The magic is here—nicknamed the Houdini of the garden because of its many sizes, shapes, and colors—dahlias are in season in our area of New England. And the variety is nearly endless.

Blooms can be a petite two inches in diameter like Little William, a honeycomb ball dahlia, up to a foot in diameter like the magnificent decorative dinner plate Café Au Lait pictured in our bridal bouquet, one of our favorites and perennially loved by brides.

The flowers can be cactus blooms like Star Elite, or water-lily blooms like Keith H.

And the colors go from pure white like White Fawn to dark burgundy like Black Jack, with all types of single and multi-color variations in between.

Most dahlias have ancestoral roots in the mountains of Mexico and Guatamala. But dahlias also bloom throughout European history, imported to Spain then to Britain where many varieties were developed. Marie Antoinette was a fan, and a German and Swedish botanist vied to name the bloom. Swedish botanist Anders Dahl prevailed.

Today, there are over 1000 species available commercially May through September. Locally, dahlias grace the garden July through September, or until a killing frost. Dahlias love the warm days and cool nights of September, earning them another nickname, Queen of the Autumn Garden.

If cutting in your own garden, remove the leaves and place in cold water. Dahlias are sensitive to bacteria so make sure the bucket or vase is clean, and change the water every other day.

For the next couple months, at Copper Penny Flowers, we’ll be in a blissful dahlia daze! Join us! Come into the shop to find your special favorite. Take advantage of these weeks to dazzle your days with dahlias!