Dahlia Jowey Winnie

The Dahlia Jowey Winnie is a delightful variety of Dahlia known as a 'ball', with medium-sized flowers in the shape of pompoms, displaying a stunning warm pink colour, rich in smoky terracotta and salmon hues, perfectly complemented by dark green foliage. Its flowers are precisely and curiously arranged in countless candy pink alveoli, in which the light plays, each small chamber formed by the tubular petals animated with a pink-orange tone. The plant blooms abundantly, from summer to frost, and has a bushy and upright habit, supported by long stems, with impeccable presence in bouquets and in the background of flower beds.

Dahlias belong to the aster family and are originally from the high plateaus of Mexico. Currently, the few 25,000 horticultural varieties obtained by humans have invaded, to our greatest pleasure, gardens worldwide. The 'Jowey Winnie' variety, rare in cultivation, will measure approximately 1m (3ft) in height and 60cm (24in) in diameter after 3 to 4 months of cultivation. It is classified among the Dahlias of the decorative group with ball-type flowers. In this category, the capitula have no visible heart and are composed of numerous regularly arranged and completely rolled up petals (ligules), which are tubular and never flare out. This includes varieties that form true balls, such as pompons (diameter less than 6cm (2in)) and balls (diameter greater than 6cm (2in)). The capitula of this 'Jowey Winnie' variety generally measures 8-10cm (3-4in) in diameter. The ligules are a slightly smoky pink on the outside and salmon on the inside. The plant has an upright habit, and its stems sometimes require staking. The flowering of this variety begins in July and ends in October-November if care is taken to remove faded flowers or frequently make bouquets. The habit is bushy and upright. The branched, long, and sturdy stems are hollow, and the leaves are opposite, pinnately lobed, meaning they are divided into 3 or 5 very toothed lobes. The leaves and stems are a vibrant dark green.

To encourage repeat flowering, remove faded flowers, or even better, regularly make large colourful bouquets by combining them with other varieties. 'Jowey Winnie' produces magnificent flowers in bouquets, alongside single or pompon varieties, in white, pink, orange, or even mauve. This variety pairs particularly well with the blue flowers of perennial delphiniums, aconites, and asters and stands out beautifully against fennel's green or purple foliage. In flower beds, this Dahlia will create warm and bright spots alongside grasses and Echinaceas, which flower simultaneously. Its long, flower-filled stems allow for the addition of bouquets until late in the season.

As a star plant in borders and herb gardens, Dahlias confidently accompany the most beautiful flowers but are also appreciated alongside vegetable plants. This tuberous plant was initially cultivated as a root vegetable for consumption in Mexico. However, its poor taste qualities relegated it to the status of an ornamental plant. Since then, the interest in their beautiful exuberance has never waned.