Dahlia Bishops Children Seeds

Dahlia 'Bishops Children' is a wonderfully naïve selection that offers single blooms in a host of beautiful colours including soft pink, carmine pink, blush, copper, deep red, purple as well as warm sunset shades. The semi-dwarf, bushy plants also feature unusual bronze-green foliage. Planted en masse, Dahlias are a great addition to any garden, no matter how small, as well as terraces or balconies. This selection is first year flowering, blooming prolifically from July until the first frosts. Ideal for borders, growing to the front of flowerbeds or in pots.

Dahlias belong to the Asteraceae family and are native to Mexico. Nowadays, some 20,000 horticultural varieties are grown in gardens all over the world. 'Bishops Children' produces semi-dwarf plants with a fairly bushy, compact habit, that don’t require support. Each plant grows to approximately 65 cm in height and 30 cm in width. The flowering period takes place from July to October. The 8 cm wide, single corollas are made up one layer of ray flowers in a wide variety of tones including soft pink, blush, copper, deep red, purple as well as warm sunset shades, surrounding a yellow central disc. The stems are well branched and hollow, bearing opposite leaves that are subdivided into 3 or 5 toothed lobes. Both leaves and stems are dark green. To encourage repeat flowering and extend the flowering period, take care to remove faded flowers regularly. Better still, cut the flowers regularly to create beautiful, colourful arrangements.

Dahlias are great for creating patches of colour towards the front of summer beds and borders. They combine well with Echinacea, Helenias and Cosmos or with the soft, feathery plumes of ornamental grasses such as Pennisetum villosum. This dwarf variety is particularly suitable for growing in pots and containers on the patio or balcony.