Lucy's border dahlia collection
dahlia collection
The cartwheel dahlias of the deepest red 'Verrone's Obsidian' and red edged-white 'Honka Fragile' collide with the crimson-toned, single-flowered ‘Mexican Star’ and meets the apricot peach of the tightly-formed, decorative 'Wine Eyed Jill', finally stopping at the flamboyant dinnerplate dahlia 'Penhill Dark Monarch' with its confection of peach and dark pink tones.
How to care for Lucy's border dahlia collection:
Dahlia tubers can be planted outside after frost, or started off in pots under glass in late winter to early spring. Plant them horizontally approximately 12cm (5in) deep, making sure the ‘eyes’ are uppermost. Allow enough room between each tuber so the plants can grow and spread to their full size without being overcrowded.
While in growth, provide a high-nitrogen liquid feed each week in June, then a high-potash fertiliser each week from July to September. Stake with canes or brushwood if it becomes necessary. In mild areas, leave them in situ over winter, but protect the crown with a generous layer of dry mulch.
In colder areas, carefully lift and clean the tubers once the first frosts have blackened the foliage and allow them to dry naturally indoors. Then place the dry tubers in a shallow tray, just covered with slightly moist potting compost, sand or vermiculite and store in a frost-free place until planting out again.
While in growth, provide a high-nitrogen liquid feed each week in June, then a high-potash fertiliser each week from July to September. Stake with canes or brushwood if it becomes necessary. In mild areas, leave them in situ over winter, but protect the crown with a generous layer of dry mulch.
In colder areas, carefully lift and clean the tubers once the first frosts have blackened the foliage and allow them to dry naturally indoors. Then place the dry tubers in a shallow tray, just covered with slightly moist potting compost, sand or vermiculite and store in a frost-free place until planting out again.
What's included:
In each collection you will receive one tuber of each of the following:
Dahlia 'Mexican Star': The single flowers of ‘Mexican Star’ up to 6cm (2.4in) across, are dark brownish in colour, with a central golden boss of stamens and emerge in mid-summer, persisting until the first frosts. Dark stems support lightly-bronzed, dark-green foliage. Grows to 1m.
Dahlia 'Verrones Obsidian': A single row of inrolled, deepest red (near black) petals surround a sunburst-like eye, which acts as a beacon to bees. The simple (but stunning) star-shaped flowers look particularly good in naturalised settings and mix really well with ornamental grasses. Grows to 60cm.
Dahlia 'Wine Eyed Jill': 'Wine-eyed Jill' freely produces its gorgeous flowerheads over an extended period from midsummer. Each one tops a tall purple-flushed stem, and as they mature, their colour changes from a sumptuous apricot-pink to a warm golden peach. Forming 7cm (3in) wide ball-shaped heads that look luminous against the backdrop of lush green foliage, it's a head-turning option for borders or pots. Grows to 1m.
Dahlia 'Penhill Dark Monarch': ‘Penhill Dark Monarch' is a sumptuously coloured dinnerplate dahlia, similar in form but deeper in colour to the paler ‘Penhill Watermelon’. Penhill dahlias are known for their impressive size, twisted petals and blended colours. In bloom from mid-summer to early autumn, ‘Penhill Dark Monarch’ is a tall, tuberous rooted perennial with sturdy stems and mid-green foliage, its flowers can reach 25cm across (10in) in a swirling mix of peach and dark pink. Grows to 1.5m.
Dahlia 'Honka Fragile': Radiating out from the yellow eye, a single row of long, inrolled petals, each with a fine red edge, creates a perfectly formed star like a whirligig that sits above the mound of foliage on long, slender stems. Great for herbaceous borders - and for cutting. Grows to 80cm.
Position:
Full sun
Rate of growth:
Fast-growing
Soil:
Moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil
Hardiness:
Borderline hardy (will need protection in winter in colder areas)
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This bulb dies back after flowering each year and enters a period of rest ahead of regrowth the following season.
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Humans/Pets: Ornamental bulbs - not to be eaten
