Dahlias are reasonably easy plants to grow and yield beautiful blooms from around now. The Dahlia is a daisy-like flower that now has many hybrids around the world. It is a member of the Asteraceae family, related to the daisy as well as the sunflower and the chrysanthemum.

For a bouquet, cut stems in the morning before the heat of the day and put them into a bucket of cool water. Remove stems’ bottom leaves and place the flowers into a vase of water, like your 3 pint jug. Place the jug in a cool spot and out of direct sun. Check the water daily. The bouquet should last about a week.

Did you know that Penzance in Cornwall is the home of the National Collection of Dahlias in the UK. You can have the pleasure of seeing more than 10,000 dahlias in bloom for a few days in September every year.