Dahlias are half hardy, so keep them protected from frost. Pot tubers individually between February and April and grow them on in a greenhouse or bright indoor position. Alternatively, start them outside in May, once the risk of frost has passed.
Out of season
New
Dahlia
'Dolce Anna'
Soft colour can still have plenty of presence. Dahlia 'Dolce Anna' opens in luminous layers of cream, pale apricot and shell pink, with a gentle buttery-yellow warmth tucked among the inner petals. As each decorative flower unfolds, the colours drift into one another rather than forming sharp contrasts, giving the blooms a beautifully calm, almost watercolour appearance. The broad petals overlap in full, rounded heads measuring about 10–15cm across, substantial enough to catch the eye without dominating their neighbours. Growing to around 100–120cm, Dahlia 'Dolce Anna' holds its soft, romantic flowers well above fresh green foliage. It's particularly lovely in the changing light of late summer, when the palest petals seem to glow.
Where brighter dahlias command attention, Dahlia 'Dolce Anna' brings a little breathing space to the border. Partner it with lavender-blue salvias, peach-toned flowers and wisps of ornamental grass for a loose, natural combination. The gently coloured blooms are equally useful for cutting and look beautiful in a simple jug with cosmos and garden foliage. Give Dahlia 'Dolce Anna' a sunny, sheltered spot with fertile, well-drained soil and support for its upright stems. Water consistently during dry weather and remove spent flowers to keep new buds developing into autumn. Start the tubers under cover in spring or plant them outside after the last frost; in colder areas, lift them for winter storage somewhere frost-free. With Dahlia 'Dolce Anna', it's the quieter shades that make the lasting impression.
Quantity
Plant profile
Plant calendar
For planting out later, use a snug-fitting 15–20cm pot filled with peat-free multipurpose compost. For a patio display, plant directly into a container at least 30cm wide and keep it somewhere bright and frost free until it can move outdoors.
Position the old stem facing upwards, with the tubers covered and the stem stump level with the compost. Tubers naturally vary in size and shape and may arrive without visible buds. Bent necks are usually fine if they remain firmly attached, so do not remove them.
Water after planting, then allow the compost to become almost dry before watering again while the tuber remains dormant. Once shoots and leaves are growing strongly, water more regularly, always allowing excess water to drain away.
Plant out after the last frost, once the plant is around 20–30cm tall and its roots hold the compost together. Space dahlias approximately 30–50cm apart in borders, allowing less room for compact varieties. Water thoroughly after planting.
Water regularly during active growth and deadhead or cut flowers often. Dahlias usually bloom from July or August until the first frost, although later-planted tubers may start in late August or September. In autumn, lift, clean and dry the tubers, then store them somewhere cool, dry, airy and frost free.
- Botanical name
- Dahlia 'Dolce Anna'
- Flower colour
- Yellow, pink, cream
- Tuber size
- 1
- Established height
- 1-1.2m
- Established spread
- 30-50cm
- Growing skill
- Easy to grow
- Habit
- Upright
- Hardiness
- Half hardy
- Leaf colour
- Green
- Mouse resistant
- No
- Plant spacing
- 5 tubers per m2
- Pollinator friendly
- No
- Position
- Sheltered
- Rabbit resistant
- No
- Scented
- No
- Soil acidity
- Any
- Soil moisture
- Free draining
- Soil type
-
Loam
Sandy
Multipurpose compost
Loam-based compost - Suitable for
-
Large containers
Borders
Gravel gardens
Coastal gardens
Cottage gardens
Low maintenance gardens
Cut flower gardens - Sunlight
-
Full sun
Partial shade - Toxicity
- No report
- Years to establish
- 1st year
Good for cutting
Thrives in full sun
Farmer Gracy exclusive
Perennial
Packed in paper
Low maintenance
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