I have a used some of my Dahlia ‘Rebecca’s World ‘ for today’s vase. I love this Dahlia because it is so eye catching. The variation in colour on one plant is amazing. Some of the flowers are nearly all white, some are nearly all red and others are a mixture of the two. Actually, when I say red; it is more a rich burgundy colour.
With the Dahlia I have used a dark highlight of Scabiosa ‘Black Knight’ which I love.
Scabiosa atropupurea ‘Black Knight’
The pale pink flower is the common Saponaria officinalis. This flower, ‘Bouncing Bet’ grows wild round here and it spreads quickly. I don’t mind though, because it is easy to pull out if it gets out of hand. I like it so much that I have it in pale pink, dark pink and white. It is fragrant too, as it is related to the carnation.
The foliage is a from a Fuchsia magellanica var. gracilis ‘Variegata’. I didn’t plant this and most of the time I don’t take any notice of it. It caught my eye on this occasion, because the pink and cream edge of the leaves seemed just right as a backdrop to the dark colours .
Dolly Mixtures.
I try to keep a little posy on the dining table at all times as we eat in here every night, if it is too cold outside. My litle pink glass vase with the snowflakes is what I used today and I filled it with flowers that remind me of the Dolly Mixture sweets I loved as a child.
The flowers are an easy annual called Linaria maroccana ‘Sweeties’. The seeds can be simply scattered for these lovely flowers and if you dead head them they bloom all summer. My only regret is that I only bought one packet of seeds. Next year I shall scatter them all over the garden.
Linaria maroccana ‘Sweeties’
With the Sweeties I have put a bit of creamy Trachelospermum asiaticum for the lovely fragrance.
So there are my two vases for this week. Now I am off to Cathy’s blog, Ramblinginthegarden to see what she has been up to . Cathy hosts this popular meme and she is always very inventive with her use of props and names for her weekly vases. They reflect her artistic talent and her sense of fun. Do go and see.
Chloris
The Blooming Garden 
You may be changing my mind about Dahlias – Rebecca’s World is gorgeous.
There is nothing like a Dahlia for August colour. At least for those of us who don’ t have the climate for the tropical delights available to you.
Well, Liz, it is so horribly hot here now it is a pleasure to clean the icemaker – I would love to stand outside and look at some Dahlias in a cool garden.
I love that Linaria – and you’re absolutely right about them being reminiscent of Dolly Mixtures!
And they are so easy, just scatter a packet of seeds. I am going to have them everywhere next year.
I’m finding more and more Dahlias I would like to plant. Rebecca’s World is incredible to have such different coloured flowers on one plant; perhaps next year I’ll plant all mixes of white with another colour. The dining room table vase is gorgeous too, and of course your description is perfect.
Thank you Christina. I can certainly recommend Rebecca’ s World, it is a real beauty.
Really nice. I’ve grown linaria maroccana before and think that it’s a lovely little flower. xx
It is pretty, isn’ t it? And so easy.
Oh these are beautiful vases. I had not seen this particular dahlia and perfect with the burgundy Scabiosa. And of course that pink vase is special and I love the little flowers, Linaria maroccana, and will have to add these to my list!
I love this dahlia, it is new to me this year. The Linaria is worth looking out for as it is so easy, you just spread the seed around and up it pops.
Oh, I love those dark burgundy colors in your top vase. Very pretty. The Scabiosa is a perfect match.
I love these rich dark colours too Alison. The Scabiosa is fantastic and blooms for ages.
I love your dolly mix, really they do look like the colours of those sweets. I shall have to try a packet myself next year.
Yes, do try them, they are so easy from seed.
Oh yes indeedy – Rebecca’s World is lovely, like ice cream with a dollop of raspberry sauce. Definitely one to look out for. Love that scabious too. When you talked about only buying one packet I thought you were going to say you had bought some Dolly Mixtures for props but had eaten them all…! 😉 They look so pretty and would be a useful filler – for the border that is, and not your tummy… Thanks for sharing 🙂
Cathy my dear, I am on a diet. You torment me with talk about ice cream and raspberry sauce. And Dolly Mixtures! I haven’ t had any of those since I was about 8 years old but I could just eat a packet or two now.
