Dahlia Gallery: description of varieties, photos

Gallery dahlias, or Gallery, are a new subspecies of a popular plant familiar to many from early childhood. Easy to care for, even novice gardeners can grow this type of plant; varieties come in almost every shade except blue. It differs from traditional bushes in its low growth, early flowering, and lush, double flowers. Developed by a Dutch breeder as a border plant for flowerbeds, garden paths, and patios.

When growing and caring for Gallery dahlias, remember that the plant is native to Mexico and therefore thrives in full sun. Experienced growers note in descriptions of this collection that these bushes delight the eye with a variety of pastel and vibrant shades not only outdoors but also bloom beautifully indoors and in conservatories. Gallery dahlias are also considered bouquet plants and thrive as cut flowers.

Features of planting the variety

Under all conditions, the plant rarely grows taller than 40 cm. It's best to plant it permanently from seedlings. Seeds should be purchased from a reputable supplier and planted in pots or disposable cups with a good bottom layer of expanded clay or fine gravel—the plants don't tolerate excess moisture well.

The basic soil for good flower development is a mixture of peat, humus, and sand for outdoor use. This can also be used when planting in containers or large pots. Alternatively, you can buy a ready-made mixture, but be sure to label it "For flowers and flowering plants."

The process of planting Gallery seeds is no different from similar manipulations with ordinary annuals:

1. Place seeds on moist soil at some distance from each other or 2-3 seeds in disposable seedling containers.
2. Sprinkle a centimeter-thick layer of substrate on top.
3. Cover the entire structure with film.
4. It should be kept in a room with an air temperature of at least 27 degrees.
5. As soon as the seedlings begin to emerge, remove the cover and continue caring for them as you would for regular garden seedlings.

Seedlings can be transplanted to their permanent location only when frost has passed. If the plants have grown sufficiently by this time, but poor weather prevents them from being transplanted into a flowerbed, they will need to be pricked out. For optimal development and early flowering, they require more space than they would have in a seedling container.

Before transplanting, be sure to soak the containers with the cuttings in warm water for several hours to minimize damage to the plants during planting. If you plan to grow flowers in containers or large flower pots for a balcony, transplanting can be combined with planting them in their permanent location. In this case, add a small amount of wood ash to the soil after disinfecting it with a thick solution of potassium permanganate heated to 70 degrees Celsius. Containers for decorative garden or flowerbed arrangements with these Dutch beauties should be wide – at least 30 cm wide and the same depth.

A week or two before you plan to move your dahlias outdoors, gradually bring the pots or seedlings outdoors to harden them off. Gradually increase the time the Gallery spends outdoors to allow the flowers to acclimate to the fresh air. At the same time, reduce the temperature in the growing room by 1-2 degrees every other day.

Planting site for Gallery dahlias

Flowers of this species love light, but in extreme heat, the soil beneath the bush dries out quickly, so choose sunny spots with sufficient sunlight for 6-8 hours. This location can be chosen experimentally by measuring which part of your garden receives the exact amount of sunlight. Since there are no blue varieties in the collection, brightly colored plants in all shades of blue and conifers make good companions for a colorful flowerbed. The only thing the dahlia dislikes is asters—if such a flower grows nearby, or was in the same spot where the Gallery was planted, the plant will die.

Soil for dahlias Gallery

The only type of soil these plants can't tolerate is one that's too acidic. Therefore, if the acidity in the planting site exceeds 6.7 on the pH scale, you should either lower the pH or find another location. These plants thrive in humus, loose, light soil mixed with sand and peat.

Planting Gallery dahlias in open ground

In the flower bed prepared in the fall, make a hole three times larger than the plant's root system or tubers. The seedlings should be planted in the soil up to the first true leaves, and the tubers should be planted 2 cm above the root collar. During planting, you can fertilize the bush with a small amount of compost or wood ash.

Don't pack the soil around the plant too tightly—dahlia roots love air. Water and apply a light layer of mulch—this will prevent the soil from drying out and weeds from bothering you. Mulching will also help control slugs and other insect pests.

If the weather forecast predicts cold weather, cover the plants with glass jars overnight. Any type of covering, except fabric, can be used.

Care

Dahlias don't require any special care while they're blooming. You just need to ensure the soil is loose, remove weeds, and treat the plants with insecticides occasionally. Dahlias are a favorite target for aphids, and folk remedies for controlling these pests on flowers are ineffective. It's also important to inspect the lower leaves of the bushes. Often, due to the profusion of large blooms, they rot, requiring removal.

Watering and fertilizing

It's best to use special fertilizers for flowering plants—they have a slow-release effect and will prevent the hybrid from growing larger than intended or from developing misshapen flowers. Also, be careful with watering—dahlias don't like overly wet soil and don't tolerate overly dry soil. The weather should be your guide.

