Fairway Spur Decorative Dahlias

Dahlia Fairway Spur

If you're a fan of vintage and retro looks, you'll love Fairway Spur Dahlias. This giant decorative type, so big it's often referred to as a 'dinnerplate' dahlia is a sumptuous blend of hazy colours. The petals are a soft mix of apricot and pink, while the flower takes on a bronze tone closer to the centre.

Far from being a regimented shape, the huge, soft flowers - from 25cm across and upwards (see below) - have an almost shaggy appearance due to its gently twisted petals -real shabby chic charm. But if you would like a smaller, more organised dahlia take a look at the rest of our range. There's sure to be something to tempt you.

The huge flowers blooms are held on stout bright green stems, above attractive deep green foliage which makes a perfect backdrop towards the back of your border.

Growing Fairway Spur Dahlias

This stunning giant is a top-class exhibition variety, introduced in 1996, and favoured by many keen growers for its size, beauty and reliability. Generally, its flowers measure 25-28 cms in diameter, but with disbudding and feeding with dilute tomato feed, they can reach a massive 38cm across!

Of course, flowers that big are difficult to work into mixed borders so disbud in your cutting bed or allotment for show bench monsters and leave them alone in borders where the gorgeous colour combination of the blooms will improve any display, especially when contrasted with dark grasses or purple-leaved shrubs like Cotinus (the smoke bush) or perennials.

The huge flowers of Fairway Spur are a florist's dream and its colours are bang on trend for floral designers. Just a few stems in a vase make a massive statement.

Features of Dahlia Fairway Spur

• Colour: Apricot and pink and bronze hues
• Foliage: Dark green divided leaves
• Flower Size: 25cm to 38cm
• Type: Decorative (Giant)
• Cutting: Yes
• Height/Spread: 1.2m x 75cm
• Flowering: July to November
• Planting Months: End February to July

Did You Know...

When grown for exhibition, 'dinnerplate' dahlia growers aim to get the biggest but perfect blooms in their category. It's not just a matter of choosing the largest varieties - plants need a helping hand. Removing most flower buds means the plant puts all its energy into one large flower. Allow 2-3 stems per plant and disbud to 4-5 pairs below the terminal bud (some growers say disbud to the first 3-4 pairs of buds below the terminal bud). And feed regularly with dilute tomato feed to give your plants an extra boost.