190 The Amateur's Book of ike Dahlia 



prize winners at some of the largest exhibitions, 

 and they may be cultivated and disbudded in 

 the border just as well as in the patch behind 

 the barn. They like each other's company and 

 do better in the border if planted in groups of 

 three or more; but it is in the true dahlia garden, 

 carefully planned, well prepared and planted, 

 that the finest of all flowers unfolds her beauty 

 and does herself full justice. 



There need be no limit set to design or colour 

 scheme. There are dahlias of every habit — 

 some so tall that they may be made to climb, 

 and some so low that they almost seem to creep. 

 There are six sevenths of the rainbow to choose 

 from — ^more hues than even the rose may 

 boast of — and every combination of colour in 

 twos, threes, and even fours. There is no 

 flower known which has as many forms of bloom, 

 each lending its own individuality to the garden 

 or the decoration. 



The pompons, for many years almost unknown 

 to the gardeners, have found themselves again. 

 Though not. so well adapted to the border, they 

 are invaluable as a dinner-table decoration. 

 Gretchen Heine, for instance, one of the few 

 flecked dahlias which I personally care for, is a 

 delicate pale pink, touched on the edges with a 

 deeper pink. Set into a pale blue bowl with a 



