El Santo is one of the best compact modern varieties available - the decorative, fully double flowers are a wonderfully intense pink, highlighted with a hint of buttery yellow at the base of each petal, most noticeable at the heart.
Browse our other Decorative Dahlias or our full range of Dahlias here.
The plants are compact at just 90cm x 45cm, they will fit into virtually any garden. Despite its small size, the flowers really pack a punch, at up to 15cm wide - "twice the plant from half the size" as our head nurseryman says. It will be in flower from midsummer until the first frosts.
They are great for the cutting garden, with upright heads on strong stems. They look great with other vibrant colours, or simply three flowers in a small vase.
Perfect for pots on the patio - not less than 10 litres volume if possible - where their nodding heads and vibrant colours can be fully appreciated.
All dahlias do best in deep rich soil with good drainage in a sunny spot. If it is windy they will need staking. They are greedy, thirsty plants so will need watering in dry spells, and they will always flower that little bit better if there is a bit of soluble food in the watering can once every couple of weeks.
It is generally more convenient to put support stakes in at planting time, rather than leaving it until there is foliage in the way.
Plant them in your mixed borders, where they'll sit nicely in the middle, looking great alongside a huge range of plants, from annuals like Cosmos, to perennials like Salvia and Echinacea.
This Dutch cultivar was introduced in 2009 and is also sold under the English version of the name, The Saint: Simon Templar fans... this one is for you.