Shinning Bright in the Light

Today has been a mix bag of a little rain over night, clouds, sunshine and a light breeze. I spent most of the afternoon giving the garage and bit of a clean up.. well it needs a few more hours yet!

My only Dahlia was looking so good this afternoon in the light so thought it would make a beautiful blip. They are beautiful flowers and come in so many different colours, shapes and sizes... wish I had more room to grow more.

The Dahlia has been in Europe for over two hundred years. It came from Mexico to the Botanical Gardens in Madrid towards the end of the eighteenth century and was named by Abbe Cavanille in honour of Andreas Dahl, Swedish scientist come environmentalist.  


The first double flowered cultivars were called Show and Fancy types.  The Show were self-coloured, ball like flowers, while the Fancy ones were multi-coloured.  During the mid 1800's, these show and fancy flowers attained cult status with gardeners, and several thousand different cultivars were recorded. 


There is every colour and colour combination to choose from, except the elusive blue (which they are still seeking) which is covered by the wide range of violet and mauve cultivars. Sizes range from the smallest types, called Topmix or Lilliput Dahlias to the giants that have blooms over a foot in diameter carried on powerful stems.  Today's hybridisers are still seeking the true blue dahlia, as well as one with a scent, and one that is frost hardy.

For more information on the Dahlia