It's Dahlia-a-rama! A lot of folks grow dahlias around here but none so prolifically as my neighbor, Carla. She was kind enough to allow me to spend a while in her gorgeous garden. Click on any image to see if it's available in black & white.
Last February, Carla and I dug up her dahlia bulbs to split them (they had been very busy multiplying down there) and she shared dozens with me. We didn't know quite what I was getting, but this was one of the surprises that popped up this summer.
This sexy beast was in my yard. It's way more showy than the other dahlias I have. The others tend to keep their distance, lest they pale in comparison.