Dahlia Glory of Heemstede

The Dahlia 'Glory of Heemsteede' is classified as a decorative variety. In a lemon sorbet yellow, the ligules have a beautiful luminous effect that will perfectly accompany your summer flowering beds and brighten the autumn.

Dahlias belong to the large family of Asteraceae, originally from the high Mexican plateaus. Currently, the approximately 20,000 horticultural varieties obtained by humans have invaded, to our greatest pleasure, gardens worldwide. They are classified according to the shape of their heads. The flowers of decorative Dahlias are thicker than twice and often large. The heads of the 'Glory of Heemsteede' variety are 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6in) in diameter, full and well double. The outermost ligules are flat, wide, and slightly revolute (curved upwards). They are lemon sorbet to bright yellow. The central florets are shorter and form a dense bud before anthesis. 'Glory of Heemsteede' is a giant Dahlia, reaching 140 cm (55in) in height and 70 in width. It has a bushy habit, and it will be necessary to thicken its width to solidify and stake it. Indeed, its very branching stems are hollow, which makes it fragile in case of wind. Its leaves are divided into 3 or 5 very denticulate lobes. The stems and leaves are medium green and contribute to the plant's decorative effect.

The flowering of Dahlias is exceptionally long, starting in July and ending in October. To promote floral reblooming and extend this flowering period, remove faded flowers. Even better, regularly cut them to create attractive, colourful bouquets by combining various varieties. Dahlias are easy to grow but require a minimum of work as the tubers need to be stored in winter. Today ,essential in gardens of curates, they were initially cultivated in Mexico as a root vegetable. Their poor taste qualities quickly assigned them the rank of ornamental plant, but they are still welcome to bring some colour to the vegetables in vegetable gardens.

In the background of a bed, the airy foliage of Bronze Fennel and Diamond Grass, for example, will enhance the texture of your giant Dahlia varieties. Add a few Helenium Hoopesii in an old gold colour to perfect an elegant and romantic composition.