Every year I find myself with a new roster of favorite dahlias. Regardless of whether or not I’ve managed to dig and store my tubers successfully, or lost them thanks all to a big freeze and a drafty barn, there are always a few which stand out above the rest. So without further ado, I give you my favorites.
Favorite dahlias in my garden this year:
BAARN BOUNTY: The Baarn Bounty Dahlia was a perfect salmony pink with a unique shape. It had both purple and orange hues, even yellow at time in the centers, and was super versatile in bouquets. It produces nice long stems with individual blooms, which make cutting a breeze.
BONAVENTURE: Bonaventure wasn’t a major performer for me this season, I got my tubers started a little late and I don’t think she loved the spot she was in, but the few blooms I did get were glorious. Big, blousy and such a unique blend of colors. I would definitely order this beauty again and give her a prime spot with lots of sun.
OH HONEY!: Oh Honey! was not a dahlia I probably would have gravitated to just by looking through the catalog, I think she was recommended to my by a flower-loving friend. And am I ever glad she was because this was hands down, my favorite surprise of the season. Rookie of the year goes to Oh Honey! With the perfect soft peachy-pink and creamy yellow, she went with everything.
TOUCHE’: Touche and Baarn Bounty could be flower cousins. And honestly, you probably don’t need both of them in your garden. They have very similar petal shapes and coloration, though one- Touche I believe- does lean a little more purple and one a little more orange. I’d probably pick Touche over Baarn Bounty for that reason, but you really can’t go wrong with either!
Favorite white dahlias of 2023:
BRIDE TO BE: Bride to Be added some nice variety to my dahlia collection, even though I already had an all white variety called Bridezilla left over from last year (one survived at least!). Bride to be has a slightly softer petal shape and lighter yellow center. It also has a softer, more rounded shape overall. I found it to be really lovely in bouquets with my Oklahoma Ivory Zinnias and some sage for greenery.
MT. HOOD: Mt. Hood is the best pure white dahlia, in my humble opinion, and not just because it’s named after the mountain I can see so clearly from my own windows. It’s soft, has a lot of depth in person and goes well with just about anything, but I especially love it with other purple hued blooms. I don’t have a photo of it, white flowers can be hard to photograph well due to lack of contrast, but this dahlia will always be a constant in my garden.
Runner-up dahlias for 2023:
CAFE AU LAIT: Cafe Au Lait, much beloved and revered in the online flower community, was not a cheap tuber. You can imagine I was greatly relieved to find that it was one of the few survivors of my dahlia debacle. The first year she bloomed she was massive. Blooms so large they could hardly stay on the stems without weighing down the whole plant. But this year, for whatever reason, she produced normal sized dahlias- maybe 4 inches across- and they were magnificent. I’m not sure what happened, but I’m certainly not mad about it!
GERRIE HOEK: Another survivor of the Great Dahlia Freeze of 2022, I actually won Gerrie Hoek in an Instagram contest and she has proven to be quite the beauty. Going perfectly with zinnias, catmint and other summer bloomers, she was the main feature of many gifted bouquets this summer. An avid producer, I would buy this dahlia over and over and over.
As for what I’m planting next year…well, that’s another post now isn’t it? Hope this helps you as you navigate the stacks of seed magazines showing up the mail this time of year. Happy dahlia tuber shopping!
This post is not sponsored by Swan Island Dahlias, but I linked to them over and over because they are a small, local business as well as the fact that I have had the greatest success by far buying dahlias that were grown in a similar environment. Swan Island, if you want to be a sponsor, you just drop me a line!
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Gardening is the best hobby there is – Potager Online
February 15, 2024 at 5:18 am
[…] the things we learn back and forth! She introduced me to spring bulbs and I bought her her first dahlia tuber! It’s something we enjoy sharing so much and I’m very thankful for […]