September Plant of the Month
Generally, it’s not been a good summer for dahlias on my allotment. I reserve a bed for them each year and enjoy picking the blooms right through from July to when the first frosts arrive. This year, the plants took a long while to get going because of low temperatures and light levels. Then the army of slugs and snails arrived. I find some varieties are more susceptible than others to being chomped – ‘Totally Tangerine’ and ‘David Howard’ for example.
This year ‘Labyrinth’ has stood up well to everything that’s been flung at it and has given me joy when I bring the blooms home to brighten up a windowsill. It grows to about 90cm high and its stems are a good length for cutting. The colour is peachy pink. Sarah Raven describes it like the Queen Mother’s hat and she’s not far wrong (for those of us that can remember those times). So I’ve surprised myself for liking it so much and will certainly be digging it up late October to store over winter in my garage. Let’s hope 2025 is a better summer!
