I have been growing dahlias both successfully and unsuccessfully for over 20 years but it’s only quite recently that I have embarked on growing from my own harvested seed.

My first attempt in growing dahlias was to supplement my vegetable showing which I rapidly became addicted to in the late 1990s. I was targeting the RHS Banksian medal at a number of local Bedfordshire shows. In order to be successful in obtaining the most prize money in horticultural classes, for which the medal was awarded, I was having to exhibit outside my usual discipline. I chose dahlias as a number of the village shows in the area supported extensive dahlia sections. This however is as far as my research took me. Hindsight is a wonderful thing and if I had invested in some decent exhibition varieties, rather than thriftily hoover up the special offers at the local garden centre, then my early efforts may have proved more fruitful.

A change of jobs was accompanied with a move down south, well to Surrey, where some research led me to discover Halls of Heddon, a top supplier of both dahlia tubers and rooted cuttings. My first purchase was a starter pack which included the likes of, Janal Amy, White City, Scaur Swinton and Aurwen’s Vilolet. Immediately I fell for the giants which prompted me to research them in a bit more detail and from this I started to learn about things like taking cuttings, disbudding and stopping, a whole new vocabulary.

Another Job change resulted in another move, this time to West Sussex and when my dahlia growing resumed, I was concentrating almost solely on giants and starting to do quite well at a number of local shows, eventually winning my first NDS silver medal for a pair of Fairway Spur. Over the next few years I started showing further afield, and having some success. Winning the giant decreative single bloom and three bloom classes at The Malvern Autum Show, being one of the highlights. I also entered the novice section at the NDS Nationals championships at Wisely Gardens and came away with a first for three Janal Amy in the giant cactus / semi-cactus class and a first two Kenora Valentine and a Hamari Gold in the three giant decorative class. Things were looking good but having won the Novice classes meant that I was now having to show in the “big boy” classes, where success took a few more years to come.

Retirement and another relocation, this time back to the south west from whence I came, I discovered the Cornish Dahlia Society, who welcomed me with open arms, even though, I was living 5 miles north of that important boarder. It was there, amongst its established members that I was first really exposed to growing seedlings. I had tried growing dahlias from commercial seed in the past and ended up with nothing that remotely resembled what was exemplified on the packet. I had discounted this as a bad show, not to be attempted again. Attending my first CDS show I was amazed at the number of seedlings entered by the likes of Cyril, David, Roy and the plentiful Collerettes of Dr Mike. This inspired me to give it a go myself and I haven’t looked back.

My first attempt to harvest seed was from a star dahlia called Destiny’s Teacher. I chose this particular variety as it has some key characteristics and I was intrigued to see if any of them turned up in its offspring. A star dahlia, so a key shape, with white and purple variegated petals. I grew about 100 plants from collected seed and there were five that I was interested in, including a simple white semi-star. It must be destiny, as the only tuber of the five that survived the winter was the white semi-star.

Over the next few seasons I built up stock of this seedling and it remained stable and consistent. I entered it in a number of local and not so local shows. Since then it has won the any other class at the Malvern Antumn Show two years running and was awarded first in the garden /cut flower class at the 2023 NDS National championships. This has prompted me to officially register and name it. May I introduce you to West Putford White.

I have harvested seed from West Putford White and have a number of interesting offspring from it. Luckily, most of the tubers have made it through the winter and I hope to propagate larger numbers of plants, to test stability and consistency before adding to the West Putford portfolio.

This year in addition to descendants of West Putford White, I am looking at seedlings of, anemones Paso Double and Blue Bayou and miniature cactus Weston Spanish Dancer. Fingers crossed!

Dahlia’s I have bred:

Year bred: 2021
Type: Single / Semi-Star
Colour: White
Suitability: Good as garden or cut-flower.  Has performed well at shows in the any other class.  Ideal for a novice grower.
Height: 90cm
Any special growing conditions? None
For showing how many to grow up: This dahlia does not need bloom numbers to be restricted.
Is it officially named: Yes
Is it commercially available: No, but will be available at the Cornish Dahlia Society plant sales.