When it comes to dahlias, I love the big, bright, colorful blooms most of all.
Dahlia is a genus of tuberous plants that are members of the Asteraceae family and are related to the sunflower, daisy, chrysanthemum, and zinnia. They grow from small tubers planted in the spring. And from late June until the first autumn frost, these flowers bloom in stunning colors, sizes, and forms. Yesterday, my housekeeper, Enma Sandoval, picked some to make several summer arrangements for my home.
Enjoy these photos.
Here at my farm, we all love seeing the gorgeous dahlia flowers in summer. New ones open 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.
This white dahlia recently opened with striking yellow markings. It is several inches in diameter.
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.
Dahlias can grow on both tall and shorter stems, so Enma makes sure to look both high and low for the best looking blooms. She also looks at the entire flower before cutting to make sure the back leaves have not started to fall off. The petals should not be wilted or discolored.
Enma picks enough dahlia blooms for several arrangements. They are placed in plastic bins topped with simple baking cooling racks from the kitchen. The stems just fit through the holes and are free to dangle underneath without getting damaged.
This day is especially warm, so once the dahlias are indoors, Enma carefully pours water into the vase as quickly as possible.
For the first arrangement, Enma chooses shades of salmon pink.
When arranging, always strip off all the leaves that would be below the water line in the vase. This is true for all flower arrangements, not just dahlias. When leaves stay underwater, they decay and release bacteria that shorten the vase life of the flowers.
Here is the finished arrangement. I often display cut flowers on my servery counter, where I can enjoy them every day.
Next, Enma starts an arrangement in darker pink. Dahlias need a lot of water to stay hydrated and vibrant in a vase. Dahlia stems are hollow, so they absorb water through the outer layers. Keep the vase filled and change the water regularly.
Enma selects the largest and most striking flowers to be the focal point of the arrangement and then adds other blooms to fill surrounding spaces.
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.
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 them as soon as they come inside.
Here, Enma gathers the lightest colored blooms of pink and cream.
This arrangement is on another counter in my servery – just a handful in a vase. Flower arrangements do not have to be huge or elaborate to be stunning.
Here is a vase filled with all dark burgundy pink dahlias – so many different kinds of dahlias and every one of them pretty.
This arrangement is placed on a table in my sitting room under an collection of Wedgewood drabware.
At the end of the growing season, dig and store dahlia tubers for the winter to replant next year.
Several times a year, my housekeepers take on the task of cleaning and polishing a collection of silver - well ahead of any holiday entertaining.
This week Elvira and Enma tackled several drawers of flatware in my servery - washing every single piece, applying a quality commercial polish, soaping and rinsing, and then finally drying with a soft cloth. It's a time-consuming task, but keeping items clean and polished is the best way to bring out their beauty and prevent too much tarnish from developing.
Here are some photos and tips, enjoy.
I use these silver pieces often for entertaining, so I like to keep them clean, polished, and at the ready at all times. This silver was polished a few months ago. It still looks good and doesn’t have to be cleaned just yet. My housekeepers keep good track of what pieces need polishing. It is always a good idea to clean silver regularly, so it doesn’t develop a thick coat of tarnish that is harder to remove.
Here is another drawer done not too long ago. These spoons are still well organized.
In this drawer, the right side is newly polished and the left side is lightly tarnished and waiting to be cleaned – do you see the difference?
First, Elvira wets all the pieces to be cleaned in warm water. Be mindful of using water that is too cold or too hot as silver can react to extreme temperature changes over time.
Then, each piece is coated completely with the silver cream. The silver will start to brighten as it is rubbed. Always use silver polishes that are non-abrasive, and opt for formulas, such as creams and gels instead of sprays. It’s also a good idea to use gloves when taking on this task, so the cleaning cream does not come into contact with the skin.
Wright’s Silver Cream is a gentle all-purpose polish that works on all types of silver. It also works nicely on stainless steel and chrome. I’ve been using Wright’s for years.
