments

[Trish Rowley]

Hi Kim, the flowers are just stunning, It was very sad to hear that Elizabeth Taylor had passed away today she was one of the last of the old Hollywood actresses she will be greatly missed. I couldn't think of a more fitting tribute than Beautiful flowers for a Beautiful Lady. Thank you Kim xox Trish ;)

[Bluebirds and Butterflies]

Hi Trish,
Thank you for the nice comment. I am glad you enjoyed the flowers. There will never be another Elizabeth... Those beautiful blue eyes will live on forever in our hearts and on film. A true beauty and a fighter for the causes dear to her heart. She will be missed by the world, and my heart goes out to her children. I will post some new photos of the dahlias when they come into bloom again here this spring/summer. I love to see them bloom! Hope your quilt is coming along well. I loved your story of Mary. Have a wonderful day today, Trish. (((hugs))) Kim

[Lavender Dreams]

What a wonderful tribute to Elizabeth Taylor! The flowers are lovely! ♥

[Carol @ There's Always Thyme to Cook]

Beautiful dahlia's, such gorgeous shots!
Thanks for the visit to my blog, glad you found me because now I found you, and you have a lovely blog, looking forward to visiting again! I look forward to your new blooms :)

[Bluebirds and Butterflies]

Thank you!!! Have a beautiful day today! xoxo Kim

[Bluebirds and Butterflies]

Thank you, Carol, for visiting me today. I shared your site on my "Other Nests to Visit" category today. I thought maybe others might enjoy looking through some of your recipes. Have a beautiful day today! xoxo Kim

[lori]

Oh my goodness.......dahlia's are so beautiful.......the coloring of each one is amazing. i am not sure that i have ever seen one before. thank you for opening my eyes to them!

love,
l

[Bluebirds and Butterflies]

I am so glad, Lori, that you love the dahlias. They are truly amazing flowers! I don't think they grow as well in the South. There are so many varieties of dahlias. I hope you have a great day today. xoxo Kim