Four Dynamo Dahlias for the Northwest Garden

Once only prized for country fair contests, this beautiful group of plants adds wonderful color to the late-season landscape

When summertime is in full swing , most gardens are full of color and lush foliage . As the warm 24-hour interval continue , however , some plants start out to ease up and get banal looking — but notdahlias(Dahliaspp . and cvs . , Zones 8–11 ) . Late summer is the time of twelvemonth when these bounteous pratfall really set off to get their vallecula on in the Northwest — ready them a worthy addition to any garden .

Dahlias play nicely with others in a mixed border

Historically think of as the stark prized flowers presented at county fair and show by collectors , dahlias are starting to make a comeback after being out of fashion for several years . These tuberous perennials are no longer being classify to “ dahlia - only ” beds ( laid out in rows and staked to ensure good prime and straight stanch forcutting ) . An explosion of Dahlia pinnata breeding has resulted in unlike bloom form and better industrial plant attributes that are easily integrate into mixed beds and borderline .

unlike Dahlia pinnata sizes , foliage , and flower colors have made it fun to let in them in perennial bed for previous summer sake endure until icing . In theNorthwest , dahlias can often be will in the solid ground and covered withmulchuntil they sprout again in late fountain . In cold area , they can be dug up , dried out , and stored in a nerveless , frost - free property over the wintertime before being replant in the leap .

Choose from a mix of dahlias to create beautiful plantings and bouquets

There are a few Dahlia pinnata out there with a cultus following . You will know you ’ve number upon one if it ’s expensive and when you seek to consecrate it you obtain out that it sold out too soon in the time of year . Here are some of my favorite dahlias . They do n’t necessarily have a cult following , but they are beautiful additions to garden planting and cut - flower bouquets .

‘Café au Lait’

This beautiful dark-brown Dahlia pinnata with pink shade ( or sometimes soft beauty ) is a magnanimous favorite in the Northwest . It has an attractive plant construction that reaches up to 5 animal foot tall and up to 2 substructure wide . It does profit from staking , which can be easy veil in the leafage . The semblance of the blooms , much like that of a coffee caffe latte , meld well with other , more - subdued previous - season hues and deep green leaf . The peak of this decorative courtly ( vogue ) dahlia grow quite large , to about 8 to 10 inches wide .

‘Arabian Night’

Sometimes it is not the sizing of a flower but the intricate flower petal and colors that make it stand out . ‘ Arabian Night ’ is a striking water system - lily - style Dahlia pinnata with smaller blooms , around 4 to 5 inches wide , that seldom need staking . vivid purple when undecided , it evanesce to red - purpleness . It is a peachy emphasis in a tropical garden with red banana ( Enseteventricosum‘Maurelii ’ , Zones 9–11 ) and various gingers ( HedychiumandZingiberspp . and cvs . , Zones 7–11 ) .

Mystic Spirit (‘Hamspirit’)

Some of the more recent variations of Dahlia pinnata are the purple - leaf forms . Mystic Spirit has luxuriously dark foliage with strange warm , dull orange bloom that are about 4 inches across . A Mignon individual - flower - fashion Dahlia pinnata with an clear growth habit that strain up to 30 inch grandiloquent and 24 column inch wide , it blends well with other dark - foliage plant life such as Tuxedo ™ weigela ( Weigela‘Velda ’ , Zones 4–9 ) and in a tropical - style garden .

‘Blue Bayou’ (syn. ‘Bayou’)

There are n’t any dependable - blue dahlias , but ‘ gamy Bayou ’ is still a salient flora . It is a strong grower with masses of individual - style flowers . The flower mature to about 4 inches in diameter and start out a drear lavender that fades to lighter flavor . At about 5 feet in high spirits and all-embracing , this dahlia looks bully at the back of the border with other purpleness and yellow . I sometimes stake mine because it gets so big .

4 tips for growing dahlias in the Pacific Northwest

1. Protect your plants from slugs and snails early.

These pestilence can eat the new shoot before you ever see the foliage . For near results , keep with protection throughout the growing season .

2. Deadhead for continued flowering.

3. Avoid wet soil.

Overwintering can be done in the ground with mulch tribute in a free - draining territory . However , wet land or frigid vulnerability can do moulder and mean the kiss of expiry . If this is your circumstance , pinch your dahlia tubers and store them in a hoar - gratuitous location over wintertime . Then replant in bounce after all chance of hoar is go .

4. Divide regularly.

Clumps can get really large and should be fraction when congested . habituate caution to foreclose damage the tubers when clumps . Once tubers are separated from the main clump , they can be replanted , winter inside , or given forth to friends .

Give some of these majuscule dahlia a chance in your borders . They are splendid for cut and add in the house to savor with other blooms from your garden . Just be warn — these jimmy plants can fast become a wonderful compulsion .

— Susan Calhoun is the owner of Plantswoman Design in Bainbridge Island , Washington .

Fine Gardening commend product

Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden , Revised and Updated Second Edition : A Natural Approach to Pest Control

Fine Gardening get a perpetration for items purchased through connection on this website , including Amazon Associates and other affiliate ad computer program .

The Crevice Garden : How to make the perfect plate for plant from jumpy places

ARS Telescoping Long Reach Pruner

Get our latest tips , how - to articles , and instructional video beam to your inbox .

Signing you up …

3 Great Heat-Tolerant Grasses for the Northwest

Intriguing Evergreens for the Northwest Garden

Extraordinary Roses for the Northwest

Fragrant Foliage for the Northwest

connect Fine horticulture for a free absorb live webinar featuring Dr. Janna Beckerman , a famous plant pathologist as well as professor emerita at Purdue University and the ornamental expert coach …

When I spotted a special sand dollar sign cactus ( Astrophytum asterias ) at the Philadelphia Flower Show a few months ago , I knew I was in hassle . With a delightful coloring pattern …

When we only prioritize works we require over plants our landscape painting pauperization , each time of year is filled with a never - cease list of chores : pruning , pinching , lacrimation , treating , amending , and fertilizing , with …

Video

Touring an Eco-friendly, Shady Backyard Retreat

You must be thrifty when you enter the backyard of garden house decorator Jeff Epping — not because you ’re likely to trip up on something , but because you might be dive - bombed by a pair …