Vasili's Garden Episodes
Soft spot for flowers??
I don’t know why but as the years go by, I think I’m developing a soft spot for flowers?
Although, I still believe that anyone with a tiny, tiny garden should attempt to grow productive plants over ornamentals, but for those with plenty of space flowers are looking pretty good too.
I suppose there’s room for every type of plant to exist on this earth and because everybody has a slightly different opinion as to what they like to grow in their garden, I’m beginning to think that flowers are cool too, especially the ones you can eat.
Just like Jenny and Arthur Parish from Winchelsea who started growing Dahlias 33 years ago for their own pleasure, are today proud parents or should I say growers of over 20,000 dahlia plants.
When I went to visit Jenny and Arthur’s farm 2 weeks ago I was left dumbfounded, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. A sea of dahlias with practically every colour you could possibly imagine in full bloom and with so many different shapes of flowers too.
It was truly a sight for sore eyes to see so many colours at this time of year when almost every other plant is at the end of their flowering season or going dormant.
There are 15 or so different types of dahlias but hundreds of varieties within each type so I suppose growing over 20,000 dahlias isn’t so crazy after all, that is, if you want to make sure you have every possible variety that exists.
Dahlias would have to be one of the easiest plants to grow requiring very little attention after the tubers have been planted in November. Plant them in well drained soil with lots of animal manure or compost and avoid watering the tubers until they grow up to 15cm high unless the soil is really dry.
Unfortunately dahlias have no smell which is great for asthma and allergy sufferers and even Jenny and Arthur’s cows love them too but don’t let them anywhere near the plants otherwise they will eat every flower in sight. “They eat them like lollies.” Says Jenny
In the 1400’s dahlia tubers were considered and alternative source of food to potatoes and I can understand why because they do pose a striking resemblance. But it has been noted also that the Aztecs used dahlias to help cure epilepsy and other illnesses and even today, the juice extracted from the tuber is used to help cleanse the liver and kidneys.
While Jenny’s madness revolves around dahlias Arthur’s would have to be his collection of tractors from the 1940’s and ‘50’s. He is also an inventor, inventing a range of contraptions to help Jenny with her planting and maintenance of the dahlias, but these were only initially invented to help Jenny with her planting, weeding and potting of the dahlias. Unfortunately for Arthur, his inventions worked so well that it gave reason for Jenny to grow and grow her collection, but fortunately for Arthur he has stopped inventing, for now that is.
Country Dahlias celebrates it’s twentieth anniversary in 2010 but when Jenny Parish was given a few dahlia tubers 33 years ago, little did she imagine it would ‘set the seed’ that has blossomed into this vibrantly dazzling display showcased on her property today.
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