BIG PROJECT
Don’t miss out on these JOYOUS BLOOMS, even if you only plant one potful. Here’s all you need to know
There’s nothing more delicious than a dahlia! Having zoomed up the style stakes from old hat to unbelievably hip, dahlias are stealing hearts left, right and centre and no modern garden should be without one. If you think that growing dahlias is an art shrouded in mystery, only to be embraced by the most green-fingered among us, think again! Dahlias are far easier to grow than tradition would have us believe.
Tougher new varieties alongside our changing climate mean that it’s no longer true that all dahlia tubers must be whipped out of the ground at the first whiff of a frost. Choose the right varieties and you can have a dazzling display of delicate pom-poms or dinner-plate dahlias without any of the faff, and success is down to simple common sense, not some notion of luck written in the stars!
Get your tubers planted now, and you’ll have strong little plants by the time the frosts have ended in May. And with hundreds of flowers emerging from one tuber over many months, there are few plants that are better bang for your buck. Here’s what to do…
Our lust list
There are oodles of dahlia varieties in so many colours and shapes, but these are the snazzy swipe-right blooms we currently adore…
This quirky character with an intriguing shape in a fab coral colour looks right at home in a tropical border. £6.90/1 tuber farmergracy.co.uk
If you’re a fan of symmetry then these blush blooms are the sweetest and most perfectly formed pom-poms. £5.25/1 tuber farmergracy.co.uk
Also known as ‘Honka Black’, these sultry deep red blooms will bring star quality to your borders. £4.45/1 tuber dutchgrown.co.uk
Teasingly tactile, the 15cm blooms have a yellow undertone that makes the pink pop. £5/1 tuber rosecottage plants.co.uk
Flickering flame petals will bring warmth and life to a border in on-trend coral tones. £4.50/1 tuber sarahraven.com
In glorious dusky plums and pinks, a plethora of 15cm blooms exude vintage charm. £4.95/1 tuber dahliabeach.co.uk
POLLINATOR POPPET
If you want to feed pollinators, choose varieties with an open accessible centre. These little stunners are ‘Famoso’ and are compact enough to love life in a patio pot. £4.55/1 tuber farmergracy.co.uk
WHERE DO I BUY TUBERS?
It’s much cheaper to buy dormant dahlia tubers from January to May, than it is to buy potted-up-and-growing plants in June. Look in your garden centre, but you’ll find a far wider variety online. Often available to pre-order, it’s worth