Elvira places a terry cloth towel on the bottom of the sink, so the metal doesn’t bang against any surfaces. I do this whenever washing delicate china pieces too – just in case something slips through the hands.
There are actually several ways to clean silver. A frequently recommended, nontoxic method is to fill an aluminum pan with hot water, add salt and baking soda, stir until it is all dissolved, and then soak the pieces until a chemical reaction occurs that removes the tarnish. This technique is faster than hand cleaning, but may cause pitting and remove the desirable antique patina. Silver cleaning cloths made especially for removing tarnish from precious metals are also available, but experts recommend using a good-quality, non-abrasive commercial silver polish.
Next, the polish is rinsed off in warm water. These spoons are looking great already.
Then the spoons are washed with dish soap to ensure all the cream is removed.
And finally they are thoroughly rinsed once again.
Each spoon is carefully washed of all the polish and soap.
Look how clean these spoons are.
The finished pieces are dried and placed on another towel, so they can be sorted before being put away. Do not let silver air dry, because water left standing can cause spotting.
One by one, the polished dry pieces are placed on the counter ready to be returned to their designated drawer. Try to make time to use precious silver when entertaining – regular use is the best way to prevent tarnish from forming. If you have a large collection like I do, try to rotate the pieces, so everything gets some use during the course of the year.
When I designed my servery, I made sure it had many shallow drawers specifically designated for storing silver spoons, forks, and knives. All the drawers are lined with removable, soft liners. These liners are available at any kitchen supply store. I like to use non-adhesive grip liners. They stay firmly in place and provide a bit of cushioning for the silver.
Once in the drawer, the spoons are organized by size, function, and style. Spoons also come in many interesting forms – teaspoon, dessert spoon, table spoon, sugar spoon, spoons for basting, spoons for scooping, and even spoons for sifting.
This drawer is specifically used to store my mother of pearl flatware. Mother-of-pearl, nacre, is a glowing, pearlescent material that’s used to make flatware handles, jewelry and ornaments. Mother-of-pearl comes from the inside of oyster and abalone shells. Both silver and those with special handles should never be placed in the dishwasher. The detergents’ aggressive chemicals, combined with the washer’s high cleaning temperature, will eventually turn the silver grey or white, with a dull, non-reflective surface.
I’ve purchased many of my pieces from antiques fairs and shops over the years. I try to buy sets whenever I can. When buying antique or vintage silver flatware, always check the lengths of the prongs on the forks and the ends of the bowls on the spoons. These are the two areas which get the most wear. And check to make sure any decoration is also intact.
On the left, spoons that were newly polished – on the right, forks that are in queue for cleaning. Another tip: when storing silver, keep it away from high humidity and high heat.
And do you know… knives were the first pieces of flatware used at the table? In fact, knives, or pointed personal “weapons,” sometimes became the source of many dangerous and violent meal gatherings. In 1669, King Louis XIV of France banned pointed knives at the table in an effort to curtail violence. In the 1700s, the blunt-ended table knife became much more popular. Knives and various spades were made for cutting and spreading – for cutting fish, poultry, fruits, desserts, and butter. And there were special knives for using only at lunch, and some only at dinner. Polishing silver regularly will restore and maintain their luster, and keep them ready for that next special occasion.
It’s late summer, and lots of regular maintenance and cleaning work is going on at the farm.
Supporting a working farm is a huge job. In order for it to thrive, animals and gardens need constant tender loving care. Here at my Bedford farm, we keep a running list of all the chores that need to be done at any given time, so it always looks and functions at its best.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
Here at the farm today, temperatures are expected to be in the high 80s and even warmer tomorrow with no rain in the immediate forecast. We’re doing a lot of watering with our Gilmour Adjustable Circular Tripod Sprinklers to keep all the gardens adequately hydrated. I’ve been using Gilmour hoses and sprinklers for years – they’re dependable, durable, and easy to use.
