Dahlia Peace Pact

Dahlia 'Peace Pact' is a very pretty variety with camellia-like flowers, both for its very bright white colour and its excellent performance, both in beds and in vases. The flowers of this variety are fully double, but not heavy, medium-sized, and carried on tall and sturdy stems. An ideal variety for creating elegant bouquets and scenes full of poetry in the garden, until October-November.

Dahlias belong to the large family of Asteraceae, originally from the high plateaus of Mexico. At present, the approximately 25,000 horticultural varieties obtained by humans have invaded, to our great pleasure, gardens all over the world. Varieties of Dahlias are classified according to the shape of their heads. Dahlia 'Peace Pact' is a decorative Dahlia with camellia-like flowers, whose heads are quite flat and very double. They have rows of slightly curled outer ligules. The heads of the 'Peace Pact' variety are perfectly constructed, measuring between 12 and 15cm (5 and 6in) in diameter. They are of a magnificent pure white colour, almost iridescent in full light, revealing a centre infused with light yellow. They last 7 to 12 days in a vase. The plant will reach a height of 1.10 to 1.20m (4ft) and a width of 50 to 60cm (20 to 24in). It has a bushy and erect habit, and its leaves are opposite and divided into finely toothed lobes. The leaves and stems are a remarkable very dark green. The long and abundant flowering of this variety, if faded flowers are removed, begins in July and ends in October-November.

'Peace Pact' will be highlighted, near the house or in a large pot on the terrace, to be admired up close, in a pastel ambiance, emerging from a procession of small blue flowers (perennial flax, asters, perennial Geranium 'Blue Cloud', Anchusa azurea) and gray foliage (Silver cineraria, shrubby Artemisias). It also pairs well with the airy heads of Buenos Aires Vervain. In beds, this Dahlia will form colourful spots with Echinaceas, Cosmos, or even Sedums and salvias. Some Pennisetum, Gladioli, or a Panicum virgatum 'Dallas Blues' bring softness and delicacy to the decor. The same combinations will be successful in homemade bouquets.

Today, essential in gardens, Dahlias were initially cultivated in Mexico as a root vegetable. Their poor taste qualities quickly assigned them the status of ornamental plants, but they are still welcome in the vegetable garden to add some colour amidst the vegetables.