27 of the Best Dahlia Varieties for Your Garden
05.03.2024 - 08:55 / jparkers.co.uk
Are Dahlia's perennials? We hear this question a lot, and the quick answer is ‘Yes, they are!’. But it also depends on the type of dahlia you’re looking to buy.
Dahlias are tender perennials. They will flower again the following year but don’t put up very well with winter weather. Any prolonged exposure to frost, low temperatures, or excessive rain will kill the tubers. Some dahlias are even considered annuals because of this reason. So, to answer your question...
First of all, what is a perennial plant?
We’ve already discussed ‘what is an annual plant’, so it’s time to look at perennials. What are they?
Unlike annuals, which grow, flower and die in one year, perennials are the opposite. They will flower for years if they are properly cared for! Typically, perennials are given a life of 3+ years. If you notice your dahlias are starting to dwindle some, perhaps it’s time to swap them out with a newer variety.
Are dahlias perennial plants?
With the above in mind, we can now actually answer the all-important question! Are dahlias perennial plants? Yes… and no. It depends on where you live and if you give them a hand before winter rolls around.
Like we said, dahlias hate, hate, hate the cold. Any kind of frozen or wet conditions will kill them off completely, and they won’t flower again. Traditionally, dahlias are supplied as tubers, and these tubers can be lifted. This means, that before winter and after they’ve flowered, you can lift and store dahlias to then replant them the following year.
Dahlias are considered a tender perennial, for the reasons stated above. Without lifting, they won’t flower again. This is why they are sometimes treated as an annual. However, this all depends on where you live! In the UK, the
27 of the Best Dahlia Varieties for Your Garden
Last spring, when moving from a one-bedroom apartment to a three-bedroom house, I knew that we would need to do some furniture shopping. However, it was still a shock to see the furniture that once filled our apartment to the brim barely furnish the space. Most of our home is wood laminate, and it has an open-concept great room that screams for rugs and defined living spaces. We gradually found the best places to purchase rugs (I even took weeks shopping around for the perfect bathroom runner) and in the span of a year, have curated a home full of rugs that are functional, look pretty, and are all affordable at under $300.
Oxalis triangularis, also known as false shamrock, is an eye-catching bulbous perennial that makes an excellent and long-lived house plant. Bold, dramatic foliage in shades of dark purple to wine-red creates a striking contrast to blush-white flowers borne in summer. The leaves are three-lobed, hence the name of shamrock which it resembles, though is not actually related to. Oxalis triangularis is native to from Brazil. Its leaves have extra fascination because they open during the day and close at night.
Yellow ferns are not entirely of that color but have a mix of green, canary, and orange in their fronds. Do not mistake them for ferns that have diseased and yellowing leaves, though!
Are Violets Edible? How to Choose and Use These Sweet Treats
Goji berries (Lycium barbarum) are a popular ‘superfood’ to eat fresh or dried. Native to China, they’re packed with vitamins and antioxidants and have been used in Chinese medicine for over a thousand years. They’re easy to grow at home in the UK and bear fruit after just one or two years. The best thing about growing your own goji berries is that you can eat them straight from the bush – most commercially available goji berries are dried.
As a teenager, I distinctly remember my father telling me to not follow in the family business. I now know he said this to shield me from the many hardships farmers continue to face. America’s farmers, especially beginning and Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) farmers face insurmountable challenges, yet 87 percent of young farmers are dedicated to regenerative, climate-smart farming practices. Today’s beginning farmers are passionate about growing nourishing foods, diversified crops and building soil; yet because of astronomical real estate costs, most farmers are unable to purchase land on which to operate.
Common juniper (Juniperus communis) is one of only three conifers native to the UK. It’s a member of the cypress family and grows on chalk or limestone in lowland areas, and moors, woodland and cliffs in northern Britain. Juniper is in decline in wild populations and has been designated a UK Biodiversity Action Plan priority species. This special tree has disappeared from several areas in the south of England. Many remaining colonies are so small that they’re considered functionally extinct. Scotland is now the stronghold for 80 per cent of the UK’s juniper trees.
If you don’t like the invasiveness of dandelions but love their yellow blooms, well, these are your best options!
Given their small size and the fact that they need to be highly functional, laundry rooms are often ground zero for decorating mistakes. They also tend to be closed off from the rest of the home, meaning it's easy to shut the door and forget about how glum yours truly makes you feel.
Is it really the start of a new season if you haven’t swapped out your seasonal decor yet? Adding a few seasonal pieces is a great way to give your space a refresh that matches the mood of the season—plus, it’s an easy way to add intrigue to your home, keeping it from feeling stagnant over time.