This time of year, my gardeners and I walk through this vegetable garden every day to see what is growing and clean up what is needed. My pumpkin and squash crops are looking so lush and green. It is the first time I’m growing them around the perimeter of the half acre space. So far, the vines are growing very well.
And beneath the vines, look what is also growing – a very large pumpkin, and it’s only August! I am looking forward to a great pumpkin season this year.
On the other side of the farm in my large Equipment Barn, Pasang is doing some maintenance to the STIHL chainsaws he uses. It is crucial to keep them in good condition so they work well and are safe to use. STIHL’s most well-known tool is the chainsaw. STIHL designed and built its first electric chain saw in 1926 and 94 years later, it is still one of its best pieces of equipment. We use both gas-powered and battery-powered chainsaws.
Pasang inspects the teeth and the bar of the chainsaw to see what work needs to be done. This unit needs sharpening.
Pasang places the tool onto the vice. The chain itself needs to be sharpened if the shavings cut from the chainsaw become very fine and almost dust-like, or if the saw does not cut straight. If the teeth on the chainsaw chain become dull, the saw will not cut correctly or efficiently.
Pasang positions the file at about a 30-degree angle to the chainsaw teeth and holds it at about a 90-degree angle to the bar. He applies pressure as he files away from the teeth – two or three strokes per tooth. He does this for every tooth in one direction and then in the other, all the way around.
Behind my Summer House in the Sunken Garden, Josh is cleaning and weeding the formal beds. This garden is planted with American and English boxwood, ginkgo trees, smoke bushes, Siberian weeping pea shrubs, peonies, hostas, lilies, alliums, and other spring blooming bulbs. It is so beautiful here, especially in the springtime.
Here’s Fernando prepping my “Run-In” shed for painting. Before it is painted, it must first be thoroughly power washed and cleaned of any debris and mildew.
Cesar oversees all the care of my birds – the chickens, peafowl, geese, and pheasants. The birds respond well to him. Here he is talking to one of my male Golden Pheasants.
My foreman, Chhiring, continues the tedious job of mulching all the beds around the farm. Thankfully, I am able to make good, nutrient-rich mulch right here. We always have an abundant supply.
First he manually delivers wheelbarrows of mulch to the bed and drops mulch in sections.
He does this for each area before raking into level, two to three inch layers.
On this day, Chhiring completes the berry patches. It’s always a good idea to mulch the garden beds to help conserve and extend moisture, protect the soil from erosion, suppress and prevent weeds, moderate temperature extremes, and create a marker for landscape maintenance equipment.
Nearby, gardening intern, Matthew, works on the roses – trimming any dead wood and pruning them for height. Keeping on top of pruning tasks like this improves plant health, prevents disease, and encourages better flowering. I like to do this to all my roses two or three times a year.
Juan is keeping all my horses and donkeys cool on this hot day. Jude “JJ” Junior and Billie just had a refreshing shower after playing in their pasture.
It’s still mowing season! And while I have replaced many grassy areas with mulch to reduce the amount of mowing around my farm, there is still a lot of mowing to do. Adan is my resident mower. For narrow spaces he uses this STIHL RM 655 VS push mower.
Inside my main greenhouse, Ryan checks every plant to make sure it is properly watered. It is extremely important that all the plants are well fed and well watered. As I always say, if you eat and drink, so should your plants.
And in my Winter House, here’s Elvira polishing the silver for all the fall entertaining ahead. This is also another chore that must be done regularly to keep everything looking its best.
These pieces are very lightly tarnished – some pieces don’t even look tarnished at all, but it is always a good idea to clean silver a couple times a year, so it doesn’t develop a thick coat of tarnish that is harder to remove. Here, one can see what has been polished and what has not. I will share polishing tips in another blog. It’s always busy at my farm. I hope you’re getting lots of your summer tasks checked off the list too!
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
