When it comes to the ideal weather conditions that we require
for our dahlia plants then we exhibitors are a difficult bunch
to please.
Those of you that have read this column over the years will be
used to me moaning and groaning about the foul weather that we
have experienced in the past growing season.
I suppose the 1991 dahlia season was as near perfect as you can
expect. It is true that in some areas growers were caught by a
late frost in early June and lost many plants. Also those of us
who live in the South of England were forced to water by hand,
as the hosepipe and sprinkler ban was enforced for its third consecutive
summer.
That apart, nature did its best to help dahlia growers as much
as possible this year. We had steady rainfalls in June and July,
although it was fairly cool early on. As we progressed into August
the sun shone pleasantly and with no wind or rain to damage the
blooms at show time, the later shows really did excel.
The Northern N.D.S. Show held in Harrogate in mid-September
was one of the finest dahlia shows ever seen. Quality was outstanding,
with the largest entry ever recorded.
It was quite a testing growing season for me personally, as my
wife and I moved house in late February 1991.
After twenty successful years of growing on a plot of land some
26 miles from home, I am finally in the fortunate position of
being able to grow the plants in my back garden which measures
60ft. x 400ft.
It will take some years to improve the very heavy clay soil of
Essex to the superbly friable, well drained soil I had in Kent.
We rushed around to put the greenhouse up, prepare the soil and
raise some plants in the short time available before planting
in early June.
An 180ft. x 30ft. lawn was dug up and we set about incorporating
as much mushroom compost, horse manure and bone meal as possible,
although about fifty plants rotted in waterlogged soil at the
end of June the remainder did well.
It was a bonus to win five silver medals for best exhibits
in show out of the ten shows that we competed at. The icing on
the cake came in winning the six vase medium semi-cactus Clara
Brown Trophy at the London National Show.
Plans are already being laid for the Scottish C. & D. Society’s
Special Jubilee Show in 1992. Canvassing for sponsorship is well
in hand and with top exhibitors and Judges travelling from all
parts of Britain it is hoped that the show will be even more successful
than the Glasgow Garden Festival in 1988.
GIANT AND LARGE DAHLIAS
Although not all the blooms are showable a good bloom of Les wright’s
‘WANDA’S MOONLIGHT’ is as good as any giant decorative
dahlia around. Short growing plants produce the pale yellow formal
blooms on the strongest of stems.
In the same section comes ‘ARTHUR’S DELIGHT’ a
pure white formal from Gordon Armstrong. This low growing variety
produces 11” blooms that dress right back onto strong stems.
‘IRENE’S PRIDE’ is one of the best giant semi-cactus
dahlias to arrive from America in recent years. Powerful 12”
‘GOLDEN BRONZE’ blooms are top class formation and depth.
If we are a little short of good new giants, there were four very
good large semi-cactus varieties on show this year. Normally when
a good new variety arrives on these shores from Gordon Leroux
the Tom Bebbington Nursery is beating the drum long before it
is released.
‘KENORA CHALLENGER’ crept into the country via two enterprising
amateur growers and made quite an impact whenever shown. This
pure white large semi-cactus dahlia has top class form and depth.
Plant habit and health also look good. Awarded the Philip Damp
Award for the best overseas dahlia of the year at our National
Show in London.
Another with a certain future in this section is the very pale
pink ‘CRYFIED KEENE’. Fred Wilson’s Colour Sport
from ‘CANDY KEENE’ has the same low growing habit, strong
stems and classical form as all the other family members. Needs
growing very well at four blooms per plant to reach top size in
the section.
Les Jackson has two good introductions that should make the grade.
His bright yellow Harrogate seedling winner ‘HILLCREST HILLTON’
is a true large flowered that comes to size well. Robust plant
habit with good stems. On release from the raiser in the spring
of 1992. ‘HILLCREST HEIGHTS’ is an ivory coloured variety
with a touch of class. This strong grower has good health and
habit. Due for release in 1993
MEDIUM DAHLIAS
Although the pale yellow ‘FORMBY SUPREME’ arrived in
America from Australia some years ago it has taken some time for
it to reach us here in Britain. This really is a beautiful reflexing
formal medium decorative. With petals that dress right back onto
strong stems, the finished bloom makes up into an absolute 8”
ball of petals.
