How to grow dahlias: British flowers are all the rage as the carbon footprint becomes a growing concern
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Every garden should have at least one to banish thoughts of summer’s end. But which?
Afficionados and the simply curious should head to Wolves Lane Flower Company in Wood Green for Dahlia Mania on August 18.
Dozens of the most beautiful varieties will be in full glory in a 40-metre glasshouse.
The open day is part of the Flower Farmers Big Weekend, over August 16-18, where growers across the country are opening their gates to the public — see flowersfromthefarm.co.uk for a grower near you.
British-grown cut flowers are enjoying a revival, now representing 14 per cent of UK cut flower sales, says the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.
The increase is attributed to a boom in artisan flower farming with the Flowers from the Farm network championing an exciting new band of mostly female growers showcasing a wilder style.
The emphasis is on seasonal native-grown flowers rather than imported blooms, promising zero air miles, fresher flowers and a natural beauty rather than hothouse uniformity.
Wolves Lane duo Camila Klich and Marianne Mogendorff are leading lights in the new floral wave.
They met at Cambridge University and both left advertising and fashion producing jobs to pursue their “life of soil, not a life of toil”, as they put it.
“Real garden geeks” but with no formal horticultural training, they learned all they know through trial and error, but were determined from the start to eschew chemicals and to grow sustainably.
“We wanted to work with flowers but couldn’t stomach the carbon footprint,” says Camila. “We try not to come across as the flower police, but our generation is more involved with the environment.”
Dahlias are a particular love, long rescued from the fashion purdah of previous decades and now appearing on an Instagram feed near you. “They are all so easy to grow,” says Camila.
Now is a good time to order tubers. When they arrive they look like bulbs. Wait until spring and pot them up on a kitchen windowsill where they will get sunlight, then grow them on until planting them outside after the frosts. But watch for a couple of things as they grow.
“People never water dahlias enough. And don’t forget to stake them or they will break. We use tree stakes or bamboo canes and twine.”
Hottest dahlias right now? “We particularly love the dark Arabian Night. Nothing really beats it. We also love Palmares, Jowey Winnie and Apricot Desire.”
Fans of dark dahlias will also adore Darkarin, Rip City or Jowey Mirella, says Camila. If you love orange go for Totally Tangerine or Apricot Desire, or stretch to yellow with Platinum Blonde.
Best soft pinks include Sweet Nathalie, Crème de Cognac and Crème de Cassis. People are still “obsessed” with the luscious peach and caramel Café au Lait, she adds.
And for pots and window boxes? Dahlias are perfect in pots but you do have to water regularly and remember that the tubers will multiply, so divide them up every few years and pot them on.
Try the little white pompom Snowflake, or Toto, a very sweet, star-shaped dahlia with a yellow centre, in your pots. Go for dwarf varieties in your window boxes.
Dahlia Mania is on Sunday, August 18 at Wolves Lane Flower Company, N22, 12-2pm. Free entry.
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