CHAPTER VII 

 P^ONY-FLOWERED DAHLIAS 



OWING to the fact that Dahlias of this type produce 

 flowers of the largest size with irregularly formed and 

 loosely arranged florets, and rich and varied colouring with 

 bright yellow centres characteristic of herbaceous paeonies, 

 they have become known as " paeony flowered." A more 

 appropriate name could not well have been chosen for them, 

 for to those who are acquainted with the herbaceous paeony 

 in its varied forms it clearly expresses the predominating 

 features of the flowers, and it has also the merit of being 

 short and easily remembered. The flowers of the numerous 

 varieties now in cultivation exhibit a remarkable diversity in 

 form. Many of them have florets that are gracefully curled, 

 some possess florets that not only vary in shape but also in 

 size, and all are more or less beautiful, and make a strong 

 appeal to those who specially appreciate flowers that 

 suggest the hand of nature rather than of man in their 

 making. 



Introduced by Messrs. Copyn & Son of Groenekan, the 

 paeony-flowered Dahlias were presented to public notice at 

 the exhibitions held in London and on the Continent during 

 the autumn of 1905, and their quaint and fantastic forms 

 secured for them a large share of attention. At Paris, 

 Diisseldorf, and elsewhere on the Continent they received 



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