Dahlia Delights: A Guide to Creating Mesmerizing Vase Displays
Dahlias are nature's works of art, with their vibrant colors and intricate petal patterns. These exquisite flowers make for stunning vase arrangements, allowing you to bring the beauty of your garden into your home. To create a truly breathtaking dahlia vase display, you need to understand the principles of flower care, color combinations, and design techniques.
In this blog post, we'll explore the art of dahlia arrangements and share expert tips for crafting eye-catching displays that will brighten up any room.
What Are Dahlias and How to Identify Them
Dahlias actually contain 42 species and more than 10,000 hybrids. They belong to the Asteracae family, which also covers sunflowers, daisies, chrysanthemums, and zinnias. Dahlias can grow in different climate zones (ranging from 6 through 11), but they need to be given fertilizer each season. They must also have full sun exposure for at least 6 to 8 hours per day.
Because dahlias come in a lot of varieties and have different colors and flower styles, we can’t provide just one identification for the entire genus. The American Dahlia Society grouped dahlias into several types, and the most common ones are:
Decorative Dahlias
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Decorative dahlias are double flowers, meaning they have showy, textured blooms with multiple layers of petals that roll at the tip. This type can be either “formal” or “informal”. Formal decorative dahlias have a symmetrical flowerhead and evenly spaced petals. Meanwhile, informal decorative dahlias have a more irregular arrangement of twisted or wavy petals.
Ball and Miniature Ball Dahlias
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You can usually find this type of dahlia in premium fall arrangements. Ball dahlias have a slightly flattened spherical shape filled with petals furling in and arranged in a captivating spiral. The tips of their petals can be blunt, flat, or indented. Meanwhile, miniature ball dahlias have the same identification, only they’re smaller than regular ball dahlias.
Anemone Dahlias
This type of dahlia usually has at least one layer of evenly spaced, flat petals that surround a colorful, and often contrasting, center made of long, tubular florets. Its petals can also have two colors. Ball dahlia plants can grow up to four feet high and their blooms up to six inches wide.
Selecting the Right Dahlias
Before you even start arranging your dahlias in a vase, you must first choose the right dahlia varieties. Different dahlias come in various shapes, sizes, and colors. Consider the following when selecting your dahlias:
Color Palette
Think about the colors that will complement your interior decor or the theme of your event. Dahlias come in a wide range of hues, from soft pastels to vibrant reds and purples.
Size and Shape
The size and shape of the dahlia blooms are crucial. Some varieties have small, delicate flowers, while others produce large, showy blooms. Choose dahlias that suit the size of your vase and the overall design you have in mind.
Preparing Your Dahlias
To ensure that your dahlia arrangement lasts as long as possible, you'll need to give your flowers some extra care. Follow these steps to prepare your dahlias for their vase debut:
Harvesting
If you have been growing dahlias in your garden and want to cut them for your vase arrangement, you need to know when is the right time for harvest. Wait until your dahlias have fully opened before cutting them. Choose blooms that are in the prime of their beauty.
Meanwhile, if you’re simply buying from your local florist, you’d want to buy dahlias that have fully opened and are at their most beautiful. Dahlias that were cut too soon might not fully bloom in a vase, and the ones that are past their prime are likely to wilt sooner.
Timing
Again, if you want to cut the dahlias that are growing in your garden, early morning is the best time to harvest dahlias. They are most hydrated and fresh during this time.
Cutting
When cutting the dahlias in your garden, use sharp, clean shears to cut the stems at an angle. Cut at least 6 to 8 inches of stem to allow for better water absorption.
Remove Leaves
Remove any leaves that will be submerged in the water to prevent bacterial growth.
Complementary Flowers and Foliage
While dahlias are stunning on their own, they can be elevated by including complementary flowers and foliage in your vase arrangements. Here are some ideas for pairing dahlias with other elements:
Baby's Breath
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The delicate, airy appearance of baby's breath provides a lovely contrast to the bold dahlias.
Eucalyptus Leaves
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The soft, silvery-green foliage of eucalyptus makes for an elegant addition to dahlia arrangements.
Roses
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Roses are the opposite of fillers, but they add a classic and romantic touch. Their timeless beauty pairs well with dahlias.
Hydrangeas
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Large, fluffy hydrangea blooms can create a balanced contrast with dahlias.
Color Combinations
Choosing the right color combinations is essential for creating visually appealing dahlia arrangements. Consider the following combos:
Monochromatic
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A single color scheme creates a sense of harmony and simplicity.
Complementary Colors
Pairing colors opposite each other on the color wheel, such as red and green or blue and orange, can create a striking contrast. With dahlias, you can put together yellow and purple dahlias or red dahlias mixed with green eucalyptus leaves to achieve this combination.
Analogous Colors
Combining colors that are next to each other on the color wheel, like yellow and orange, can give a pleasing, harmonious effect. This should be easy to achieve given that dahlias have 15 different color classifications. But you can also get this combination by mixing dahlias with other flowers and foliage.
Design Techniques
When it comes to designing your dahlia vase arrangement, consider these design techniques:
Layering
Start with your focal flowers—the dahlias—and then add supporting flowers and foliage in layers for depth and dimension.
Height and Shape
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Vary the height and shape of the flowers within the vase to create an interesting arrangement. Taller flowers in the center with shorter ones around the edges, for example.
Balance
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Achieve a sense of balance by distributing the flowers and foliage evenly throughout the vase.
Fill Your Vase With Delightful Dahlias
The art of dahlia arrangements in vases is a creative and rewarding endeavor. By selecting the right dahlias, preparing them with care, choosing complementary flowers and foliage, and mastering color combinations and design techniques, you can create stunning vase displays that will captivate anyone who sets their eyes on them.
Whether you're arranging flowers for your home or a special event, the beauty of dahlias will shine through in your artful creations. And you can keep their blooms looking fresh and beautiful for longer with the Amaranth Vase, thanks to its twist-drain-trim feature. Shop now to get an amazing sturdy vase for your next flower arrangement.