Arranging Flowers

October 2, 2025

Among the many benefits of growing one's own flowers - they can be enjoyed both inside and out.

It's always so nice to walk through the gardens and see a multitude of beautiful and colorful blooms. I also love using fresh, fragrant flowers to display in my home. Yesterday, my housekeeper, Enma Sandoval, made several arrangements using some the gorgeous flowers still going strong - the dahlias, the zinnias, and the roses.

Here are some photos, enjoy.

: I grow many flowers every year, so they can be cut and used for photography shoots, videos or to display in my kitchen, servery, and sitting rooms.

: There are new dahlias popping up every day. Dahlias come in shades of pink, red, yellow, orange, purple, white, and various combinations of these colors.

: Dahlias produce an abundance of blooms throughout early summer and again in late summer until the first freeze.

: The various forms range from charming single, daisy-like flowers to the popular double varieties which can range from the two-inch-pompons to 12-inch dinner plate size. They are divided into 10 groups: single, anemone, collarette, waterlily, decorative, fall, pompon, cactus, semi-cactus, and miscellaneous.

: The majority of dahlia species do not produce scented flowers, but they are brightly colored to attract pollinating insects such as bees and butterflies.

: To prevent wilting, cut only in the early morning or late afternoon. And only cut them after they open to mature size – dahlias will not open after cutting.

: Enma cut so many beautiful blooms – hard not to cut more; they are all so pretty.

: Down by my chicken coops in my former vegetable garden, I now have a space dedicated to annuals, where varieties could be organized in beds by size, color, and bloom time. This week, some of the big showers are these zinnias.

: Also showing wonderfully are the roses. My Martha Stewart hybrid tea rose has large pink blooms and a most intoxicating and sweet fragrance.

: After bringing the flowers inside, it’s important to get them in water right away. Enma removes any leaves that would otherwise end up below the water line. Leaves and flowers that sit below the water line can rot.

: Then she carefully pours water into the vase as quickly as possible. Fill the vase to about three-fourths of its height. This amount allows the flowers to absorb enough water to stay healthy and vibrant. And be sure to keep it filled and change the water regularly.

: For this arrangement, Enma chooses shades of orange and gold zinnias. Zinnias are native to Mexico and Central America. The Aztecs originally called them “plants that are hard on the eyes” because of their colorful flowers. Zinnia is named after Johann Gottfried Zinn, a German botany professor who discovered the plants and brought them to Europe in the 1700s.

: Zinnias are the simplest of flowers – a favorite of my dad. They come in extraordinary colors and sizes and shapes and are easily grown in one short season.

: The next arrangement – dahlias. The dahlia is named after the Swedish 18th century botanist Anders Dahl, who originally declared the flower a vegetable, as the tubers are edible, but eating dahlias as a delicacy never grew popular.

: Enma selects the largest and most striking flowers to be the focal point of the arrangement.

: Then she follows up with other blooms to fill surrounding spaces. Dahlia stems are hollow, so they absorb water quickly through the outer layers.

: Out in the garden, cut the stems long and then trim to adjust for the vase being used. Enma cut these just right to fit my vessels.

: The next arrangement uses dahlias and roses. Do you see the beautiful Martha Stewart hybrid tea roses?

: Enma made big arrangements and small. Sometimes, just a handful of flowers in a smaller glass vase is all one needs. Flower arrangements do not have to be huge or elaborate to be stunning.

: These dahlias are on my kitchen counter, which like yours is the hub of my home, where I often take calls, have meetings, and gather with guests – everyone can enjoy the flowers as soon as they come inside.