There will be no newsletter this week

This week, I want to refrain from writing a newsletter to do something else: I would like to introduce you to a few of our new Dahlia varieties. I think these Dahlia descriptions are just as much fun to read, and I can imagine you’ll probably be getting bored with all the flower bulb talk every once in a while, so I should at least try to change it up every now and then.

Paso Doble

The name of this Dahlia originates from Spain. It is named after a passionate and energetic dance in which the man is the Toreador, and the woman embodies the red fabric the Toreador uses to draw attention. It is an amazing dance to see, there is so much elegance and sensation, but whatever humans may do, they’ll never be as showstopping as this Dahlia. I can already imagine Paso Doble in the garden, where it will bring you all that passion and happiness, so you can have your own Spanish party in your garden.

Night Butterfly

I am sure that there is no gardener in the world who wouldn’t want to have this Dahlia in their garden. Night Butterfly has the exceptional talent of catching anyone’s attention: you see her, and you just want to have a few of them for yourself. A truly delightful Dahlia that you shouldn’t overthink: just go for it!

Lou Farman

Every year, I see dozens of flower bulbs that I have never seen before: if I count all the new varieties and seedlings I encounter, I would end up having met hundreds of new varieties every single year. They pass me by and I try to judge them as well as I can in a short timeframe, and the ones that stand out are the ones that I will find myself thinking about later. Lou Farman was one of those for me: this Dahlia was burned into my memory right away, I can remember the day I saw this flower for the first time very clearly. The weather was nice and I was going through my Dahlias barefoot, as I like to do in summer, and the grower I met made a comment about that. But about Lou Farman: she caught my attention with beautiful colours, large flowers, and thin stems. The dark colour of the stems really complements the lilac flowers, and she looks good outside in the garden as well as inside in a vase. The picture if elegance, if you ask me!

Blue Bayou

I have to confess that sometimes I am not always a fan of the names growers give to their flowers. Growers and hybridizers have a tendency to come up with names like Starfighter, Strong King, Cannonball, Killerbody, Crossfire… names that indicate that there was absolutely no femininity or any kind of elegance or subtlety involved in the naming process. I always find that a bit awkward, and I feel like most growers would probably do well in consulting their wives and daughters every once in a while. Do they really think that a nice elderly lady is waiting to see a flower named Killerbody in her terracotta pots this spring?
This rant might make you think that I don’t like Blue Bayou for this lavender pink Dahlia, but this is far from true: I think this is one of the good ones. It has that dreaminess, it sounds romantic, it makes you think of a beautiful place, and with a bit of imagination, there actually is a bit of blue to be found in its petals. Blue Bayou is a great addition to any garden.


Bonesta

Bonesta is, at first sight, a Dahlia who does what she has to do: create an ocean of flowers with beautiful shapes and interesting colours, all with straight stems that make it easy to pick a few to put in a vase. A Dahlia as the Dahlia was intended: fresh, shiny, and pretty. But there’s always a surprise to be found somewhere, and the cheeky side of this Dahlia is that no flower is exactly the same as another. They are all unique, which makes her even more beautiful upon close inspection than when you’re looking at it from a distance. A happy flower fit for any garden!

Ferncliff Illusion

I often think this about flower bulbs, but Dahlias are the most extreme case: it is weird that such an ugly tuber can give you such a beautiful flower. Ferncliff Illusion is the queen of this deception: her tubers are not exactly uglier than those of other Dahlias, as none of them are pretty, but the flowers these tubers produce… it is incredible. You should plant Ferncliff Illusion at the back of the garden, in a spot where she gets lots of sun, and you’ll be able to enjoy her flowers all summer long.

Josie

This Dahlia is one of my favourite types of Dahlias: uncomplicated, no-nonsense flowers that look good in any garden. They are the kind of flowers that you get when you ask a small child to draw a flower, and sometimes, that is exactly what you need. Dahlia-connoisseurs would call this shape an anemone-Dahlia, and I personally really like those. I know orange is not the most fashionable colour at the moment, but I would really like for you to not let that get to you, as this Dahlia is truly a delightful addition to any garden. This Dahlia will still be stealing the show in September and October, when the rest of your garden is already starting to dwindle down a bit, so you’ll be able to enjoy flowers even longer than you usually would if you have Josie in your garden. I’m sure that when it is October, you’ll be glad that you didn’t let the latest trends lead you when you were buying your flowers, especially when you still have fresh flowers from your own garden to put inside your home!

So, I hope I have been able to introduce you to some future friends. It’s time for me to go back to the warehouse now, where we are busy shipping Lilies. You can read more about the Dahlias in our website!

See you next week,

Carlos van der Veek