NURSERYMAN Robin Pearce probably knows more about dahlias and chrysanthemums than you can shake a stick at.
He is the secretary of Worcester and District Chrysanthemum and Dahlia Society, chairman of the Royal Horticultural Society’s dahlia trial panel, a dahlia judge and a successful exhibitor.
He’s also a keen gardener, a lecturer on gardening, a photographer, a partner of World’s End Nursery, Hallow, near Worcester and he can’t really remember a time when he wasn’t interested in dahlias.
He said: “It started when I was a teenager growing a few plants and later I became interested in exhibiting at flower shows.
“My interest in chrysanthemums is mainly growing hardy cultivars for display in herbaceous borders.
Both dahlia and chrysanthemums make ideal cut flowers and are great for late colour in the flower border.”
The easiest way to start growing dahlias is to buy them in plastic bags at a garden centre in early spring. They only cost about £2 and are cultivars that are suitable for borders and patio containers.
Chrysanthemums can be bought as ‘pot mums’ (pot grown plants with masses of tiny flowers) in late summer and they flower well into the autumn.
Although dahalias originate in Mexico and chryanthemums are from eastern Asia no special treatment is required for either species but they both benefit from regular feeding and the taller types may require support.
Mr Pearce said: “I grow my dahlias for exhibition at Laylocks Garden Centre Show and Malvern Autumn Show in September. They are also useful as cut flowers throughout the summer and autumn.
“Hardy chrysanthemums are used to provide warm autumn colours in our herbaceous borders and they go very well with michaelmas daisies, providing a rich display flowers until the first frosts.
“Dahlias are very much in fashion with gardeners at the moment. We sold out of plants very early this year and there are lots of new and exciting forms being developed by the plant breeders.
“The single flowered cultivars are becoming very popular because they have such a long flowering period and are available in wide range of colours, except blue.
“There are also new forms of chrysanthemums being breed, especially as cut flowers. Many of these are very popular with flower arrangers, who value their long life in displays.”
Anyone interested in knowing more can contact the Worcester and District Chrysanthemum and Dahlia Society through Mr Pearce on 01905 640977 or e-mail him at info@worldsendgarden.co.uk.
For useful websites go to worldsendgarden.co.uk, dahliands.
co.uk, national chrysanthemumsociety.org.uk, gardenchrysanthemums.org.uk or national-dahlia-collection.co.uk.