Most of Gerry Woolcock’s new varieties are classy well formed
varieties, if a little small in size. ‘TRENGROVE TAURANGA’
is no exception. Rich bronze blooms have excellent shape, depth,
stems and habit, but this variety does need pushing hard to reach
the 8” mark. Exactly the same applies to Les Jackson’s
‘HILLCREST PEARL’. Pure white blooms have very good
formation and depth, but to reach top size in the section will
be difficult. Perhaps four blooms per plant and plenty of roast
beef might be the answer.
Hamari Trophy winner for the best new medium dahlia of the year
at our London National was Roger Turrell’s dark pink formal
decorative ‘CASTLE DRIVE’. Once again not a massive
flower and will need to be grown very well to reach the size required
to take on the recognised varieties in the section. Excellent
formation and habit not unlike ‘TRENGROVE JILL’. In
the same section comes Ted Fuller’s deep orange FERNHILL
ALLISON’. Like all Ted’s raisings ‘ALLISON’
is a healthy powerful growing variety that produces well formed
sizeable flowers.
A few vases of the American raised ‘AUDACITY’ were seen
around the shows this year. The white overlaid with dark lavender
make it an attractive novelty. This well formed variety will be
an interesting introduction when released in 1993.
The last of the formal decoratives is the snow white ‘DALTON’.
This very tall grower produced an absolute mass of well formed
blooms at the Bradford Dahlia Trials this year. A very good dual
purpose dahlia.
On then to the semi-cactus dahlia varieties. Possibly the best
was the 1990 Hamari Trophy winner ‘HILLCREST ALBINO’,
one that I mentioned in last year’s article. Les Jackson’s
pure white novelty was grown in large numbers by many of the keener
exhibitors this year. It is a very sizeable, weatherproof dahlia
that can be grown as a large or medium. I think it is better grown
as a medium eight blooms per plant, leaving a few side shoots
on each flowering stem to refine the blooms seems about right.
Another that I mentioned last year was ‘CANDY PASTELLE’.
This unusual colour sport from ‘GRENIDOR PASTELLE’ produces
candy pink blooms with a white centre. Tom Pashley is now releasing
this variety in the Spring 1992 under the name ‘PINK PASTELLE’.
Like the parent this sizeable cultivatar that needs growing about
eight blooms per plant, will fimbriate in hot weather. Well formed
flowers are supported on strong stems and plants.
A fairly weatherproof variety that was awarded best sport of the
year title at both the London and Harrogate Nationals will remain
unclassified for the next two years, so can be shown as a medium
or large until classified.
Two interesting introductions to this section came from veteran
Doncaster nurseryman Fred Oscroft. ‘DANUM CREAM’ is
one of those varieties that would fit the bill as either a free
flowering garden variety, a superb long lasting cut flower or
may even make the grade on the exhibition table. Well formed creamy
white blooms are held on robust plants and stems.
From the same raiser comes the yellow based overlaid with deep
salmon ‘DANUM SALMON’. Well built blooms that stood
the weather well at the Bradford Trials. Strong grower that will
be a useful newcomer to the show bench in 1992.
Maurice White’s rich red ‘HELLFIRE CLUB’ is one
of the best of its colour we have had in this section for sometime.
Heavily built well formed blooms are held on strong stems. A real
splash of colour in the garden this one.
There were two very good sports from the popular ‘WOOTTON
IMPACT’ around this year. I felt that they were both perhaps
an improvement on the parent. ‘YELLOW IMPACT’ and ‘GOLDEN
IMPACT’ do appear to have a little more depth than their
parent. These interesting novelties have the same growing habits
as the parent.
Stan Hall will be releasing the very tall growing ‘CHRISTOPHER
NICKERSON’ in the Spring of 1992. Bright orange flowers have
nice form and stems.
We do not get many first class straight cactus dahlias in this
section but the Australian raised ‘JO-ANNE’ looks a
bit special. Raised by Bob Trotter in Victoria this bright yellow
cracker produces a ball of spikey petals that dress back into
the veritable globe. Needs growing fairly well to reach section
size.
SMALL DAHLIAS
Undoubtedly the variety with the biggest long term future in this
section is ‘PRIMROSE DIANE’. Don Armstrong’s pale
yellow colour sport from ‘RUSKIN DIANE’ is a sure fire
small decorative champion of the future when released in 1993.
Same immaculate petal placement and strong plant habit as the
parent. One to look forward to in the future.
