Dahlia Peaches and Cream

Dahlia 'Peaches and Cream' is a giant variety of decorative dahlia, which bears a unique and tender flowering. It produces fully double flowers with a regular architecture, composed of countless wide and almost flat petals, in a delicious blend of pale-yellow and peach, tipped with white and infused with red. It blooms from summer to autumn, above a strong medium green clump. It is best planted at the back of perennial beds. Its flowers are perfect for generous bouquets.

Dahlias belong to the Asteraceae family and are originally from the high plateaus of Mexico. There are currently thousands of horticultural varieties that have conquered gardens worldwide. They are tender perennials with fleshy tubers.

Dahlias are classified according to the shape of their flowers. 'Peaches and Cream' is classified in the category of decorative dahlias. In this group, the coloured ligules of the head are regularly arranged in a spiral. They can be curved towards the stem or fringed, for example. In this variety, the heads are 15 to 20cm (6 to 8in) in diameter and their ligules are variegated with pale-yellow and peach, touched at their tips with cream-white and red. Flowering takes place from July to October. This dahlia is also classified in the horticultural category of giants, as its vigorous growth will reach 1.4m (5ft) in height, and 90cm (35in) in width, supporting a bushy and erect habit. The branched stems are hollow. The leaves are opposite and pinnatisect, meaning that they are divided into 3 or 5 leaflets, which form denticulate lobes. The leaves and stems are medium green.

Remove faded flowers to encourage new blooms. You can use cut flowers to make colourful bouquets, combining them with other varieties. 

The height of this variety makes it suitable for the back of perennial beds, structuring a composition of flowering shrubs and lower perennials. Echinaceas and perennial salvias are perfect companions for dahlias, as their flowering occurs simultaneously. Also consider grasses (Miscanthus saccharifolius, Stipa arundinacea, Eragrostis trichodes) which take on beautiful shades in autumn.

Dahlias are stars of borders and ornamental gardens, confidently accompanying the most beautiful flowers. However, they are also appreciated alongside vegetable plants. In Mexico, this tuberous plant was first cultivated as a root vegetable for consumption. Its poor taste qualities quickly saw it categorised as an ornamental plant. Since then, the interest in their beautiful exuberance has never waned.