The Garden of Dahlia

During the flowering period, dahlias transform the summer garden into a colorful fairy tale, filled with bright scenes and sunlight. The variety of these flowers is such that they satisfy the refined tastes of even the most demanding gardeners. Despite the wide palette of colors and extravagance of flowers, there are still some difficulties in the skillful use of dahlias in garden design.

Various forms of dahlias

Dahlias, depending on the type, have different heights. Their bushes reach from 20 to 160 cm. They can be grown as potted and tub crops or planted in open ground.

Depending on the size of the bush and the shape and color of the inflorescences, dahlias are divided into a number of types, grouped according to the international classification into groups, the designation of which mainly indicates the shape of the flowers. Thus, among the most famous, there are peony-like, anemone-like, and orchid-like decorative groups. There are also cactus-shaped and semi-cactus-shaped, lace, spherical, pompom, dahlias in the shape of antlers and water lilies.

Decoration with dahlias

Dahlias are perennial flowers that do not overwinter in open ground. Based on flower size, they are divided into large-flowered, medium-sized, and small-flowered perennials. With the help of dahlias, you can decorate your garden in any color scheme because there are 15 colors and shades of this plant, including white, pink, dark pink, orange, yellow, red, lavender, and purple, as well as two-color varieties. This is where the problem lies – you need to have a subtle sense in order to choose the right varieties from such a huge variety to decorate this or that corner of the garden. Attempts to create the simplest version of a flower garden, which is also the easiest to care for – a flower garden of only dahlias, very often end in a fiasco: often, in such a flower garden, everything is mixed – colors and shapes. To prevent this from happening, let’s look at a few suggestions on how to skillfully use dahlias in garden design so that they unobtrusively fit into the flower garden and do not suppress other flowers with their presence.

Combinations with dahlias

When planning a flower garden for dahlias, you need to choose companions that have the same requirements for lighting and soil. However, the more difficult task is to concentrate on a specific color scheme due to the wide variety of flower colors. There is a danger of planting all sorts of things with chaotic diversity, which not only hurts the eye but also destroys the unity of the composition. The same colors can evoke different sensations. So, for example, additional colors such as yellow and purple add some tension to the composition and, at the same time, attract the eye. A harmonious contrast is formed by orange dahlias in combination with filigree purple verbenas and purple larkspur.

To soften the richness of colors, refresh dark places, and mute bright places, use white flowers. And related colors, such as pink and purple, create a harmonious picture. A composition of purple dahlias and soft pink lobelia looks impressive.

Sunflowers are good companions for dahlias, not only because of the intense color of the inflorescences but also because of their size. Sunflowers protect the thin stems of dahlias from wind damage. It is not necessary to plant only annual sunflowers. Even though perennial Helianthus is not so tall, they are also good protection from the winds for our dahlias.