Best small Dahlia?

[Tom2006]

I have had some wonderful Dahlia's this year, some well over 5' in height!! I must admit, they were all from impulse tuber buys last year and although the flowers have been great, they have ruining my boarders simply by growing too large! Can anyone recommend some vivid coloured flowers but that only grow to a couple of feet please?

[Kristen]

Dunno if its is small enough, but I think Twinings After Eight looks quite unusual - darkest leaves of any Dahlia that I have seen, and nice contrasting White flowers.

My favourite for Tropical effect is Emory Paul ... but that's huge

[AndyC]

'Moonfire' is a good shorter growing Dahlia with zingy flowers

[Arlon Tishmarsh]

Tom,
i picked up a nice dahlia from our local B&Q the other day............£3 a pot

Dahlia

Mrs is getting some more on the weekend

[kata]

This won the RHS 2012 Tom,

Dwarf variety

harvestamanda.jpg (42.26 KiB) Viewed 1841 times

[Dave Brown]

I'm heavily into dark leaved singles, and After Eight is one of the best, although medium size, getting to 3 to 4ft (90-105cm) by the end of the season. It is a later flowering one here, around end of July to frosts, so you might want to take that into consideration.

'Moonfire' is a good shorter one with creamy petals, which I don't have, but the related 'Sunshine' is my favourite, getting to around 2 1/2ft max, hardy even through 2010/11, and starts to flower here mid to end of June thru to frosts. Petals are actually more yellow than in the pic shows (must sort out a new camera, as the one I have, received great reviews, but is actually rubbish )

At the tiny end are the 'Topmix' family. These are around 1 1/2ft (45cm) tall max, with a spread or around 2/1/2ft (75cm) with 2 inch (5cm) flowers. from early July to frosts.
I have 'Topmix' Red, which has also been hardy even through 2010/11. I'll get a pic later.

I have also had Bishop of Llandaff but that is a medium 3 to 4 ft, but is not reliably hardy here, so has gone

[fieldfest]

bishop of canterbury is really vivid and dark leaved, ad the popular bishop of llandaff

I bought a load of figaro mixed plug plants in spring from gardening direct, most are nice but nothing special in the way of spectacular colours, but out of 42 plants maybe 7-8 are really nice colours that I will be propagating fom in the spring. might be worth a shot they are seed grown and are still only 12-15" tall in my garden. green leaves



http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalo ... CEcQ8wIwAQ

[Tom2006]

Thanks for all those ideas, they look perfect. I will be ordering some soon.

[Dave Brown]

Here is the pic of Topmix Red

[kata]

You have some very nice Dahlias Dave

[Dave Brown]

You have some very nice Dahlias Dave

I buy the ones I like the look of, plant them out and they stay there. If they come back I'm pleased, if not, then it was not suitable. Fortunately some of the best looking are also pretty tough

[bordersboy]

I grew some Kelvin Floodlight. Took a bit to get going due there being no sun for months on end but now their flowering WOW
http://www.suttons.co.uk/Gardening/Flow ... 248207.htm

[flounder]

I can vouch for the topmix red. Only a foot high, very floriferous......and it only cost me ten bob in wilkinsons!

[Dave Brown]

I can vouch for the topmix red. Only a foot high, very floriferous......and it only cost me ten bob in wilkinsons!

Long lived as well Ten bob was pre 1972 I bought a pair of jeans for ten bob

[flounder]

Yeah, but back in the day, ten bob would have filled your garden with dahlias and still have change to get a wimpy on the the way home