At the end of April, I had a gardening epiphany, a virtuoso experience if you will: I grew my first dahlia. The hot and humid region of the Chattahoochee Valley of west Georgia is probably not the first area of the country that comes to mind at the mention of a dahlia paradise. But this day in April, as I looked at the Pinkerific, I felt as if I were looking at the most beautiful flower I had ever grown.
I sent pictures to colleagues doing a high-five and strutting as if I were the winner of the International Dahlia Federation, if there is such a thing. As I write this looking out the sunroom window at my Pinkerific, I still think those are the most beautiful blooms. To top all of that, I am not really a pink-flower kind of guy.
Pinkerific is one of five new dahlias that will make their debut next year as the Virtuoso series. There is Classy Carmine, Vibrant Violet, Dayglo Yellow, Rad Raz and the love of my life, Pinkerific. They are all suggested to get 15 to 18 inches tall and 12 to 18 inches wide.
Now in early July, mine is pushing that height and 24 inches wide. Don't forget I am in zone 8, Georgia. All of my varieties have performed beyond all my wildest expectations.
April and May were mild and wonderful, while in June, the triple-digit heat indexes seemed to be belched out of the fiery pits of — well, you know. Rain also ceased to exist. In April and May, I had all containers in full sun, but as June showed its ugly nature, all were moved to a morning-sun/ afternoon-.