by Janette Peel

Created on: April 17, 2009

Petal-packed decorative Dahlias come in all sizes to suit the largest or the smallest garden.

Exuberant blooming, decorative Dahlias have fully double flowers in every color but blue, including bicolors. The bold flowerheads appear atop slender stems with small, oval leaves.

For dramatically large flowers, select Dinnerplate Dahlias, such as the pure white Avalanche' with 28cm wide flowers. The lovely Mrs. A. Woods' is almost as large, but blooms in soft pink.

Medium-sized bloomers, with a 12-18 cm spread, are easier to work into most gardens. Colors range from the white Trevallyn Queen' to the orange of Coat of Arms', and every color in between.

Small-flowered Dahlias make up for their modest sized with prolific flower production. Try deep purple Nijinsky' or gold and white Sugarcane', which both carry 8-10cm flowers on 60cm-1 meter plants.

The 3-5cm blooms of Miniature Dahlias work well for the front of the border. Violet-pink Claudette' grows 40cm tall while yellow-orange David Howard' reaches 60cm.

Dahlias add color to beds and borders over a long season. Whether used as a tall backdrop or a dainty edging, no summer garden should be without them.

Tall Decorative Dahlias make a beautiful bloom-filled screen for a vegetable garden or a fading spring bulb bed. Smaller varieties add summer-loving blooms in front of evergreen or spring-flowering shrubs, where thy make distinctive substitutes for predictable annuals.

An island exclusively comprised of Dahlias or various heights and colors holds plenty of visual interest. Plant the tallest varieties in the center with shorter ones towards the sides and the front.

Smaller Dahlias are good container plants, easy to pot in spring and dig up and store in autumn, and are an excellent way to add a dash of color to the edge of a paved area.

Decorative Dahlias come in such a range of colors and sizes, and bloom for such a long season, that the possibilities for pairing them are almost infinite.

A medium-sized, yellow Dahlia, such as Lady Linda', serves as a focal point for a circular bed surrounded by blue Salvias and Jewel' Nasturtiums.

A serene retreat from summer's heat could feature both the tall, pristine white Alabaster' and smaller White Fawn' Dahlias, perennial blue Asters and Russian Sage.

Emphasize a summer-blooming Rose-of Sharon with complementary ruby red Rote Funken'. The 1 meter Dahlia with hold its own without obscuring or overpowering the shrub.

To plant your Dahlias you will need:

Dahlia tubers

Spade

Compost

Blood and

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