If you love gardens, you undoubtedly love plants and if you love plants, I can’t imagine how you could not love dahlias.
There are certain characteristics that gardeners usually want from a plant and, to my mind, dahlias combine more of these characteristics than virtually any other plant.
Most obviously, they have beautiful flowers in many different forms, and the multitude of varieties of dahlias offer countless flower shapes and colours.
Dalias come in various heights, so will not be out of place in the back, middle or front of the border – or even in pots – and can add to the overall design of a border or to stand alone as a featured plant.
Dahlias also have strong forms and leafy habits, adding bulk and strength to your displays and, with the right care, they’ll flower over a prolonged period.
Best of all, dahlias provide us with a focus for the whole growing season. First, a sense of anticipation, as we plant them out and watch them gradually grow and bush out into their allotted space. Then, the grateful appreciation of and wonder at their stunning floral displays. Finally, we become engrossed in the careful attention we give to tasks like stopping, disbudding, deadheading and pruning (more on these later), as we seek to eke out the beauty of our dahlias for as long as the seasons will allow.
None of this is to say that dahlias are especially easy to grow – they do require some care and that is what the posts in this section will teach you about. But neither is taking care of dahlias especially difficult and the efforts you make with your plants will be rewarded 10 times over.
I’ve been growing dahlias for over twenty years, and have grown them in three countries, and two hemispheres.
I can definitely tell you from experience, therefore, that these are plants that can lift your garden to a different level and they will lift your spirits too – every time you look at them.
Martin Cole, Gardening Step by Step
Dahlia Islander is a large, striking, heat tolerant dahlia featuring mid to dark pink flowers, with apricot tones. If you’re looking for a way to make a statement in your garden, consider introducing this showstopper into your collection. With its massive 8-10 inch flowers Dahlia Islander is sure to capture the attention of your visitors. …
Dahlia Ivanetti is a beautiful dahlia featuring dark maroon or magenta flowers that brings a rich depth of colour to your garden. Ivanetti is a mini ball dahlia, which means it has round, tightly-packed petals in a spherical or slightly flattened shape. The ray florets are arranged spirally and are rounded at the tips. This …
Mulching your dahlias is one of the best ways can keep your dahlias healthy and growing strongly throughout the summer. In truth, mulching benefits all plants in your garden but there are lots of different mulches that you can use. So, when choosing the best mulch for your dahlias, it’s essential to understand the purpose …
For a dahlia fanatic like me, owning a dahlia farm would be an absolute dream. Yes, our dahlias look fantastic in the borders, beds and containers in our gardens. But look at them ‘en masse’ in the images on this post – sheer poetry! Dahlia farms typically offer fresh flowers (dahlias and other cut flowers) …
Dahlia Night Silence is a relatively new dahlia variety, in the formal decorative dahlia group. Its flower has an unusual, complex and elegant colour palette of dusky pinks and and muted purple and mauves, creating an almost vintage look. The purple shading is found on the underside of the outer florets (petals) and on the …
