Dalmeny has everything from dinnerplate dahlias to dwarf varieties
(Image credit: Lockstock Studios/Rosebery Estates)
As summer arrives in Dalmeny Walled Garden, the flower beds burst into a riot of color.
One of the signature flowers of the season is dahlias, encompassing the glasshouse on either side in two impressive beds.
‘We have two mirrored patches of dahlias, though each one is filled with completely different varieties,’ explains Andy Entwistle, Gardener at Rosebery Estates.
It’s a true feast for the eyes by late summer, with all colors and shapes competing for attention.
‘We know dahlias were grown here, but there were no specific varieties listed in the original plans,’ says Lady Jane. ‘So now we plant varieties based on demand,’ she adds.
They’re grown for floral arrangements in the estate’s properties, as well as for the Scottish Flower Grower Collective.
Some of the most dazzling varieties include the magenta ‘Thomas Edison’ (which you can purchase as tubers from Amazon), orange ‘Hollyhill Spiderwoman,’ and the yellow-red ‘Mrs. H. Brown.’
Andy reveals the secret behind such a spectacular display comes down to putting the effort in every fall.
‘We dig up each individual tuber, overwinter the dahlias in perlite or vermiculite in crates, and then replant them in spring,’ he explains. ‘It’s the most reliable way to ensure abundant blooms every year.’
Blooms of every color come out in the summer months
(Image credit: Lockstock Studios/Rosebery Estates)
The south and eastern borders are just as colorful, with the likes of coneflowers, salvia ‘Hot Lips,’ and foxgloves bringing splashes of pink. Clever use of tightly packed geraniums, lady’s mantle, and verbena offers natural edging and weed suppression.
‘The east wall was the last to be restored, completed last year,’ says Lady Jane. ‘In total, the garden needed 20,000 handmade bricks laying, many of which we managed to salvage and repurpose from the original walls.’
‘Planting up the east wall has been so exciting,’ Joseph adds. ‘It’s the last one and really sets every element of the garden in place.
‘Having said that, we’re always changing up what we grow, and even grow the same plants on different walls for successional planting, providing a continuous harvest and display of blooms,’ he explains.
‘We’re constantly developing and tweaking, trying different growing techniques and placement,’ Andy adds. ‘There’s no single formula, it’s about working with nature while meeting the demands of the garden and being creative in the process.’
