Fill borders for less with Dinnerplate Dahlias

Planning your summer borders in January is a constant battle between excitement and impulse, and careful planning. Yes, you might see all the summer-blooming tubers and bulbs coming out on the market around this time – and you might feel tempted to buy now and deal with the fallout later – but just hold your horses for one second, and don’t buy anything until you’ve read about these huge (and I mean HUGE – 12” in diameter, in fact) Dinnerplate Dahlias.

 

What are Dinnerplate Dahlias?

These extra large dahlias have enormous blossoms ranging from 10” to 12” across, making them the largest dahlias available. First introduced to the market by Belgium in the early 1800s, Dinnerplate Dahlias are just as fashionable now as they were back then.

Because Dinnerplate Dahlias are so big, they’ll fill your borders with vivid colour for less! Once you’ve got your tubers in place, you can fill around them with other plants such as crocosmia, calendula and rudbeckia, and you won’t need as many plants to make an impact.

Things you should know

Dinnerplate Dahlias must always be staked in the garden. These dahlias aren’t just heavy-blossomed; they’re also tall, with fragile stems that will bend and snap in the wind (but not in a fun, Legally Blonde kind of way). Stake your dahlias for a low cost using bamboo cane and twine. Push four bamboo canes into the ground around each flower, then wrap the twine around the stem and the canes to keep it upright as it grows.

Can Dinnerplate Dahlias be used as cut flowers?

Absolutely! Dinnerplate Dahlias look incredible in a vase – although they may outshine other flowers in the bouquet, so instead of including lots of other competing blooms, try using a few filler-style plants, such as Lady’s Mantle, ferns and ivy stems.

Why not try a minimalist one-flower vase instead?

 

The Dahlia Dinnerplate Collection

This collection goes on sale at QVC from 5th February 2023, and includes six stunning varieties of Dinnerplate Dahlia. 

What’s included?:

• Dahlia ‘Café au Lait’ – Exquisite blooms in soft apricot-pink colours which slowly fade to warm blush-cream. Height: 120cm (48″). Spread: 60cm (24″).
• Dahlia ‘Sun Explosion’ – Fiery Decorative dahlia with flaming yellow and red blooms. Height: 100cm (39″). Spread: 50cm (20″).
• Dahlia ‘Rip City’ – Very striking black-crimson decorative dahlia. Height: 100cm (39″). Spread: 50cm (20″).
• Dahlia ‘White Perfection’ – Dinnerplate dahlia with huge pristine white flowers. Height: 120cm (48″). Spread: 60cm (24″).
• Dahlia ‘Wanda’s Capella’ – Large buttery yellow blooms that measure up to 30cm (12″) diameter. Height: 120cm (48″). Spread: 60cm (24″).
• Dahlia ‘AC Dark Horse’ – A semi-cactus variety with curled bright pink petals each tipped in dazzling white. Height: 100cm (39″). Spread: 50cm (20″).

These half-hardy tubers should be planted out in April, after all chance of frost has passed. Plant them in a sunny patch with moist but well-draining soil, and make sure to first prep the soil with a good layer of compost. Then, plant the tubers 15cm deep and water well. 

Also included is a 100g pack of Thompson & Morgan’s Incredibloom, a complete plant fertiliser that will feed your dahlias the right nutrients as and when they need them. With a complete balance of NPK, all you need is one application to get the best out of your blooms.

 

 

QVC Garden Day – 5th Feb 2023 Prepare for Spring: The weather is starting to brighten up, which means it’s time to take on your spring garden! Whatever the task at hand, QVC has got you covered. Whether you’re tidying up or decorating, planting spring bulbs or pruning hedges, their superb range of gardening must-haves will help you plan for a beautiful season. Discover handy tools for your repair projects, compost for seeds and young plants, and more. Help out your feathered friends too with their range of wildlife essentials. It’s time to prepare for spring!

 

Are you planning to include Dinnerplate Dahlias in your summer borders? Let me know in the comments section below!