Dahlias, dahlin’
French gardeners often plant dahlias in their herb gardens to brighten the landscape. I suspect that bringing flowers to a dinner prepared from the garden is a big motivation as well. What a joyful dining experience! Fresh food you've grown to please your stomach, and beautiful flowers to soothe your eyes.
I've grown a number of dahlias over the years. Our climate has winter, so around early October I cut back the foliage, dig up the tubers and nestle them in a box of cedar shavings for winter rest in my basement. In the spring, I re-plant once the danger of frost is gone. When they bloom, its like welcoming old friends back to my yard.
Dahlias come in many sizes and colors. I love them all - one has a face like bright sunshine, another is a big
purple shere. Of course, they have their own society, the American Dahlia Society, complete with their own Website chock full of information.
Other than staking...
