One of the most surprising aspects of dahlias is the change of tones of its flowers. The petals open with clear, bright colors, but change with maturity and exposure to the sun. With their contrasting discs, darker centers, bright background tones, and green, bronze, or nearly black foliage, dahlias create fabulous color contrasts all on their own.
Well grown plants reach 1.8 m and the flowers are capable of reaching 25 cm in diameter. To encourage pollinating insects, flowers simple are the best choices and are also the most likely to have dark, beautiful foliage.
Check out some types:
1. Bishop of Canterbury
Known as the peony-flowered dahlia, this variety was bred in the Netherlands and produces single flowers that are 5 to 8 cm wide. They are available in bright magenta and plum colors, with an open center of yellow anthers attracting plenty of pollinators.
2. Blue wish
While lilac and mauve seem like the least popular shades for dahlias, this type is a winner. The creamy white petals have lilac spots. Plant near sage ‘amistad’ and nicotiana ‘lime green’ for a stunning garden color scheme.
3. Burlesque
Here, curved and spirally arranged petals create intricate constructions. The burlesca’s coral-pink flowers are held on sturdy stems and are known for their good pot life and excellent weather tolerance.
4. Café Au Lait
Ideal for country house garden ideas, the petals of this variety are café au lait in color, with a yellow sheen at the base. But they age to ivory with rose spots. This popular decorative type is capable of developing flowers up to 20 cm in diameter.
5. Caribbean fantasy
Caribbean fantasy is a showy and elegant decorative seedling whose generous 15 cm wide flowers are pale coral with yellow in the center, fading to white and streaked with red.
6. Floorinoor
Anemone-style dahlias are a composition of petals arranged around a center of dense, textured upward facing florets. Here, four-inch-wide blooms show colors of lilac pink and cream petals surrounding a tangerine and red center.
7. Happy single princess
From the Happy Single series created for container gardening, the single flowers measure 2 inches in diameter. They open pale pink and are held aloft on dark stems against deeper purple, almost black foliage.
This is a brilliant plant for pollinators, thanks to the small golden disc florets in the center.
8. Honka
Known as orchid dahlias, Honka varieties produce sculptural flowers whose long, narrow petals that fold inward offer a unique look. Lightly scented, they measure 10 cm in diameter.
9. Fuchsian Karma
The Karma strain was bred for cutting, but its long, strong dark stems also ensure a bold presence at the edges of a garden, elevating decorative flowers, particularly the water lily type.
10. Lindsay Michel
Resembling an exotic sea urchin, this fimbriata type forms an orb of yellow petals tipped with pink and beautifully divided. In addition, they can reach 20 cm in width.
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11. Pooh – Swan Island
Collerette seedlings display an outer ring of petals surrounding an inner ring of short, outward-facing florets, which in turn encircle a central disk attractive to pollinating insects.
12. Preference
Young and newly opened, this cactus dahlia’s 5-inch-wide peach blossoms glow with color. The narrow, feather-like petals also age gracefully, fading to a soft creamy orange with yellow in the center.
Performing well, the flowers are plentiful over a long season and held on sturdy stems, making them very good for pots too.
13. Rip City
Full of drama, this semi-cactus has 10 to 13 cm wide flowers composed of pointed petals with a dark hue in the center but a rich, bright red at the tips.
14. Senior’s Hope
This stunning decorative branch displays elegant flowers full of bright and subtle tones. Wrapped in dark pink petals, find shades of burgundy red, deeper purple and dark brown in the backdrop.
15. Snowflake
Pompom dahlias are fun to grow for their tight balls of fabulously sculpted petals. On pale green stems, these white flowers are excellent for pots, but choose young as they tend to brown with age.
16. Waltzing Matilda
The peach and coral seedlings are peculiarly asymmetrical and contrast beautifully with their own crimson black and dark foliage. To take advantage of the effect, plant in borders, gardens or containers.
17. Black Narcissus
Black Narcissus is a cactus species full of pointed-looking petals that create instant drama in a planting scheme – ideal for modern gardens. They bloom from mid-summer to early fall and are a good choice for slightly smaller spaces.
18. Crème de Cassis
Crème de Cassis offers water lily-like flowers with two-tone petals – pale pink at the top and deep plum at the bottom.
19. Small World
Small world’s demure and prolific flowers offer an elegant, creamy white hue to the garden. These flower heads may be smaller than many other types of dahlias, but they are certainly exquisitely formed.
20. Alfred Grille
Alfred Grille’s beautiful pink flowers sprout from a striking yellow center, making them a true vision of delight. In the right conditions, these plants are strong and prolific growers, and in many cases will offer seedlings well into mid-autumn.
21. David Howard
This variety is an excellent example of why dahlias are worth growing. The orange blossoms are nothing short of spectacular and make a striking contrast to the foliage. Being compact in size means it will work well in containers or even in front of borders.
22. Chocolate
The long-lasting flowers have a shelf life of up to 12 days. In a deep plum red, they make a romantic and dramatic addition to any garden.
23. Ottos’ Thrill
This is a beautiful dahlia with giant, decorative flowers. The elaborate pink flowers measure up to 10 inches in diameter, so it’s definitely a great choice if you want your borders to make a statement. The beautiful petals also have a slight wave, evoking a romantic feel.
*Via GardeningEtc