Dahlia ‘Tiki Torch’ is the fiery star of this week’s IAVOM, along with Sunflowers  (Helianthus annuus ‘Italian White’) and golden orange Zinnia elegans ‘Sprite.’

A self-sown, white Flowering Tobacco (Nicotiana alata) that popped up beside the driveway near the house, has the largest blossoms I’ve ever seen, nearly double the others in the garden. A purple bloom also included (lower left side) gives you scale. Not sure if it was nature or nurture, but I will save some seed in case it is a new hybrid. It’s has especially fragrant blossoms.

Salvia ‘Magic Wand’ and purple New England Asters (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) add contrast. The white gourds were a compost pile surprise and I think they are a hybrid, too, from the seed of gourds I purchased last fall. That shape is usually mottled green or gold– when I searched online, I couldn’t find anything like it. Marvels of nature.

The pitcher is Moroccan terra-cotta with silver trim. A handsome piece I fell in love with, but tends to seep, so needs a saucer beneath it.

Dahlia ‘Voodoo’

You’re probably tired of seeing my Dahlia ‘Voodoo’ but I can’t get over its velvety beauty. We had a good soaking rain on Saturday that broke quite a few stems, so I plonked the salvaged lot into my mother’s grape-motif, burgundy glass vase.

Lastly, just because my Sweet Peas (Lathyrus odoratus ‘Royal Mixed’) are still blooming (amazingly non-stop all summer), I’ll share my kitty-in-the-flowerbed pocket vase filled with them. Such fragrance!

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In the Garden, who hosts a weekly meme to showcase arrangements created from our gardens. Wander over to see what gardeners all over the world are arranging this week.