Dahlia Weekend at Lullingstone Castle & the World Garden
14th & 15th August 2010, 11am - 5pm

Dahlias are magnificent plants and with some 30 different species they offer a great choice for most gardeners. Whilst being native to the mountainous regions of Mexico, they are in fact temperate plants and well suited to our climate.

Over the weekend of 14th and 15th August, Jon Wheatley, adviser to the National Collection of Dahlias who earned the Gold Medal and the President’s Award given to the best exhibit in the Grand Pavilion at Chelsea in 2009, decorated the House with a selection of cut dahlias. Jon and Tom then co-led free guided tours of the World Garden at 12:30 and 3pm and were on hand to give plant advice.

MoCHA, the Museum of Culinary History and Alimentation, was also on site selling chilli plants and seeds and explaining the American kitchen garden at Lullingstone with free samples of some of what is grown. They were also available to give advice on growing vegetables.

          

Tom discovered a Dahlia chance seedling (see above right) in the World Garden in 2009, and will submit it in the Chelsea Flower Show in 2011, under the guidance of Jon Wheatley. Tom is hoping it will be officially recognized as a new cultivar and plans to name it ‘Lullingstone Castle’.