I mentioned ‘GATESHEAD FESTIVAL’ last year. The pale
yellow overlaid with dark orange blooms were a bit difficult to
match up when it came to showing five blooms in a vase. Nevertheless
the form is so superb that it is well worth growing a few more
plants to assure matching can be achieved. Plant habit is very
low, it even looks a bit unhealthy to start with but grows through
it in the end. Top class dahlia.
Whilst other raisers struggle to find out a variety worth releasing,
Barry Davies just keeps churning out top class dahlias like there
is no tomorrow. Harrogate seedling winner ‘BARBARRY PINKY’
is a deep pink formal decorative dahlia with impeccable form.
A lot of Barry’s varieties are not all that big, but ‘PINKY’
produces sizeable flowers on strong plants.
Another in the same section is ‘BARBARRY RHAPSODY’ a
dark pink with the same ball like decorative flowers that this
raiser seems to specialise in, good plant habit and stems. Looked
impressive at the Bradford trials this year.
Another that caught the eye at Bradford was the bright yellow
‘PAUL DENTON SUPREME’ a very prolific tall growing cultivar
with globular decorative blooms.
If you are looking for a top class red decorative dahlia then
look no further than the very dark red ‘JOHN PRIOR’.
Although this variety has been around for about three years it
has not really got established, but it is a classy reliable healthy
dahlia that shows well. By far the best in its colour class at
the present time.
We usually have quite a few small cactus to write about, but only
three stood out from the rest this year.
‘LINDA’S CHESTER’ is a deep yellow overlaid with
dark orange sport from ‘PAUL CHESTER’. Jim Watson’s
newcomer, like the parent is a variety that needs growing well
to reach top size but by growing about seven blooms per plant
the effort is well worthwhile. Finely quilled petals dress right
back onto the strongest possible stems.
Les Jackson’s best overall seedling of the year at the 1990
London Show, ‘HILLCREST DESIRE’ had a quiet year around
the shows this year. I am not sure that this type of dual coloured
dahlia is what our judges in this country favour. It is certainly
an eye catcher coming as it does in a mixture of orange, red and
yellow blends. Although it has good form, the colour might just
kill it on the showbench.
On the other hand any sport from the ‘ATHALIE’ family
is always assured of instant success. Bob Porter’s very pale
pastel pink sport ‘ROB’S ATHALIE’ has the same
tall growing habit and superbly formed show blooms as the other
five various coloured members of the family.
MINIATURE DAHLIAS
Winner of not only the Luckhurst Trophy for best small or miniature
decorative dahlia at our London Show, but also the Jescot Trophy
for the best seedling in the show was BARBARRY TREND. Tightly
formed spherical blooms come in bright scarlet. A long stemmed
exhibition variety of the highest level.
In the same section comes the Stan Hall 1992 release ‘CHARLES
KENWOOD’. The beautiful white base overlaid in rich pink
blooms have mouthwatering form and dress right back into a globular
circle of petals.
I mentioned both PERITON’ and ‘CANDY CUPID’ last
year. Both varieties were duly released in the Spring of this
year. In the three vase championship for miniature ball dahlias
at the National, Gordon Littlejohn used five blooms each of
‘PERITON’, ‘CANDY CUPID’ and ‘WOOTTON
CUPID’ to win the Oscroft Trophy which only goes to show
just how good these two novelties are. I grew just one plant of
‘PERITON’, and from this managed to show a winning three
bloom exhibit, plus a few single bloom entries at various times.
Glistening dark red blooms are held on strong stems and robust
plant habit. A large planting is planned for the Spencer plot
in 1992.
Compared to the duller shades of other members of the ‘CUPID’
family the bright vibrant colour of ‘CANDY CUPID’ is
like a breath of fresh air. Same free flowering robust habit,
and tip top show winning dahlia.
Another eyecatching dahlia in this section is the 1990 Bradford
trials awarded ‘WARWICK TOWN’. Healthy free flowering
plants produced lovely pink and yellow blooms all season long.
WATERLILY DAHLIAS
When Ivor Kitchener won the newly introduced basket class at our
National Show it was no surprise. Ivor is a master in the bowl
and basket sections. What was surprising is that he used twenty
two blooms of the new ‘PHILS PINK’. This free flowering
long stemmed cultivar produced a mass of dark pink and yellow
blooms from July till October.