Dahlia ‘Bishop’s Children’
Dahlia pinnata ‘Bishop's Children’
Everyone loves dahlias. These late-flowering plants keep the season going until the first frost. Easy to grow, they make lovely cut flowers and are a great source of nectar for queen bumblebees feeding up before hibernation.
‘Bishop’s Children’ produces plants with bronze leaves and flowers in a range of shades from dark red through purple, deep pink and orange. Once they are flowering, label the plants with flowers you really like so you can save the tubers to replant next year.
Sow Indoors into modules or small pots in March/April or direct where they are to flower in June. Pot up indoor sown plants as they grow, harden off and plant out after the last frost.
Grow Choose a spot in full sun with good soil for strong plants. They also do well in large pots. Keep plants well-watered in dry weather. Keep picking and/or deadheading to encourage more flowers and they will provide you with flowery colour right through to the first frost.
Uses Dahlias provide almost endless blooms from mid-summer which make lovely cut flowers. The petals are edible and can be scattered over cakes for a colourful decoration. Dahlia flowers can also be dried to use in everlasting displays.