Dahlia days

5 Mar '06 8:58 am

am amazed at beautiful dahlia photos, i only grow the tree dahlia, which is so different (less petals, and much bigger). I had no idea that flowers in the same plant family, could look so dissimiliar.

i love it that i learn something new EVERY TIME i log in here!!!

5 Mar '06 9:09 am

Your Dahlia sounds ...huge! Will you send us a photo? Do you follow the traditional way of Dahlias' gardening, or you leave yours in the garden to overwinter? I just wonder, because you live in a soft winters area. I recently read an article saying, that this is practically possible.

6 Mar '06 2:22 am

My camera is very low quality, so you will have to imagine a better shot!

My tree dahlia is supposedly annual, but sometimes flowers three times a year!!! and i have had my current one in the ground for three years, it just never seems to die back.

Years ago, i knew them as "The Suicide Plant" because each autumn, at their peak, i would come out one morning after a windy night, and discover the entire plant blown over, roots exposed and that was that for the tree dahlia that year! (RIP).

My three year old one has had some branches collapse under their own weight, the branches are getting so thick - think it is time to start again and propagate it. Still collecting hints on how to do that. Not sure of WHEN to do it, i understand the size and layering ideas, just not the WHEN.

My next door neighbour has just planted a white variety too, which i look forward to seeing flower.

I don't know any traditional ways of dahlia growing, this is the only dahlia i have ever grown (doesn't require staking).

someone with a wonderful camera and great photographi skill, took this amazing shot of the symetry of the tree dahlia's foliage, here's the url - really worth a look - http://ajft.org/2005/05/07/w_214_1474.html found it by accident just googling

6 Mar '06 3:14 am

Isn't it lovely this Dahlia of yours? Her adorable pink single flowers make her look like Lavatera's or Malva's little (huge) cousin! I love your photos, and I love the..."low quality camera " that took them!!

Well, with so many Dahlia lovers right here I'm going to addopt some...finally. Because, yes, I have not any of these adorable creatures in our garden. I have a ..."past experience Dahlia syndrome", with a kind, old neighbour, who adored these plants!..He would plant many of them each Spring and would collect them copiously to hibernate safely every Winter...He had only Roses, Hydrangeas (Hortansias), and Dahlias in his big garden..But I just don't love this...deplacement of garden plants; even my tulips hibernate constantly outside and come back every Spring so happy and healthy. So, I was always saying "no" to these beauties..

Having read recently this article about Dahlias staying out during Winter, I want to give a try. They just need a little winter protection and VERY good draining conditions. Together with some other plants being protected in the garden during Winter (Coreopsis, Penstemon, Agapanthus), why not some Dahlias!! They are SO magestic!

Cheers!

9 Mar '06 7:51 pm

This is at my former home.The distant mountain is 'Te Aroha' (mountain of Love) A happy mixture of flowers--dahlias blooming amongst salvias,mignonette,phlox,daises. Dahlias can be left in the ground during winter,as long as they don`t become waterlogged .I cover them loosely with artemesia branches,and untreated sawdust .They need to be lifted and divided every couple of years. Serious growers lift them in early winter and after cleaning them, label, and store in sawdust.
Dixie.

9 Mar '06 10:07 pm

Just adorable, Dixie!

9 Mar '06 11:12 pm

lovely photo Dixie - don't laugh, i am very UNfamiliar with dahlias, are the dahlias in your photo, the PINK flowers in the middle? Question

what a feast of romantic colours - gorgeous

10 Mar '06 5:27 am

No one on this website would ever laugh at you, Bilby.
The pink dahlias in the middle are cactus dahlias-spiky petals.
My favourite type are the miniature decorative, which have rounded petals in a formal arrangement.Another gorgeous type are the waterlily,which have incurving petals, as the name suggests.Dahlias come in many shades-subtle and bright.
Dixie

10 Mar '06 5:40 am

This dahlia in the centre is a decorative variety... a lovely apricot colour .each bloom is about the size of a cup. Each stem has three flower buds.To get the best display,you pinch off the two outside buds when only tiny.
The archway is covered with clematis in spring.
The picture is of my former garden.
Dixie.

10 Mar '06 2:38 pm

thanks Dixie

1. for not laughing at my (to everyone else) probably very obvious question and
2. for your two beautiful photos

i think i can safely say i could i.d a dahlia now, thanks to your photo tute!

thanks again Very Happy

Dahlia days

Bilby!

Hi, again!

Dahlias in a cottage garden

Lovely Border!

ummm, not sure

Dahlia garden

decorative dahlias