I’ve pulled up a raised bed’s worth of ground cover with the thought of planting dahlias there in the spring. I’ve been doing a bit of research on planting tips and came across an informative site, The Garden Helper. Here’s what their page on dahlias had to say:

Dahlias should not be planted until all danger of frost has passed, and the soil temperature reaches 58-60 degrees F. Excessively wet soil may cause the tubers to rot, so if your weather has been wet and stormy, you may want to wait for a drying trend.

Dig and prepare a 12 inch diameter by 12 inch deep planting hole. Mix a shovel full of compost, a handful of bone meal, and a little Dolomite lime to the soil which was removed.

Fill the planting hole with the soil mixture until it is about six inches deep. Then place the tuber horizontally in the bottom of the hole with the eye pointing upward. Tall varieties will need staking, so this is a good time to set an appropriate size stake into the ground next to the tuber (near the eye). This will prevent damage which can result if it is added after the tuber has begin to grow.

Cover the tuber with about two inches of your soil mixture and water thoroughly. When the sprout begins to emerge from the soil, gradually add more soil mix until the hole is entirely filled. Once the plant attains sufficient height, secure it loosely to the stake. (I recommend using a length of an old nylon stocking because it will stretch as the plant grows, rather than cutting into the stem, as string will do.) Add more ties as the stem grows until the plant is supported approximately 24 inches below the eventual top of the plant.

A Dahlia in bloom is a heavy feeder, so you may want to consider using a water soluble “bloom type” fertilizer about a month before the plants begin to bloom.

Dahlias which have been started in pots may be planted in the prepared hole following the same procedures you would for any other perennial plant.

That sounds a bit fussy compared to what I’ve done with garden over the past year, but after seeing what a year of near neglect does, I’m ready to get my hands dirty in the yard again.

I was doing a bit of research into dahlias, since I’m planning on planting a bed of them next year. On Wikipedia, I found this interesting bit of information:

In 1872 a box of Dahlia roots were sent from Mexico to the Netherlands. Only one plant survived the trip, but produced spectacular red flowers with pointed petals. Nurserymen bred from this plant, which was named Dahlia juarezii with parents of Dahlias discovered earlier and these are the progenitors of all modern Dahlia hybrids. Ever since, plant breeders have been actively breeding Dahlias to produce hundreds of cultivars, usually chosen for their stunning and brightly coloured flowers.

It’s amazing that so many of the beautiful dahlias that are all over my neighborhood are decendants of a single plant that survived a sail aross the Atlantic ocean.

The picture above was taken at the Point Defiance gardens in Tacoma, WA.

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This picture was taken at Tacoma’s Point Defiance Park. While the colors are a bit off in the background, it shows how overwhelming the striking yellow of black-eyed susans can be when they are in full bloom.

The state flower of Maryland, black-eyed susans are of the genus Rudbeckia, named after Olaus Olai Rudbeck, a botanist and physician from Sweden in the early 1700s. The flower can be either an annual or perennial and often spreads itself naturally through its seeds, resulting in a late-summer wildflower show along country roads.

Black-eyed susans are available in many varieties, some with short flowers and others that reach five feet in height. The petals vary from bright yellow to orange to almost brown and the flower’s “black” eye can be large or small and actually be green.

Black-eyed susans are available in many varieties, some with short flowers and others that reach five feet in height. The petals vary from bright yellow to orange to almost brown and the flower’s “black” eye can be large or small and actually be green.

Black-eyed susans provide quite a show in the late summer and fall gardens, attracting butterflies and the occasional curious passerby. Their yellow bursts of color are a great addition to just about any landscape.

The bleeding heart is a plant in one of several species in the genus Dicentra known for its flowers: they appear to be tiny hearts with a drop of blood hanging from the tips. The most commonly found bleeding heart is the Dicentra spectabilis, or Japanese bleeding heart. Its pink and white flowers contrast nicely with its broad bluish-green leaves. The Dicentra spectabilis blooms in spring, giving a nice burst of color into the garden and goes into dormancy as the summer heats up. The bleeding heart does best in a shady area, since it is native to the woodlands of Japan.

Other varieties of the bleeding heart are the Dicentra Formosa (western bleeding heart) and Dicentra eximia (Fringed bleeding heart). They are similar to each other in appearance, with fern-like bluish-green leaves.

Resources:

• Rob’s Plants: Dicentra spectabilis
• Web India: Bleeding Heart

The hyacinth was originally native to the Middle East and was purportedly first cultivated by the ancient Greeks and Romans. The hyacinths grown in ancient times were far less showy than modern versions. Dutch hybridizers transformed the early sparse-flowered hyacinths into garden-worthy showpieces over a period of centuries.

The hyacinth blooms in relatively early spring, with its fragrant flowers available in a multitude of colors: red, blue, yellow, white, pink, and purple, to name a few. During their first year, the flowers are packed thickly around its central stalk. As the years go by, though, the flowers become less densly packed.

Hyacinths need well-drained soil and benefit from a sunny location. However, if they are being treated as annuals, they can be planted in a shadier location since the bulbs won’t need to recover for another season’s flowering.

Resources:

• http://www.bulb.com/hyacinths/history.asp