i know lots of folk knock B&Q,( snobbery ? ) but I've bought bulbs from them for years and they're always good sized and very cheap. Ok, you don't get the biggest range, but always worth looking
I've tracked down a Dahlia coccinea at Avon bulbs. Said to get to 2.3m. Not really red, more vermillion, but we'll see what happens. I'm trying for an annual tree.
Admiral Rawlings is also known as Trelissick Purple so you might be able to source it from the Trelissick Gardens shop. If they don’t do mail order possibly you could find someone who’ll be holidaying in Cornwall in the next month or two
@Pete.8 - yes they do change Pete. Remember watching the GW episode that had a section with a person who grew dahlias for shows and commercially I think. He showed the difference in flower between two dahlias of the same variety, one that had been grown from the tuber and the other that had been grown from a basal cutting.
The one grown from a cutting had much more vivid colouring. He said that for competition entries he always takes cuttings rather than reusing tubers.
I Remember watching the GW episode that had a section with a person who grew dahlias for shows and commercially I think. He showed the difference in flower between two dahlias of the same variety, one that had been grown from the tuber and the other that had been grown from a basal cutting.
The one grown from a cutting had much more vivid colouring. He said that for competition entries he always takes cuttings rather than reusing tubers.
Yes, I remember that GW too. I admit that I could not see the big difference in vividity he pointed out, but as a breeder, it made a big difference to him. The colours did change over time, he said.
You do get a much smaller plant if you grow from a new cutting. I guess if you have a field, it wouldn't make much difference, but I have a small space and, growing in pots, want to go for fewer, big tubers with big plants.
I am considering trimming back weaker plant growth this year, to give bigger blooms on longer stems, instead of a plethora of small flowers on short stems. Just to see what happens.
@Pete.8 - yes they do change Pete. Remember watching the GW episode that had a section with a person who grew dahlias for shows and commercially I think. He showed the difference in flower between two dahlias of the same variety, one that had been grown from the tuber and the other that had been grown from a basal cutting.
The one grown from a cutting had much more vivid colouring. He said that for competition entries he always takes cuttings rather than reusing tubers.
Oh Yes - I remember that too now. The flower from the cutting was much close to the original plant! I'm not too bothered - it still looks ok - but it's a bit too brilliant red now.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
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Ok, you don't get the biggest range, but always worth looking
Black Jack 1.5m, Ripples 1.5m, Jocondo 1.2m, Downham Royal 1.2m.
Halls of Heddon also have large decorative dahlia tubers in stock.
Hope this helps.
01872 862090
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In the past this place stocked it when it was at a former site and known as the National Dahlia Collection. Maybe it is still sold there.
https://kehellandtrust.org.uk/our-site/shop/
This place grows it, they use the Admiral Rawlings name, and have plant sales in their café so you could try them as well.
https://www.spetchleyparkestate.co.uk/
The flower from the cutting was much close to the original plant!
I'm not too bothered - it still looks ok - but it's a bit too brilliant red now.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.