Dahlia Night Silence

Dahlia night silence

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 shorter central florets

This striking floral colour scheme is perfectly complemented by the dark reddish green foliage.

Dahlia Night Silence is a medium sized dahlia, reaching about 3 feet tall (just under one metre), with flowers that are about 5 to 6 inches (12 to 14cm) across.

It has a reputation as a plant that will bloom well, with the flowers held high on sturdy upright stems. Of course, frequent deadheading will prolong the flowering season. You can read more about how to deadhead dahlias in this post.

Garden Uses for Dahlia Night Silence

Like all dahlias, Dahlia Night Silence will flower from mid-summer until cut down by the first frosts.

Grow Dahlia Night Silence as a cut flower

Night Silence is a good cut flower variety. The blooms are a good size, but not huge, and appear on nice strong stems. If you do grow it as a cut flower, remember the following:

  • As soon as you cut the stem, place it in clean water to prevent air pockets from forming in the stem;
  • Change the water in the vase every couple of days to prolong the life of the flowers; and
  • Keep the arrangement out of direct sunlight and away from heat and drafts.

If you are growing Dahlia Night Silence as a cut flower, it might be a good idea to grow it in a raised bed for ease of access to the plants for cutting.

Grow Dahlia Night Silence in borders and containers

Dahlia Night Silence also works well in borders and garden beds. However, it is not the tallest of dahlias, so make sure that you place it carefully in relation to the other plants you want to grow it with. I have made the mistake in the past of planting these mid-sized dahlias too far back in the border, with the result that they get hidden behind taller plants.

The unique colour scheme of Dahlia Night Silence means it will go well with plants of contrasting colour – yellows, blues or whites. Be careful when mixing it with other pinks, reds or purples as you might find the effect to be a bit jarring.

I increasingly like to grow dahlias nestled amongst other perennials or even grasses like the Pheasant’s Tail grass (Anemanthele lessoniana). So this is an approach worth trying.

The height of Dahlia Night Silence means that it will do well in containers with a simple support around it (the taller varieties are much harder to grown in pots without elaborate staking arrangements). However, make sure you use a big enough container, so that the compost does not dry out too frequently.

Plant Notes: Dahlia Night Silence

Dahlia Night Silence Plant family icon

Family

Dahlias belong to the Asteraceae family of plants.

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Plant Type

Dahlias are tuberous herbaceous perennials.

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Soil Type

Moist well-drained loamy soil.

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Aspect

Dahlias prefer full sun, but can cope with partial shade.

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Eventual Size

Height approx. 90cm (3 feet). Width approx. 40 cm ( 1 foot 4 inches)

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hardiness

Foliage cut down by frost. Tubers may survive down to -5C (23F). US Hardiness Zones 8+, UK Zone H3

Plant Calendar: Dahlia Night Silences


Dahlia seedsSow SeedsFeb, March, April (under cover)
pot up dahlia tubersPot up TubersMarch, April
plant out dahliasPlant Out**May, June
dahlia flowersFlowering TimeJuly, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov.

These timings assume a last frost in May. Adjust timings earlier or later according to last frost where you live.

**In areas of extreme summer heat, plant out in September.


Where to buy Dahlia Night Silence

In the US, try the suppliers listed by dahliaaddict.com, e,g., Clara Joyce Flowers.

In the UK, Dahlia Silence is not that easy to find. I have seen it listed at Rose Cottage garden Plants, but it is not always available.

Caring for Dahlia Night Silence

Take care of Dahlia Night Silence just as you would for any dahlia. Note in particular:

Planting and position dahlias

  • Dahlias prefer to be positioned full sun in moist, retentive, but well drained soil.
  • Improve the soil with organic matter before planting, preferably in the autumn.
  • Plant out your Dahlia tubers or sprouts after the risk of frost has passed.
  • Plant non-sprouting tubers 4 to 5 inches deep. Plant more deeply if a risk of frost remains, or you live in an area with extreme heat – but only if drainage is good. Otherwise there is a risk of the tubers rotting.

Watering and feeding dahlias

  • Keep the plant well-watered, but don’t let it get waterlogged for any prolonged period.
  • Feed with a well balanced fertiliser whilst its leaves and stems are developing, but switch to a regular phosphate rich fertiliser (e.g. tomato feed) to encourage flowering.

Stopping dahlias and increasing flower numbers

End of growing season care

  • If you live in an area that suffers from hard frosts or prolonged waterlogging, lift and store the tubers over winter. Follow the guidance in this post on overwintering dahlias.
  • If you do not get temperatures below freezing, you can leave your dahlia tubers in position. But it is best to cut back the old stems and mulch well.

More on Growing Dahlias

You can also get much more guidance on growing dahlias in these posts:

dahlias step by step

Get the complete guide to growing dahlias in your garden

Learn about all stages of dahlia growing including propagation, planting, deadheading, feeding, watering, overwintering, pests and diseases and a whole lot besides.

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