Wonderful dahlias, stunning beauty and buzzing bees

With the nickname of Dahlia Queen, it will be pretty clear that I adore wonderful dahlias.

They are unrivalled for giving a fantastic colourful display for months, from early summer through to the first frosts.

In addition, there are so many varieties and such a wide choice of flower shapes and colours to choose from.

Following on from my earlier dahlia posts, see below for some links, I thought I would share a few more that I am swooning over.

10 beautiful dahlia flowers for pollinators

10 beautiful dahlias chosen for you

12 of the best dahlias for pollinators

The Cosmos Queen’s beautiful dahlias

Besides dahlias for the pollinators, some dahlias are on this post for the sheer joy they bring to my garden. Ultimately, I grow dahlias for the bees, butterflies and other pollinators, but I cannot resist some flamboyant beauties as well.

Of course, every dahlia is beautiful, whether they help pollinators or not, and we can grow so many varieties and if you are like me, swoon at every one of them.

Wonderful dahlias to swoon over

My first choice for this dahlia post is Molly Raven. She is such a beautiful dahlia that she will be on more than one post.

Named after Sarah Raven’s youngest daughter Molly, this dahlia is an absolute stunner in my garden.

Indeed, I love this one so much, I ordered more this year, so my garden has the gorgeous Molly Raven in several of my flower borders.

The colour is difficult to describe, and no photograph seems to do her justice. With this in mind, I will say she is a pinkish, coffeeish colour with stripes. In addition, the blooms look marbled, and the colour looks delicate and soft.

Clearly, I need to take yet more snaps to try to get a photo that does her justice.

Since this one is an exclusive with Sarah Raven, she cannot be purchased from anywhere else.

Click here for Sarah Raven dahlias https://www.sarahraven.com/bulbs/dahlias

This blog is a affiliate with Sarah Raven. If you click on the link above, and make a purchase I may receive a commission, at no additional cost to you.

The height of Molly Raven is around 1.2 metres.

Right, stop swooning Dahlia Queen and head for the next one!

Next on the list for swooning is dahlia Maldini. A new dahlia for me, and a real beauty. Since planting this one in early May, the flowers have been spectacular.

A deep magenta with white tips which fades as the bloom ages.

Classed as a decorative dahlia and goodness, she certainly is! A vibrant dahlia indeed.

Whenever I see this one from across the garden, I race over to get a photo. As a result, I have a goodly supply of snaps, in bright sunshine, in cloudy weather, after rain. Each photo has a slightly different colour tone which changes again as the colour fades to be replaced with more new neon bright blooms.

Growing to a height of about 1 metre, I have planted my dazzler in the middle of a flower border.

I imagine from this glowing reference; you will guess that I would thoroughly recommend this beauty!

Some more beauties

Another fabulous dahlia called Kenora Challenger.

This beautiful dahlia was named in honour of the space shuttle Challenger, which broke up shortly after takeoff in 1986. I always think, when gazing at this one, that the pure white petals are a lovely tribute to all those that lost their lives.

In addition, this one is a tall dahlia, with a height of at least 1.2m so one reaching for the skies.

A pure white with lovely spiky petals, called a semi-cactus variety.

I grow this one in a mixed border where it takes centre stage but also brings out the colours of my other flowers.

I thoroughly recommend this one for a flower border and would not be without her in my garden.

A new variety of the Cafe Au Lait series of decorative dinner plate dahlias. My, oh my, this one is a whopper of a bloom.

In addition to all my Cafe Au Lait, which I love for the beautiful coffee cream colours with a hint of light pink, this one was a must for me.

Due to the fabulous deep rose pink colour, this one unsurprisingly got christened Rose. Dahlia Cafe au Lait Rose is a striking dinner plant dahlia, and the huge flowers are so bright in my garden, I can see then glowing from far away.

Although this one is a new variety from the breeders and for me, so far it has been spectacular. Up to six massive blooms at any one time with at least ten more buds forming.

