Classed as ‘Decorative Dahlias’, these tender perennials feature broad, flat-tipped petals with an occasional wavy texture. The flowers themselves are normally large, with petals that are either formally and evenly placed around the stem, or informally, where the petals sometimes bear a slight roll at the tips.

• Flowers: June - October
• Hardy

• Fertile, moist, well-drained soil
• South, East or West aspect
• Full sun or partial sunlight
• Sheltered
• For early flowering, tubers may be started off in individual pots under glass from March
• Once the last of the frosts have passed in mid to late May your dahlias can be transferred into the garden. Plant 45cm apart with the dahlia facing upwards with the tip of the tuber peering out of the soil, then water generously. For more information on how to plant your tubers, why not take a look at our guide.

Feed weekly, and water well in hot weather. The tall flower stems will require staking and tying in, but this is well worth the trouble for the magnificent display that they produce. Larger flowers can be obtained by pinching out the side buds and just keeping the terminal buds. Deadhead spent flowers to encourage more buds. Lift the tubers once the foliage has died back and store in a frost-free location in moist sand or compost. Find out more about over-wintering your dahlias with our helpful guide .