Dahlias and Coleus

We planted flowers reminiscent of special times and people in the Grandmother's Flower Garden. Here you see 2 favorites of mine.

This Dahlia is a variety with deep red petals and white tips. Things got a little busy this spring so its name is floating out there somewhere. August surely must be the season for Dahlias, because they are sharing bloom after bloom.

Mother says she remembers Dahlias. Her Dad, my Grandpa Fred Albert Brenz, especially loved them. He died in 1944, 4 years before I was born.

My husband Richard planted Dahlias when we lived in North Dakota. I wonder if his Mother planted Dahlias or how he came to know them. Planting them and enjoying them here on our little Farm just seems right. They are a tender bulb, so we will need to dig them and store them before the frost.

You also see Coleus which is on the left. I love Coleus, which is known for its colorful and patterned foliage. The flowers are pretty but nondescript compared with the drama of the leaves. I always thought that Coleus was shade loving but I found out this year that some varieties love the Sun and heat. That was perfect for the places I wanted to put them.

When I think of Coleus, I think of my Great Aunt Lula Myers Hart. She would have Coleus cuttings rooting in water. Then she would move them to pots. This year, I plan to do the same.

I love hearing stories of the older ones, especially the ones who passed before I was born. Planting flowers from an older time with connections to our family history helps to deepen the connection with those who have gone before and to know my own story too.