
Dahlias are quite simply the hottest bloom on the block. Available in all sizes and colours, these stunning Instagram-ready flowers have made a massive comeback. They have shed their image as slightly fuddy-duddy allotment showpieces and skyrocketed to the height of floral fashion. Dahlias are now glamorous must-haves in borders, containers, bouquets, and interiors.
Ranging from tight, geometric pompom varieties, to dinner plate-sized blousy types in every shade of the colour chart, dahlias make an ideal cut flower with a long vase life, especially the pompom and ball types.
But the unstoppable popularity of dahlias is not just about their showy good looks – it’s about sustainability too. Dahlias were never popular with traditional florists because they don’t travel well. The flowers have to be picked when they are open, so this makes dahlias ideal for the locally-grown cut flower market.
Dahlias fulfil the need for brilliant blooms that haven’t been flown in from the other side of the world and the ever-increasing demand for sustainable flowers has fuelled the growth of a whole new flower farming industry of dahlia specialists. So, if you can’t get enough dahlias from growing in your own garden, you can pick your own or buy from a local flower farmer.
When to plant dahlias
Dahlias originate from Mexico and love long hot summers, but fare very well in the British climate and are relatively easy to grow if you follow a few rules. Plant in spring and they are guaranteed to flower in their first season – and they will keep producing flowers from midsummer right until the first frosts at the end of October. And key to their success, the more flowers you cut, the more you’ll get.
How to grow dahlias
Five steps to successful dahlia growing:
- Pot up tubers in temporary pots in the spring. Don’t plant too deeply and water sparingly to start with. Store in a frost-free or sheltered spot in the garden.
- Tubers will start to start to shoot as the weather warms up. Keep an eye out for snails and slugs who love the young shoots. You can take cuttings at this stage and get more plants for free.
- Plant out in their final position in May or after the last frost. Dahlias need a spot in full sun. Support taller varieties with a sturdy stick and tie them in gently.
- Cut the main stem back to a pair of leaves, to encourage more stems and more flowers. Feed regularly through the growing season, particularly if growing in containers.
- Dahlias are perennials, but hate the cold and wet, so, if you’ve got heavy clay soil, once the flowers have finished, lift the tubers and store in a dry, frost-free place over winter. If you have lighter soil, or a sheltered garden, you can get away with a thick mulch to protect the tubers. Or treat them as annuals and start all over again next year!
Dahlia colour trends
With over 6,000 cultivars to choose from, it’s hard to predict the breakthrough dahlias for 2024. The flamboyant, anemone style ‘Café au lait’, classic ‘Bishop of Llandaff’, curious pompoms, richly coloured decoratives, cactus style and more, have had their moment as social media stars. In the floristry world, the flower farmers have a good sense of which ones are attracting the most attention from pick-your-own visitors and brides-to-be.
Anna May from Dorset Dahlias, who grows for local florists and events, says ‘coral, peach, apricot and pink have been hugely popular’ in 2023 and will continue into this year. ‘The previous trend for pastel pink, blush and white has been overtaken by this move towards bright, bold and clashing colours,’ she adds.
Dotty about Dahlias‘ Jo Goody agrees. ‘I think there will be two main trends: natural brights and muted pastels. There’s always demand for orange and pink combinations and for “garden style” flowers in a loose, more relaxed style. There are so many dahlias to choose from in this colour combination and combined with grasses and fresh green foliage, look amazing.
‘For those who maybe don’t enjoy the brighter colours as much, I think muted pastels, particularly those which include a light lavender and mauve colours will be on trend. These muted colours combine well with blue/green foliage such as eucalyptus, which also look fabulous with white dahlias and offer a completely different look to the brights.’
Somerset Dahlias‘ Natalie Tudhope says ‘2024 dahlias will embrace colour trends that offer a mix of familiar shades with a contemporary edge’, blending nostalgia and transformation. For inspiration, look to Pantone’s spring 2024 colour trend report (with rich, earthy hues Sun Orange and Fiesta) and WGSN and Coloro’s 2024/25 colour trends, Apricot Crush and Intense Rust.
Top 10 dahlia picks for 2024
Choose your colour scheme for summer and pre-order your dahlia tubers now for delivery in March. Or order plug plants to grow on for later in the season.
Dahlia growing trends
Many of the new dahlia entrepreneurs have emerged out of the lockdowns of 2020/2021, turning a homegrown passion into a whole new career.
Andie McDowell set up Dahlia Beach after her wedding video business dried up during the pandemic. She started selling combinations of dahlias as ready-to-go packs, with the promise of a stunning flower bed in only a few months – fantastic for new gardeners. ‘Over the past three years, I’ve gone from a passionate hobby gardener to becoming the largest supplier of cut flower dahlias in the UK, all thanks to sharing the ups and downs of my story on Instagram,’ she says.
Dahlia Beach, like many other growers, runs a wholesale cut flower business, plus a pick-your-own field. This side of dahlia growing is becoming increasingly popular, particularly with brides who choose dahlias to match the colour theme of their wedding and have flowers grown and picked to order.
The other emerging dahlia trend is edible dahlia petals and dried dahlia flowers. Philippa Stewart at Just Dahlias in Cheshire, says: ‘Prior to the pandemic, I had experimented with drying dahlias. When the lockdown came and events were cancelled, I just dried my entire crop. It was a real pivot moment for my business, and I had my bestselling season ever.
‘As they dry, the colour intensifies. I dry flowers throughout my house – hang them straight from cutting, out of direct sunlight and in a well-ventilated area without even a whiff of damp and let the flowers dry out over three weeks.’
Find a dahlia flower farmer near you at Flowers from the Farm.
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