The Cake - Spring 2022

HOME & GARDEN
IN THE
GARDEN
Dahlias
According to the
much-admired
plantsman
Christopher Lloyd:
“Some people are
rather repelled by dahlias but it
is the types that are chosen and
the way they are grown…that are
repulsive rather than the dahlia
itself”.
For many years, I just couldn’t
understand why people grew these
often gaudy flowers but, having
been persuaded in the past few
years, I would not be without
them.
According to the late owner
of Great Dixter in his invaluable
book, The Well-Tempered Garden,
Mr Lloyd wrote: “…there is such a
variety of flower form and colour
that there must surely be dahlias
to suit every taste”.
Indeed there are! They come in
every colour, except blue, can be
bold to the point of garishness, but
also petite and intriguing like the
orchid-flowered Honka varieties
with their single, eight florets
(mistakenly called petals) flowers.
There are ball and pompom
shaped blooms, dinner plate-sized
ones with more petals than you
can count and paeony-flowered
ones in eye popping colours. If
that wasn’t enough choice, there
are also anemone flowered types
and collarette dahlias…
It is surprising, when looking
at the bold and brassy varieties
that, in the language of flowers,
dahlias stand for “dignity” and
“my gratitude exceeds your care”,
an ideal choice when looking for
a present for someone. Oddly
enough, the flower also has other
meanings, including, “warning
“There must surely
be dahlias to suit
every taste…”
someone about a potential
betrayal” and “staying
graceful under pressure”.
Natives of Mexico, where
they were declared the
country’s national flower in
1963, the flowers’ relatives
include sunflowers, daisies,
chrysanthemums and
zinnias. Stem length ranges
from a mere 12ins to 8ft
so be prepared to allow
plenty of space, and some
staking for the more vigorous
ones. It is interesting to note that
the Aztecs used to grow the tubers
as a food crop but it never caught
on in Europe.
Deciding which dahlia to
grow has never been easy!
There are literally hundreds of
different varieties to choose
from. Café au Lait, a delicate
creamy peachy, ivory, is a stunner
with blooms growing to nine
inches in diameter. In the cactus
dinner plate range Hollyhill
Spiderwoman takes some beating
with its shaggy red and white
florets which scream “look at me”.
Other stunners are the decorative
dark red Arabian Night, the similar
Thomas A Edison and the red
and white dinner plate, Avignon.
The choice is mind-blowing and
it is easy to get carried away with
a catalogue or a visit to a plant
centre but once you have grown
dahlias you will be hooked!
HERE ARE A FEW TIPS TO
GROWING AND CUTTING
YOUR DAHLIAS:
1. March is the ideal time to buy tubers
which will flower until the first frosts.
Pick fat, healthy-looking tubers from a
reputable supplier.
2. Wait until all risk of frost has passed before
planting in full sun in rich soil.
4. Make sure your plants are well-watered.
Feed once a month and deadhead
regularly for continuous flowers.
5. When the leaves start to turn brown in the
autumn, dig up the tubers, carefully clean
off the soil and store in a box of dry sand
or sawdust in a frost-free place.
6. To keep your cut dahlias looking good,
put in a vase in a cool, shady spot. Add
flower food or substitute with a teaspoon
of sugar, two or three drops of bleach and
a dessert spoon of vinegar. Trim the stems
regularly.
Penny Royal
32 The Cake • Spring 2022