Dahlia Radegast

Dahlia 'Radegast' is a decorative variety with enormous double flowers that are fully open, composed of slightly frilly petals. The bicolour blooms boast a bluish pink with lilac and pure white tones. The plant is quite tall, and the flowers are carried high above the foliage by sturdy, dark-coloured stems. It flowers from July until the first frosts.

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 flower. 'Radegast' is classified as a decorative dahlia. In this group, the colourful ligules of the head are arranged regularly in a spiral. They can be bent towards the stem or fringed, for example. In this variety, the heads measure up to 20 to 22cm (8 to 9in) in diameter. Their ligules are rather large, ovate, slightly plicate, almost flat, and loosely arranged. Flowering takes place from July to October-November. Its bicoloured petals are white in the centre and at the tips, edged with pink and lilac reflections. The plant reaches an average height of 1m (3ft), and a width of 50 to 60cm (20 to 24in), with a bushy and upright habit. The branched stems are hollow. The leaves are opposite and pinnately compound, meaning they are divided into 3 or 5 toothed leaflets. The leaves are quite dark green and the stems are tinged with purple.

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

Decorative dahlias go well with gauras and cleomes that lighten their generous silhouette. 'Radegast' flowers go well with pink and white schemes. The size of this variety makes it suitable for the centre of mixed borders, to structure a composition composed of bushy shrubs (smokebush, winged euonymus, loropetalum) and shorter plants. Echinaceas and perennial sages are perfect companions, as they bloom simultaneously. Also consider grass species (quaking grass, sugar cane grass, pheasant's tail grass, love grass), which take on beautiful colours 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.