Overview
Dahlia 'Bishop of Dover' is a tuberous perennial in the genus Dahlia, part of the Asteraceae family. Dahlia 'Bishop of Dover' grows best in full sun, and tolerates well-drained and fertile soils and neutral to slightly acidic pH. Its UK hardiness is rated H4. Suggested uses include borders, containers and cut flowers.
About
Dahlia 'Bishop of Dover' (Bishop of Dover Dahlia) is a tuberous perennial cultivar within the Dahlia genus, which comprises bushy, tuberous herbaceous perennials native to Mexico and Central America. As a member of the Asteraceae family, it thrives in full sun with a south-facing aspect and can tolerate conditions from sheltered to exposed. It prefers well-drained, fertile soil that is neutral to slightly acidic and moist but well-drained. Suitable for borders, containers, and cut flowers, it requires planting tubers after the last frost, staking if tall, and deadheading to promote blooms.
About the genus
Dahlias come from the high meadows of Mexico, and somewhere in that heritage is the explanation for how they behave here: tender to frost, hungry, generous beyond all reason. No other plant gives you quite so much for so little. One tuber, planted after the last frost, becomes a shrub's worth of flowers by August — and the more you cut, the more they come.The range is faintly ridiculous. Tight pompoms, spiky cactus types, singles the bees adore, dinner-plates the size of your face. Whatever your garden's mood, there is a dahlia that agrees with it, which is probably why every generation falls out of love with them and then, a decade later, falls straight back in.They're at their best when much of the garden is winding down — late summer into autumn, flowering hard until the first frost calls time. I think of them as the encore. And they always play it.
Written by Henry
Growing conditions
Best soil and position for Dahlia
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil type
- well-drained, fertile
- Soil pH
- neutral to slightly acidic
- Soil moisture
- moist but well-drained
- Aspect
- south-facing
- Exposure
- sheltered to exposed
- UK hardiness
- H4
Plant details
Dahlia 'Bishop of Dover' size, habit and characteristics
- Plant type
- tuberous perennial
- Suggested uses
- borders, containers, cut flowers
Care notes
Pruning and caring for Dahlia 'Bishop of Dover'
- Cultivation
- Plant tubers after last frost; stake tall varieties; deadhead to encourage blooms.
- Pruning
- Pinch out growing tips to encourage bushiness; remove spent flowers.
- Propagation
- tuber division, cuttings
Frequently asked questions
How do I grow Dahlia 'Bishop of Dover'?
Plant tubers after last frost; stake tall varieties; deadhead to encourage blooms.
Where is the best place to plant Dahlia 'Bishop of Dover'?
Dahlia 'Bishop of Dover' prefers full sun. It suits sheltered to exposed positions.
What soil does Dahlia 'Bishop of Dover' need?
Dahlia 'Bishop of Dover' grows best in well-drained and fertile soil. It prefers neutral to slightly acidic soil. Aim for soil that stays moist but well-drained.
How do I prune Dahlia 'Bishop of Dover'?
Pinch out growing tips to encourage bushiness; remove spent flowers.
Is Dahlia 'Bishop of Dover' hardy in the UK?
Dahlia 'Bishop of Dover' has an RHS hardiness rating of H4, meaning it is hardy through an average UK winter, tolerating -10 to -5°C.
How do I propagate Dahlia 'Bishop of Dover'?
Tuber division, cuttings.
More in the Dahlia genus
- Dahlia 'Clearview Cameron' (C)
- Dahlia 'Croydon Jumbo' (D)Dahlia
- Dahlia 'Elizabeth Snowden' (Col)
- Dahlia 'Katie's Velvet' (Col)Dahlia
- Dahlia 'LB Michael Braithwaite' (D)
- Dahlia 'Amazing Grace' (Misc)
- Dahlia 'Aurora's Kiss' (Ba)
- Dahlia 'Black Diamond' (Ba)