Amazing dahlias

Dahlias are Mexican beauties that offer variety, drama and long-lasting displays right up until the first frosts, says Anne Swithinbank, as she reveals her top choices

- Anne Swithinbank

WHAT I love most about dahlias is the changing hues of their flowers. Petals unfurl with clear, glowing colours but change with maturity and exposure to sunshine. The blooms of ‘Lakeland Autumn’ are brightpink on opening but mature to pale straw. Others, such as ‘Blue Wish’, begin with clear markings and end suffused with colour. With the contrasting discs of single flowers, the darker centres of doubles, glowing background shades and strong green, bronze or near-black foliage, dahlias create fabulous colour contrasts all on their own.

Brilliant late show

Anyone who grows dahlias will know they start flowering in July but are at their best during late summer and autumn, delivering masses of bloom right up until the first frosts. Originally from the uplands of Mexico and the narrow strip of countries where North and South America connect, these equatorial plants enjoy plenty of sun, cool weather and hit peak performance when the hours of night and day are similar. Plant dahlias and you will have a brilliant late show in the garden and masses of blooms for cutting.

Breeders have been hard at work and registered cultivars number in the tens of thousands. Catalogues glow with old favourites plus the best of the new, and whether subtle or scary, for wildlife or vase, allotment or window box, there is a dahlia to fit the bill.

‘Dinner-plate’ dahlias