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Karen White

@whitekaren11

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Attempting to coax beauty and joy from a small suburban home garden. Perennials, dahlias, pollinator friendly, Oudolf admirer. Colorado, zone 5-ish

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This daffodil was a mislablel! Possibly ‘cassata?’ I’m not sure, but i absolutely loved it! Are you planting any split corona narcissi this fall? #narcissus #daffodil #splitcoronadaffodil by @whitekaren11

We dropped into the 20s for the past 2 nights, so that is the end of my 2026 season! I learned many lessons, as always. The most special part of my entire season was having my backyard flowers become wedding florals! The bridal bouquet featured some of my favorite peonies and ranunculus, which miraculously 🙏🏼 survived for almost a month in my garage refrigerator, and lasted through the wedding! I am just a hobby grower, so this was very very special. If I get permission, maybe later I can share some photos of the wedding blooms (which I grew, but thankfully wasn’t responsible to arrange, something I need a lot more training in!). Now, it’s bulb planting season and dahlia digging season (😱). I’m not a big tulip grower, with very mixed success in the past, but that has not stopped me from ordering more for this next season.! I would love to hear your tips on achieving better tulip blooms (not perennial, the florist kind!) in our harsh climate. The double tulips shown here include ‘La Belle Epoque’ which is the most expensive variety I plant every season, and also easily the most ridiculously beautiful (please, please grow it!) along with ‘Columbus’ which I also liked quite a bit. What are your tulip plans? #tulip by @whitekaren11

October dahlias are the most beautiful of the entire season! Bittersweet to get to hold these as the hours count down to frost. ‘Hollyhill Leda’ is the lavender/cream waterlily, absolutely stunning in person: so much better than I expected from online photos. A reminder that you should try growing new varieties if you can! Also seen here: ‘Shaggy Chic,’ ‘Carolina Wagemans,’ ‘Venus,’ ‘Clearview Carol Marie’ #dahlia #octobergarden #coloradoflowers by @whitekaren11

A few weekend garden items as frost looms in the forecast: Another reason to plant peonies (the fall leaf color makes wonderful foliage in arrangements!)

Solidalgo rigida turns cottony and fluffy.

One of my new peonies (second attempt at growing Nelda’s Joy) with signs of death and life simultaneously. I hope life wins in the spring!

KA’s Brittany’s Favorite

It never ends. by @whitekaren11

Lakeview Kaboom: the only lacinated dahlia that decided to bloom for me this season. I still love this one - they’re like October fireworks. Which lacinated types do you grow? by @whitekaren11

End of season dahlias and cosmos for a friend. Self seeded cosmos are always my favorites: the most interesting colors. We are on track for first freeze in 7 days, possibly earlier! Time to label before the great dig of 2026! by @whitekaren11

Dahlia ‘Penhill Watermelon’ - somehow, I re-developed a taste for the big floofy twisty types this season. I’m not regretting it! #penhillwatermelon by @whitekaren11

KA’s Rosie Jo! by @whitekaren11

Friendly reminder to track down/order spring blooming bulbs now, if you haven’t already! This is daffodil ‘My Story.’ What are your spring bulb plans?? by @whitekaren11

20th Ave Softer Peach by @whitekaren11

Dahlia ‘Peaches N’ Cream’ in our September light. #dahlia by @whitekaren11

Dahlia ‘Irish D Porter’ - mini poms are like dahlia chiclets 😂 by @whitekaren11