Far from shy and retiring, these striking blooms with their dazzling hues and intricate structure are a wonder to behold. We celebrate the many ways they can be used to enhance autumn days at home
STYLING & WORDS SELINA LAKE PHOTOGRAPHY SUSSIE BELL ASSISTANT STYLIST SARAH PRALL
The beauty of dahlia season is being celebrated again after a huge increase in popularity mainly due to growers and floral stylists sharing inspiring images via social media. Once reserved for growing best-in-show specimens on allotment plots in the 1950s, dahlias have made their way back to our gardens. They offer real value for money as they produce tons of flowers and when cut can last for up to a week in a vase. Famous gardener and flower expert Sarah Raven hosts Dahlia Delirium open days in August and September at her wonderful private garden, Perch Hill, in East Sussex, showing how to grow dahlias en masse and how to mix colours in borders. The array of hues can spark inspiration in the home as well as the garden – from styling a seasonal table for supper to designing a new decor theme. There is no better time to get reacquainted with these dazzling blooms.
Growing and cultivating
Few flowers are as floriferous as dahlias. They are in bloom from June to the first frost and, with very little looking after, will result in armfuls of flowers. They can be grown in pots, too – dwarf varieties are best for this, just bear in mind they will need more feeding and watering than if grown in the ground.
Dahlias have always been looked at as a high-maintenance flower to grow due to their tubers needing to be kept frost-free over winter. If milder winters are to be expected, however, it is possible, in most places, in not too wet and exposed areas, to leave the tubers in the ground if they are covered with a thick mulch of compost or straw. If that is not desirable, dig them up in mid-autumn and make sure they are dry before storing them in dry compost in a frost-free place like a greenhouse, basement or garage.
In early spring, plant the tubers in three-litre pots, one tuber to each pot. Giving them a generous pot will give them a head start. With lots of fresh compost to get their roots growing, bring them into the light and water sparingly. When the tubers start to shoot, take cuttings to increase plant numbers. Nipping out the top shoots when the plant is about a foot tall will increase the number of flowers produced later as it will branch out and be bushier and stronger.
From mid to late May, the sprouting dahlias can be tra
