The hot subject for discussion this Autumn seems to be the renaissance of Dahlias. For me they have never been far from my garden but I understand how fashions come and go then return.

Quick Dahlia Cultivation Tips

• Disbudding two out of three buds per stem with produce longer, stronger and more weather resistant stems.
• Support all but the very low growing Dahlias with a stake or triangle of canes.
• Keep feeding with high potash feeder until September.
• Remove dead and dying flowers regularly.
• Earwigs may be a problem for flowers destined for the house but otherwise they are good predators and should be tolerated.
• Buy new tubers from a Dahlia nursery. A plastic bagged retail plant often disappoints and I have never known one flower better than the picture on the packaging.

Single and Collerette Dahlia Varieties

• Single Dahlias bred from the dark leaved varieties like Bishop of series are popular this year.
• The garden writer Rachel de Thame has had a pink variety name after her.
• After Eight is the name of an AGM winner with  white flowers on very dark leaves.
• Collerettes are flowers of two petal layers rather than one single – see pictures
• One collerette that caught my eye was ‘Twyning’s Revel’ a 4-5′ high plant with salmon flowers, orange centre and dark fern foliage

Note
Dark leaved Bishop’s children Dahlias are looking very good as Autumn comes to an end. Children will be surprised the leaves are not green and the flowers remain so colourful read more
See a mosaic of Pink Dahlias with top ten pointers