MODERN DAHLIAS

Waikato Independent, Volume XXX, Issue 2313, 20 March 1930, Page 3

MODERN DAHLIAS

WONDERFUL BLOOMS. A FEW COMMENT^. (Special to Waikato Independent). Wonderful improvements have been made of late years in nearly all garden flowers, but in none have greater strides forward been made than in the development of dahlias, more particularly in the type called “decoratives.” Those with a good many years experience of horticulture will well remember the old “show”' dahlias—large, massive, symmetrical blooms that were greatly admired, but were too '‘set’’ or stiff in form to please many people. Then the cactus type came into popular favour, and still has a great many devotees. Cactus dahlias are exceedingly beautiful, elegant and refined, but, once again, there is a drawback — the blooms hang their heads, and are thus not very suitable for cut flowers for decorative purposes. Collarettes and single dahlias were better in this respect, and were consequently in demand. They are still grown and prized for these qualities, and with their wealth of colour it is rather surprising that these varieties are not grown more than they arc. Flowers of the paeony type, which came into vogue some ten years ago, immediately became favourites, owing to their great productivity, long flowering season, and their stiff stems making them most valuable for decorations. However, the development of the decorative dahlia during the past few years has far exceeded that of any other kind of dahlia. The way in which these dahlias have been revolutionised is really sensational. Year' by year the hybridisers have improved on existing strains until one wonders what the next development will be.

The modern decorative dahlia is a magnificent flower, with its handsome form, giant blooms standing upright on stiff wire-like stems. Of all the most attractive colourings, no wonder that it has attained meteor-like popularity, until'the “queen of autumn flowers,’ ’ the chrysanthemum, will have to look to her laurels or she may be supplanted in popular favour. This new race of dahlias has undoubtedly come to stay.

One of its many good points is the glorious colouring in the flowers. Intense black, pure white, fiery reds, rich maroons, many lovely shades of orange and vermilion, delicate shadings of lavender, buffs and yellows are all represented. Many of the giant decoratives bear enormous flowers, up to 11 or 12 inches in diameter, if specially fed, which make a great show in the garden, and arc splendid for big bowls, etc. Where smaller flowers are preferred, the garden decoratives find favour, while the “charm” dahlias—small flowers of lovely colours —are delightful for decorations. Cambridge A. and P. Show.

At the recent Cambridge Agricultural Show, our local nurseryman, Mr Geo. Martin, had on display a number of very choice specimens of decorative dahlias, pompoms, etc., that attracted much admiration. Among these I noticed Shudow’s Lavender, a vciy dainty lavender; Pride of Frisco, delightful rich salmon pink, with warm tints; Amun Ea (“The Sun God”), beautiful copper-orange colour, very large flower; Leslie Hancock, bright red; Tommy Atkins, bright, flaming red; California Superba, very fine pink. Other very pretty dahlias, of various types, shown on this stand were: Sylph, St. Leonard’s, Hilda D. Wheeler, Dr Tevis, and Ormond Pink, the last-named being a lovely little pink decorative. Hamilton Show. There were many glorious flowers shown at the Hamilton flower show last week, some of the best blooms being quite equal to those at the Auckland show. Mrs O ’Sullivan, of Te Awamutu, staged the champion of champions, in Sole Mio, a very beautiful large yellow, well grown and perfect in form. The same lady exhibitor had the honour of winning the championship in the giant decorative class with a very fine specimen of Margaret Hennessy, amber, heavily suffused with rose colour, a giant bloom on a very strong stem. Mrs H. M. Hammond staged the champion paeony-flowered dahlia, Koorine, pale amber with pink tips, while Samuel Sue, exhibited by Mr A. W. Ward, was adjudged the champion cactus dahlia.

The numerous beautiful blooms of Flaming Meteor on various stands showed it to be perhaps the best allround and most popular dahlia shown at this exhibition. Many other fine blooms were exhibited at this show, it being very evident that dahlias are gaining in popularity in the Hamilton district, and that they can be grown most successfully there. Auckland Dahlia Show.

The Auckland Horticultural Society’s dahlia show, held at Scots Hall on Thursday and Friday last, was generally conceded to be one of the finest displays of dahlias ever seen in the Dominion; indeed one well-known grower and exhibitor stated that the

show had no equal in New Zealand. To sec a large hall filled with thousands of dahlias—it was almost exclu-

sively devoted to these flowers —was convincing proof of the popularity of the dahlia. There were many magnificent trade displays, making a show in themselves, among these being a glorious lot of dahlias, including many of the best novelties, exhibited by Messrs A. J. Shatter and Sons, of Palmerston North. Champions. The champion blooms were: Decorative, Queen of the Garden Beautiful, catalogued as the largest dahlia ever introduced; hybrid cactus, Daily Mirror; cactus, Mayflower; pacony-flower-ed, Harvest Moon. "V* Sterling Novelties. With the introduction of so many new varieties, it is difficult to know which arc the best varieties to plant. One of the leading specialists in the Dominion informed the writer that, in his opinion, the following were the cream of the latest novelties for exhibition purposes: —Elite Glory, Jane Cowl, Joy, Miss San Francisco, Mr E. Lccdham, My Maryland, Ecgal, Euna, Variable. What to Plant. Among last year’s novelties and from the general list, the same grower specially recommended Ellinor Vandemcer, Flaming Meteor, Jersey Beauty, Kitty Dunlop, King Tut, Miss California, Salbach’s White (the best white), Tommy Atkins, W. D. Cartwright, Amun Ea, Bercngaria, Champagne, Mabel Laurence, Millionaire, Pride of Frisco, Sheila Ward. Among the purely decorative varieties, some of the smaller sorts are particularly beautiful. I was particularly pleased with Pink Pearl, Orange King, Marianne, Schlageter and West’s Ophelia—dainty blooms that are ideal for home decoration.