Therefore, definitely one for a swoon in my garden and a new favourite variety of wonderful dahlias.

Wonderful dahlias for the pollinators

Next, we have some wonderful dahlias for the pollinators. The first one I have chosen is the wonderfully named, Dahlegria Tricolore.

Usually described as a lilac-pink, salmon reddish orange, and I would agree with that. The colours change over the days that each flower blooms. 

In addition, having such beautiful dark purplish black foliage makes this a stunning dahlia.

Dahlia Dahlegria Tricolour is a lovely recent introduction and I have several in pots and at the front of my flower borders. A compact plant with a height of 45cm.

A single flowered dahlia which is incredibly attractive to pollinators. As you will see on my photo, this bloom is a magnet for hungry pollinators. Most of my photos of this dahlia have a bee or butterfly latched on the blooms. More buds coming so plenty more flowers for beauty and the bees.

A beautiful addition to my garden.

Next up is one of the fabulous Honka dahlias. This one is Honka Fragile and an absolute beauty. Bees, butterflies, hoverflies and beetles make a beeline for these blooms.

Pure white with a reddish pink tinge around the flower edges and a light pink tone within each petal on some blooms. Surely a great choice for every garden border.

Due to my absolute love for the Honka, star types, I now have over thirty of them. Honka Pink, Honka Fragile, Destiny’s Teacher and the stunningly dark Verrone’s Obsidian. They have a height of around 70cm.

Peeping in the background of my photo is Verrone’s Obsidian. I can swoon over that one too all day long! She became my Gardening with Harmony website logo, along with a beautiful peacock butterfly.

Two more for the pollinators

Onto another new one for my garden. Labella Maggiore Fun Pastel is a beautiful dahlia that is compact, only growing to around 50cm in height.

Therefore, great for pots or the fronts of flower borders. As you will see from my photo above, the bees are constant visitors.

In addition to being fabulous for pollinators, the pretty calm colours look fantastic in the garden. The pastel blooms are in shades of white, pink and pale yellow with a lavender edge to the petals.

As dusk falls, this dahlia looks fantastic, glowing in the fading light.

So, that’s my evening swoon taken care of!

Next, we have a dahlia at the other end of the scale. Clearly, Dahlegria Orange is not a shrinking violet!

Besides the incredibly bright orange blooms, the foliage is a fabulous dark purple, almost black. Consequently, making the flowers shine like a beacon against the wonderful dark backdrop.

As a result of all that zingy brightness, I almost need my sunglasses to gaze at this one! Another fairly compact dahlia with a height of around 45cm so one for the front of borders or in pots.

I can see this one on a balcony, incredibly bright and sure to raise a smile.

The end of the swoon

Well, the end of writing about the swoons for this dahlia post is drawing near, as I am off to swoon in person shortly!

I hope you have enjoyed this post of a few colourful, sometimes flamboyant and always wonderful dahlias. All of them light up my garden and bring me immense happiness.

In addition, the single and collarette dahlias are a fantastic plant for helping the wildlife in my garden and boosting the food for the pollinators. Even the big blousy flowers provide a resting place for butterflies and bees.

Some of these wonderful dahlias are included in one of my favourite dahlia books.

Dahlias; Beautiful Varieties for Home and Garden by Naomi Slade, and photography by Georgianna Lane. A book to swoon over during the winter, or at any time really. I am rarely without this book somewhere nearby for a quick swoon. The photographs are spectacular. Also, some great advice on growing wonderful dahlias. Link below if you wish to purchase a copy yourself.

https://amzn.to/3DzvgPr

This blog is a participant in Amazon’s Associate’s Program. If you click on one of these links above, and make a purchase I may receive a commission, at no additional cost to you.

Stay tuned for more posts. One or two more of them may well have a dahlia or ten in attendance!

And here’s a new one you might like to see 10 zingy dahlias for a truly beautiful garden

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