Oh, I really, really LOVE your bouquets, Carrie. You did a GREAT job with these. Most assuredly, you certainly did brighten my day. Mission accomplished!! :) And I sooo understand your frustration because without fail I miss something every time, too! Frustrating for someone who strives for perfection. Guess it just ain't happenin' with me. lol ;) Thanks for sharing, and have a wonderful Saturday. Debbie P.S. I really do think I need to lighten up on stuff, as I recall my dad being frustrated with my tendency towards perfectionism. Finally in exasperation he said, "do something even if it is wrong." ;)

Hi Viking- I find the first arrangement really quite interesting. Whether you know it or not you've hit upon the new English way of arranging flowers. However, to help you in your endeavor, and I hope you take this in the right way, here are a few pointers for award winning dahlia arrangements. 1). You want the largest flowers closest to the lip of the container. Ideally, you want your most vivid's there too. 2). Walk into your garden and try to find some 'line material' (aka no flowers but has a linear dimension). I would suggest long tree twigs or say, iris leaves. Put two to three of those, sized at about two to three times the size of the container in with the flowers. 3). A few decent sized leaves at the lip of the container. Could be huchera, Rhodie leaves, or even some potted plant folliage you have in your home. Hope this works out for you. Love your contribution to the site. Best regards from Westchester, Lucinda

I also love, love Boscobel!!! Such lovely blooms. Carol

Thank you all for the enthusiasm. It's good to see that different people prefer various roses. There are so many good ones out there to please everyone! The big purple one is Chartreuse de Parme. It opens a brilliant dark pink with a metallic sheen and ages to a very pleasant purple. Memorial Day has ruffled petals in the Spring and has normal HT shape in Autumn - not sure why. Beverly smells very nice - a spicy rosy refreshing scent. No secrets Carol, just hard work and a bit of luck too!