Dahlia 'Valerie McDonald'
- Height × spread
- 0.8m × 0.45m
- Position
- Full sun
- Hardiness
- Mild winter to -5C (RHS H3)
- Flowers
- Summer, Autumn
Availability
Please ask in store about availability
Many plants are seasonal. Call 01234 567890 to check current stock.
About this plant
A rather showy and voluptuous double flower with fat, often wavy petals coloured a glowing, almost neon shade of orange pink. The colour pales to peach on the petal edges, the pale shade sometimes predominating over a third of the petal. The leaves are dark green and the flowers are held on dark stalks. Wonderful set against fresh greens, if any can be found at high summer. This can flower as early as June, the flowers lasting for some months if regularly deadheaded.
- Flower colour
- Orange
- Foliage colour
- Green
- Variegated
- No
- Scent
- No
- Shape
- Bell
- Height
- 0.8m
- Spread
- 0.45m
- Season of interest
- Summer, Autumn
- Flowers in
- Summer, Autumn
- Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Garden style
- Seaside garden
- Sun or shade
- Likes full sun, tolerates part shade
- Soil type
- Loam (normal)
- Soil pH
- Neutral
- Drainage
- Well drained soil
- Hardiness
- Mild winter to -5C (RHS H3)
- Borders & containers
- Borders
- Use for
- Rabbit resistant, Bee attraction
- Hazards
- No
AutumnNow
Autumn - late · Outdoors
Apply a deep protective mulch
Provide a deep protective mulch in autumn, spreading it around the plant and covering it to give it both nutrients and some protection against the weather.
A mulch is a covering that can: protect the soil surface from rain, heat and cold; deter weeds; provide nutrients. Organic indicates that material has vegetative origin e.g. manure, compost. Synthetics i.e. plastics, or stones are often called mulches.
Autumn · Planting
Lift before winter
Lift bulbs. tubers or rhizomes in autumn, to keep for the following year. Keep dry and in a frost-free location for the winter. Re-plant in spring.
Spring
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Water during dry periods
For plants in the ground, when there has been little or no rain for a period of 7-10 days and the soil is dry, give it a deep watering and repeat weekly until there is a downpour of rain. Check plants in pots more frequently, especially in hot weather.
Spring-Autumn · Planting
Protect from slugs & snails
Protect young plants and new growth from slugs; mature plants can withstand slugs though damage affects their appearance. Apply nematodes in Spring. Or sprinkle organic slug pellets thinly around plants. Barrier methods, eg copper tape, may help.
Summer
Summer - early · Outdoors
Apply slow release fertiliser
Apply a slow release fertiliser which is spread around the root area of the plants soon after they have come into growth. (Or apply a liquid feed at regular intervals throughout the growing season.)
This is a simple way to provide a nutrient boost as a single annual procedure.
Summer-Autumn · Planting
Support tall stems
The plant may require support for long stems. Provide an artificial frame which it can grow through, or loosely tie the whole plant. A network of twigs can be woven together to provide a framework through which the plant can grow.
Tall stems can lean or be battered by weather. Support the plant to keep its vertical lines, aiming for a natural appearance which is easy on the eye.
Planting & general
Planting
Deadhead blooms during flowering season
Remove flowers as they turn brown and fade. Snip the stem just below the bloom. This will keep the plant tidy and encourage more flowers.
The removal of spent flowers encourages the plant to produce fresh ones, rather than spend its energy on the development of seeds.
Compost · Planting
Multi-purpose compost
Use a good quality peat-free multi-purpose compost when growing in pots and containers.