Wow, Chloris, your vases are stunning, both of them! Love that black night and the dahlia. And those sweeties look so well in the grass!
Thank you Anca. I love the rich dark colours of the Dahlia and the Scabiosa too. The Dahlia is great for a vase, the more I cut it the better it gets.
The first one loks good enough to eat – raspberry ripple ice-cream with chocolate buttons – mmmm!
On yes, I never thought of that, it does look just like raspberry ripple ice cream. It is a gorgeous dahlia.
I love the sophisticated colours of your dahlia vase and I also love the sweetie colours of your dining table posy in that lovely glass vase. I also always have a small jug of flowers on the kitchen table and sometimes they follow me around the house too.
Once you get in the habit of always having flowers in the house you miss them if they are not there.
Oh, I loved both vases, but probably the dolly mixtures one the most….again rather stunned with your vases!xxx
Thank you Dina. The Linaria ‘ Sweeties’ is easy from seed if you look out for some next year. Just scatter them.
I love the colours in your first vase. At first I thought there was an aubergine as a prop behind the vase, but I guess it is really a chair! 🙂
Rebecca’s World is a very interesting Dahlia, much nicer than the similar coloured Edinburgh
No aubergines, I’ m afraid. I’m not very good at providing props for my arrangements. I can never think of anything. Rebecca’ s World is gorgeous.
You’re getting a lot for the price of one with that Dahlia – I don’t think I’ve seen another with that range of variation in the petals. I love Linaria too. I was surprised to see it in your vase, though, as here it’s (at best) a late winter/early spring bloom and sensitive to any sudden heat spike even then.
Our seasons are quite different. Can you grow dahlias in your garden? I don’ t think I have seen them on any of your photos.
Normally I do not like flowers with mixed colors like the two lower blooms, but in this arrangement they go perfectly! The top blooms are really something, I always like dahlias a little bit on the big and messy side 🙂
The linaria have a great range of colors, they really do look a little like candies.
These dahlias are gorgeous, not uniform at all, they have random markings and as you say they look quite messy. I love them.
The Linaria are cheap and cheerful and so easy.
Rebecca’s World is striking and oh I love that dark red in Scabiosa ‘Black Knight’. Great combination
Thank you Susie, I love these two together. The Scabiosa is gorgeous and easy from seed.
Lovely, we grew Rebecca’s World at Cliffe and I was very fond it, thanks for reminding me! Also I love the linaria, haven’t heard of Sweeties, but will look out for it. 🙂
Rebecca’ s World is new to me and I am delighted with it. When the flowers first came out I thought it was throwing up sports, and then I realised that they are supposed to be all different.
‘Sweeties ‘ is lovely and obligingly pops up whereever you scatter the seed. I like plants that do that.
What a beautiful harmony of colours (in both pots). I grew some Scabiosa atropupurea this year but they obviously are not Black Knight as they are a pale pink.
There are some lovely Scabiosa around now. I have a lovely wine coloured one called Beaujolais Bonnets.
I have that one as well! I love the way the flowers change from bud to full flower and it lasts for SO long as a cut flower too – a real gem.
Scabiosa ‘Black Knight- I love this dainty flower. I scattered seed this year + a no show in my garden-thank you for sharing for i missed seeing it in my beds. Your vase is a stunner! I love the burgundy color!
Your dahlias are lovely, I am waiting for some of mine to bloom but I don’t know if they will this year:-( Very cool this summer + hoping they will bloom before the season changes!
I started the Scabiosa off in the greenhouse in pots, although I don’ t know whether this is really necessary as last years seeded around.
I hope your dahlias will bloom, they are a delight at this time of the year. I look forward to seeing them. Will you show them to us when they come out?
if they bloom?? I sure hope so, I put them in a bit late. I am really disappointed in “Fascination” which I got in the ground on time. It is not growing very well-and I doubt it will ever bloom. I put them throughout our potager:-( I have grown different dahlias over the years and this is the first this happened. I”ll dig their bulbs up and start them inside next year. I am keeping my fingers crossed for the white ones!
I love the black scabiosa and miss it blooming with zinnias + cosmos;-( Oh well, there is always next year:-)
OH + you photos are very good:-) You inspire me to gather a vase:-)