For Bolder Borders Choose Dahlias

Incredibly varied and versatile yet surprisingly easy, colourful dahlias are a must-have flower for the summer garden. If you’re unsure which to choose, Louise Curley unearths the best options for different situations.

- Louise Curley

ONCE seen as unfashionable, dahlias have staged a comeback in recent years and their newfound popularity shows no sign of waning. That’s largely because these incredibly varied plants offer something for every taste, whether bold and blowsy or classic and elegant. They’re versatile, too: plant in borders, grow compact cultivars in containers or treat them as a crop and harvest for beautiful cut flowers.

Dahlias also tick the value-for-money box. For around the price of a cup of coffee, a single dahlia tuber will produce blooms from the end of June right through to the first frosts.