Dahlias are Growing on Me.

The Dahlia Toto is stunning.

It sure is Toto head will be swelling.

Great blog David and I say again what a novel way to get children interested in gardening.
I have one that I know you already have, chocolate cosmos, I found it in the poorly plant section a couple of weeks ago in B&Q, it was supposed to have stopped flowering and looked really sorry for itself, I re-potted it and was going to bring it in to overwinter it but it has flowered again.

Very good read David and smashing photo`s, I treated my daughter-in-law to a Karma Choc yesterday and its fabulous,I thought of you when I saw it,I agree that Toto is lovely............

OOOOoooooo David they look fantastic :)

nice dahlias, they do grow on you don't they :))))))

Lovely pics David, I love dahlias too. My Bishop of Llandaff is over 7' tall this year and about 3' wide so put it at the back! Good luck with the search.

Good blog David the flowers look wonderful,didn't know you could eat them too, mmmmm smorgasbord !

There's a dahlia called "After Eight" David....pure white flower, with chocolate coloured foliage.....I bought one from the Tatton Show a couple of years back, but the snails couldn't resist it :((

Have you considered Zaluzianskya ovata? Andrewr has a nice photo white & purple which got me looking it up online. It's leggier cousin is called Midnight Candy for the nighttime fragrance. See July 6, 2002 <www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/.../How-to-grow-Zaluzianskya>

Thank You, All :-)

"Toto" is what's called an anemone-type Dahlia, and doesn't grow tall, so can be planted in containers, too.

My Cosmos has had a resurgence, Bob, since I started snipping off the dead flowerheads to get seed. Think it has a few weeks left yet of flowering, before the plants need moved inside.

Lincslass - thank you for thinking of me, lol! Will keep the tubers which didn't grow for me this year, in the hope that they do so next year. Will also get some new ones in Spring. lovely pressy for your daughter-in-law. There are pics of it here on GoY. :-)

Lily2 - 7 ft! Didn't know they grew to such a height. Marvellous!

Indy - Like the "link" between smorgasbord and Dahl the Swedish botanist, lol! Don't know if Id fancy eating the flowers of any of those hybridised varieties, though!

Di - Thank You. Just reminded me that I did see "After Eight" less than 2 weeks ago at a show, but not for sale.
Has gone onto my wishlist now. :-)

Orgratis - Many Thanks for this info, which have now checked out. Marvellous plant, apparently, for its evening scent - "smells in the evening like sherbet sweeties" commented Volunteer on another thread here on GoY.
The annual variety Z. capensis, is the one named "Midnight Candy", and seeds readily available here.
Something new for next year !! :-)

And don't forget Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens, the evergreen perennial kind). We're growing chocolate cherry tomatoes which are 1" brownish maroon, skin a little tough, but tasty. The Sungold cherry tomatoes are sweeter, 10 on Brix scale, bright orange little, split easily, and my Italian Greyhound Penny has learned how to put her long nose into the bush to pick her own! Also saw a cherry tomato called Isis Candy, yellow & red, but haven't tried it.

Never got round to sowing the Candytuft, Orgratis (will keep for next year, tho!(. Am also growing "Chocolate Cherry" toms - but wonder if they will EVER change from green, here!!!!) "Sungold" is well-known over here, and may try next year, weather permitting! "Isis Candy" is a new one, though! Many Thanks!! Lots of Love to Penny, and you, for sniffing out those! :-))

White Flower Farm is sold out of Digitalis 'Candy Mountain': upward facing large mauve tubes with pink buds, but worth a look if your kids are old enough to know not to eat everything. Are you going to have a corner for a Giant Peach as well?!

That "Candy Mountain" sounds tremendous, Orgratis - will look it up!! Many Thanks! :-))

To grow peaches here would be very expensive, as they need. preferably, a south-facing wall (to absorb the sun's heat) and enclosed in glass. Yes, my kids are very aware of what not to touch/eat. Have got pics in my gallery labelled "James and the Giant Chocolate Bar", and "James and the Giant Trampolene" as a sort of "nod" towards that great Roald Dahl story - and movie, too! :-))

If you don't grow peaches, how ya ever going to drift across the pond?! bobbing on wormy apples? I'll work on looking for the pix but I get so easily sidetracked: is there a way to search by label instead of clicking on each image?

Here's a good one for you and the kids David...
Salpiglossis Royale Chocolate, copy and paste the link below into your browser bar.

http://www.thompson-morgan.com/plants1/product/p86760/1.html

Let me know what you think 8-)

And another!

http://www.longfellowsgarden.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/plants.plantDetail/plant_id/576/index.htm

8o)))

Yes, Orgratis. On my homepage, click on the "Garden" tab at the top. Most of my pics are in albums, and you'll see the list there. We often joke that three "clicks" will take us back to Oz!!

As for travelling, will build a great glass elevator to speed around in. In the sequel story "Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator", they orbited Earth, rescued some astronuats in space, and got invited to the White House. Does this sound even a shade less "fruity" than peaches or apples?

:-))

Many Thanks, Jen! The Salpiglossis is now on our "Wanted" list. Not sure what I'm looking for on the Longfellows site, as the address you gave me just takes me to their home page. Can you direct me closer? :-))

Try this one...8o)))

Ajuga reptens 'Black Scallop, Caitlin's Giant, Chocolate Chip ...
Black Scallop, Caitlin's Giant, Chocolate Chip are three of our favorite ajuga varieties ... Ajuga is excellent plant to use for erosion control due to it's ...
www.longfellowsgarden.com/.../plants.plantDetail/plant.../index.htm - Cached - Similar

Ah, got it now, Jen, Thanks!

I do have Ajuga reptens "Mahogany", but "Chocolate Chip" sounds ideal - gone onto the ever-increasing "Wanted" list, too. You have also given me one for our next garden theme (2011). :-))

Have I ??!
Are you going to spill the beans? 8o)

Sorry, Jen, even though you have been a great help with the Ajuga, I'm keeping quiet - just in case I change my mind. :-)

Don't blame you David, go with the flow dear! 8o)

I grew Dahlias for the first time last year too and have also been pleased how they turned out with their bright colours and form. You might like to check out Doon's blog on Dahlias as she has some with fabulous contrasting colours that have made me more particular for any future selections. On the chocolate theme I did a blog on real roses but thought of Cadbury roses and your chocolate garden last week and gave you a mention in the introduction. Of the Dahlia photos on your blog I liked Janette's Bishop of Llandaff best - the height and bright red should be very eye catching. Thanks to you both for bringing it to my attention.

OMG, GF! Have not long ago read your blog, and left a comment. Many Thanks for thinking of us, hehe, but I do have a "chocolate" rose in mind. Have read Doon's wonderful blog, too. Yes, Dahlia "Bishop of Llandaff" is a beaut, and has choc brown foliage, too. So easy to get, but left it too late this year. Something to look forward to, however. :-)