My vases this week are a repeat of the last couple weeks in some ways. Lillies, because they just go on being beautiful and hydrangeas because these fading hydrangeas exactly matched the dusty turquoise at the center of the lily. Dahlias because the Akita Dahlia is finally making a flower that looks like the picture that made me want to order it to begin with, and just because there are lots of them.
The lillies don’t have a strong scent when you put your nose to them, but on a warm evening their scent mixes with that of the Gladiolus callianthus growing near to them and it’s pervasive and wonderful.
And the Akita Dahlia. Picked in the bud like this its more cream and red black than yellow orange as it is when it’s open. It actually looks more yellow in this photo than it is.
Here are some of the mixed batch of cactus dahlias.
Over at Rambling in the Garden there will be more vases and very early Spring flowers.
Absent Gardener 
Oh! Cath, your lilies are completely gorgeous, seeing yours makes me long for mine to flower but that’s silly as then it would be summer. The Dahlia is fabulous too; what bounty to be able to enjoy at home.
Thanks Christina, that would be a fast forward through a blur of tulips and daffodils and all the other Spring flowers. As it is the season is changing too fast.
Lovely, especially like the Akita Dahlia.
I picked the Akita because it looked a bit Chrysanthemum-like to me. It’s much nicer not quite open I think, and it stayed that way in the vase. The house is very hot during the day though so it only lasted a few days.
My word look at those lilies and dahlias! Splendid!
Thank you 🙂
Oh your cactus dahlias look just like a vase of sea anemones!! 🙂 And that lily!! Wow – something to aspire to, and as you say they pick out the unusual colour of the hydrangea heads so well. Thanks for sharing Cath
Thanks Cathy, they do look like sea anemones waving their tentacles 🙂
Your dahlias are magnificent, and the view of the lilies growing in your garden is superb! How pleased you ought to be…they are perfect.
Thank you Noelle, I am really pleased with this bit of the garden, the compost has made all the difference, and the regular rain this summer.
Wow, beautiful Lilies, who could resist putting them in a vase to enjoy! I would have to buy those from the florist! Love the Dahlia as well.
Thanks ShrubQueen, can you not grow lillies where you are?
We have Hymenocallis, Crinums and some tropical lilies but not Lilies like yours. There are actual native water lilies here that are beautiful. Amy
There’s no shortage of beautiful stems ripe for the cutting in your garden, Cath!
Thanks Kris, actually I would have no idea how to deal with those big ones. The ones I picked were in less favourable places so only had a few blooms.
Oh, how lovely! Your lilies are wonderful, Cath! They do go well with the Hydrangeas. And your dahlias are a delight too! Thanks for sharing – so lovely to see such big blooms and bright colour!
Thanks Cathy, I am pretty happy with the lillies. I’m hopeful that they will come back next year too.
Your abundant clusters of lily flowers are magnificent, Cath, they must smell great. Lilies are such practical jokers, they lure me in to sniff then I turn away and have orange all over my nose! The Hydrangeas look wonderful with them. They make me long for summer flowers, and the pretty dahlias, too, the red is really intense.
Thanks Hannah, that’s true the pollen can be really messy, although I haven’t noticed it so much with these.
Lovely vases, Cath and wow, those lilies are just loaded with buds. I’m surprised that they aren’t fragrant – I would have expected that they’d be bowling you over!
Thanks Eliza, they are fragrant, but not knock your socks off when you smell an individual bloom like some lillies. As a group though and with the gladiolus callianthus they really perfume the air.
That must be heavenly. Enjoy a waft for me!