Dahlias to grow from seed

‘Bishop’s Children’

Descended from the legendary ‘Bishop of Llandaff’; prettily dissected bronze foliage sets off a long season’s production of single flowers, mainly in reds, oranges, yellows and gold. Good for borders and for cutting. H: 39in (1m).

‘mignon’

The broad petals overlap to create full, yellow-eyed, single flowers on very prolific plants. Available as a mixture featuring the whole range of clear dahlia colours, or as just white or just pink (as above). H: 1½ft (45cm).

‘Black Beauty’

This unique, single-flowered variety has blooms the colour of the chocolate cosmos, looking up at you from neat and compact plants. Ideal in containers, where their colour can be admired in close-up. H: 14in (35cm).

Dahlia merckii

Big, bushy plants carry small, neatly dissected glossy foliage and yelloweyed single flowers in lavender or lavender-pink, produced over a long season. Dependably hardy in much of the country. H: 39in (1m).

‘Dandy’

A bold blend of collarette types that feature a ring of shorter petals around the eye, often in a contrasting colour to the main petals. Flamboyant, with a wide range of colour combinations; good for cutting. H: 2ft (60cm).

‘Sunny reggae’

Harmonious shades in the collarette style, with extra short petals around the centre. Available in a mix of peachy and apricot tones, with the occasional orange- and primrose-coloured plant. Lovely for cutting. H: 20in (50cm).