Summertime Dahlias

In late summertime dahlias are my favorite floral variety. The history of the dahlia stretches back to the 18th century. There are 36 different species of dahlias but they all have similar characteristics. Dahlias are charismatic, alluring, beautiful, vibrant, friendly and intense to the eye. They come in many colors, shapes, and petal counts. The largest of the species are called "Dinner Plate" dahlias. They are stunning in their size and brilliance.

Dahlias are an irresistible element to use in my floral designs, especially when using different colors and shapes. I generally will only use a minimum of three colors in my designs, however, with dahlias I will use a variety of hues.

At the Velvet Garden we have special vendors that grow and propagate dinner plate dahlias. They are fantastic! My clients marvel at their properties and color palettes that range from pristine white, blush and cafe au lait to hot pink, red, orange, salmon and deep burgundy. The Japanese translation for dahlia is "good taste", I agree with this translation and hope you do as well.