Dahlia 'Hillcrest Amour' (D) — Bushy, clump-forming, tuberous perennial

Overview

Dahlia 'Hillcrest Amour' (D) is a bushy, clump-forming, tuberous perennial bedding in the genus Dahlia, part of the Asteraceae family, with green, occasionally dark-leaved foliage. Dahlia 'Hillcrest Amour' (D) grows best in full sun, and tolerates loam soils and neutral pH. Its UK hardiness is rated H4. Suggested uses include borders, containers and cut flowers.

About

Dahlia 'Hillcrest Amour' is a clump-forming, tuberous herbaceous perennial prized for its sustained flowering from July to October. The plant forms a well-branched clump with green, occasionally darker foliage and produces garden-worthy stems for display. It suits full sun on loamy, neutral soil that stays moist but drains freely and prefers a south-facing, sheltered site. Rated H4 (average) for UK gardens, it is commonly used in borders, containers and for cut flowers.

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

In the garden

Dahlia 'Hillcrest Amour' belongs to the genus Dahlia in the family Asteraceae and grows as a tuberous, herbaceous perennial with a clump-forming habit. The foliage is green and can sometimes take on a darker tone; the plant is cultivated for its extended bloom period from July to October. Plant in a position that receives full sun, on loam with a neutral pH, and ensure soil remains moist but well drained. A south-facing, sheltered aspect reduces stress from wind and exposure, matching the plant's preference for a sheltered situation. The H4 hardiness rating indicates it performs across the majority of UK gardens in typical winter conditions, though siting and soil drainage remain important. Use Dahlia 'Hillcrest Amour' in mixed borders or large containers where its clump-forming habit provides seasonal structure, and cut stems for indoor arrangements. Flowers are available through late summer into autumn, making the variety useful for extending the season in beds and for supplying blooms for cutting between July and October.