Outstanding In Its Field

Dahlia coccinea ‘True Wild Form’ is tasty to grasshoppers

It might be more accurate to say, "Dahlia is standing out in the field....of Susans."

 Although, I deliberately planted this lovely in the middle of the Susan's Border,  I had visions of red flowers, not a vision of a red flower!

I fell for this brilliant red dahlia with the golden yellow stamens when I  saw it in the Annie's Annuals* catalog last Spring.    Remember Spring! When the weather was near perfect and we bought plants with abandon and  hopes for summer.    In my fantasy 'True Wild' was making a dramatic statement much earlier in the season and then continuing to bloom when the Susans opened in July!  That was my plan!

Fading beauties: Susans, early blooming wildflowers and still blooming Coreopsis 'Redshift' and Cup Plant

 Instead,  she's outstandingly beautiful in the field of fading beauties~

 Placing a bold red flower in the middle of Rudbeckia fulgida might not be to everyone's taste, but,  I like it.  

Salvia

  In fact,  I love bold reds and yellows.

Coreopsis 'Redshift'

  Nature has gifted us with many naturally occurring reds and yellows~ like Partridge Peas, Ratibida columnifera, Helenium autumnale, and spring blooming Aquilegia canadensis and Spigelia marilandica.  So why not plop a red and gold flowered dahlia right in the middle of the Susans for a spot of intensity.

Poor Dahlia is too tasty to caterpillars

I might move her a  smidge closer to the Coreopsis Big Bang™ 'Redshift' and order a few more for impact!  I wish she wasn't such a tasty treat for those darn grasshoppers.  Soldier beetles do your best!

xxoogail


*Annies Annuals