HELLO dahlings!

Showy in colour and shapely in form, dahlias are an ornament in any garden, writes Mike Booth.

- Mike Booth

When I was young, I remember my grandmother taking huge pride in her dahlias, standing proudly in long rows with billowy blooms. It was my grandfather's job to water them and fertilise them with manure to keep them looking their very best. To this day, they are my favourite flower in our country garden.

The dahlia, a native of Mexico, was introduced to Europe in the 18th century, where passionate horticulturalists bred countless varieties for the flower-loving public. In recent years, they have become enormously popular due to their no fuss nature and hardiness offering spectacular blooms.