The dahlia: in the Flower Agenda weeks 36 - 38

A collection of tiny petals that form a beautiful creation together: between weeks 36 and 38 (5 - 25 September) we will be enjoying the dahlia in its full glory! Consumers can read all about this versatile seasonal flower that offers a huge choice in terms of colour, shape and size in the Flower Agenda on Funnyhowflowersdothat.co.uk. Introduce your customers to the fabulous dahlia over the coming weeks, and make sure to download and print our lovely dahlia poster to brighten up your shop from the link at the bottom of the article.

Origin of the dahlia
The dahlia is a tuberous plant originating from Mexico. When we ‘discovered’ America in around 1800, we brought the flower to Europe. Here the bundle of petals was named after the Swedish botanist Andreas Dahl, one of Linnaeus’ pupils. The dahlia has been produced by professional growers since 1813.

The dahlia’s colours and shapes
The dahlia’s most eye-catching feature is its petals: sometimes evenly coloured, but often noticeably bright with spots or lines. Some flowers have a single row of petals, others have dozens - this fabulous flower has an incredible number of colour and shape variations! For example, the petals can be round, elongated or rolled. Dahlias can reach a height of 1.5 metres and a flower diameter of more than 20 cm. In other words, they are definitely eye-catching!

Care tips for customers
Give your customers the following tips in order to ensure they fully enjoy their dahlias.
•    Select a clean vase and fill it with tap water at room temperature.
•    Add cut flower food to the water for a longer vase life.
•    Cut or trim the stems diagonally by 3 to 5 cm with a sharp and clean knife or secateurs.
•    Make sure there are no leaves hanging in the water.
•    Do not place dahlias in a draught, in full sun or near central heating.
•    Regularly top the vase up with tap water, because dahlias are thirsty.
•    Don’t place dahlias near a fruit bowl. Fruit emits ethylene gas which will cause the flowers to age more rapidly.

How to create something special with dahlias
Viburnum, Leucospermum nutans and Senecio cineraria combine perfectly with the Dahlia’s radiant crowns. The fabulous bright colours stand out even better amongst the warm green tones. It creates a Mexican fiesta in a vase that your customers will love.

Dahlia symbolism
Could I have a ‘yours forever’ bouquet, please? When they buy dahlias, your customers are buying more than just fantastic flowers. The flower symbolises abundance, strength and the message ‘yours forever’. With the choice of so many colours and shapes, your customers can make the message even more personal!   

Inspiration and information
Inspiring images of every flower in the Flower Agenda have been produced in line with the Horticulture Sector Trends 2016 (Groenbranche Trends 2016). These trends are a translation of what our consumers are interested in at the moment and are specifically aimed at the horticulture sector for use both indoors and outdoors.

Download and print your poster:  poster-a2-dahlia-uk-v3.0-zs_c.pdf.

If you would like to find out more about the Flower Agenda click here.