You shouldn't overfeed your plants either – a few applications per season are enough to ensure they continue to delight you with bright, lush flowers until the first frost.

Gallery varieties

The flowers in this collection are stunningly beautiful. They come in a variety of warm tones, from pastels to vibrant colors. Many cover the entire bush, making the leaves virtually invisible. Here are the most popular:

• Leonardo. A very beautiful compact bush with dark green, lobed leaves and large, 15 cm (6 in) double flowers in a soft salmon pink hue. The petals become greenish-yellow toward the center. The maximum height of the bush is up to 40 cm.
• Art Deco. The orange-brick flowers with a reddish tint are 15 cm in diameter. A very decorative border dahlia, up to 40 cm tall.
• Art Fair. Creamy-white flowers, 15 cm in diameter, delight the eye twice a season. The bush grows up to 40 cm tall. It combines beautifully in borders with conifers and delphiniums.
• Singer. Bright red double flowers are up to 13 cm in diameter, and the bush grows to a standard height of up to 40 cm.

• Matisse. Neutral orange flowers fade to yellow tones toward the center. Ideal for balconies, patios, and windowsills.
• Monet. An early variety, milky-white flowers with a lilac or violet edge bloom as early as May, reaching up to 13 cm in diameter. The bush grows to a standard height.
• Chezanne. It has a sunny yellow color and is suitable for edging paths, balconies, and patios.
• Renoir. Miniature bushes up to 30 cm tall with large, soft pink, double inflorescences are a delight to the eye.

• Riviera. Very interesting flowers with scarlet petals curled into tubes. A beautiful, compact bush, up to 40 cm tall.
• Cobra. A highly decorative subspecies of the Gallery dahlia, its large flowers are a delicate orange with distinct cherry-red accents.
• Singer. Miniature bushes are adorned with light crimson pom-poms of large flowers. The plant's petals are very interesting – curved toward the base, with a distinct dark edge.
• Cézanne. Very similar to miniature chrysanthemums in flower shape and petals. It has a neon yellow color. The bush grows up to 30 cm tall, and the flowers are up to 10 cm in diameter.
• Art Nouveau. The beautiful hue of these magnificent flowers with long petals is difficult to describe; it's likely a violet-pink, with the reverse side of each one being purple. The height of the bush is up to 40 cm, and the diameter of the flowers is up to 11 cm.

• Salvador. Large flowers of a soft pink hue, the color deepens toward the edges, fading to a creamy white toward the center.
• Bellini. Bright pink flowers, 15 cm in diameter, have a yellow center. The bushes grow up to 35 cm tall.
• Valentin. The flowers are bright red, fading to brick red, with yellow petals at the base. The bush grows up to 40 cm tall, and the fully opened buds are up to 15 cm in diameter.
• Vincent. This miniature bush, up to 25 cm tall, bears very large, orange flowers, light at the edges and darker in the center.
• La Tour. A very striking flower with dark green leaves, up to 45 cm tall. The diameter of a fully opened bud reaches 12 cm, with a pinkish-purple hue.

• Pablo. The flowers are pastel pink, fading to lemon yellow in the center. The bush grows up to 35 cm tall, and the flower diameter is up to 15 cm.
• Pinto. Miniature bushes up to 25 cm tall are densely decorated with small, lemon-colored double flowers.
• Rembrandt. Bushes up to 45 cm tall are adorned with flowers up to 15 cm in diameter. The color is deep pink, with a distinct creamy center.
• Vermeer. A highly decorative shrub, up to 35 cm tall, it can be adorned with 25 bright orange flowers. The diameter of the fully opened buds is up to 7 cm.
• Serenade. It bears numerous large, soft yellow flowers on a bush up to 35 cm tall.

Cleaning and storage

Dwarf varieties of this plant produce tubers too small to be stored like the rhizomes of regular, taller varieties. They will need to be stored in several stages:

1. Stop watering and fertilizing 1-2 weeks beforehand to reduce the amount of moisture in the tuber neck.
2. Carefully dig up the tubers and discard any that have spots of unknown origin.
3. Leave the crop in the shade so that the neck of the tuber wilts slightly.
4. Rinse all the tubers under running water and let them dry naturally.
5. Clean the tubers from the absorbing roots and shoots.
6. Dilute any systemic fungicide in water, soak the planting material in it for 15 minutes, remove and dry on paper.
7. After 24 hours, place the Gallery dahlia tubers in bags or containers with coarse vermiculite and store them. The optimal temperature in the basement or cellar containing the planting material should not exceed 8°C.

Reviews of Gallery dahlias

Maria Vasilievna:

"After retiring, I had a lot of free time. I decided to decorate my apartment with flowers, but I wanted brightly colored plants. I wanted them to be pleasing to the eye and uplifting. I bought Gallery dahlias, varieties: La Tour, Cezanne, and Rembrandt. The result exceeded all expectations – they bloomed profusely, the colors were bright and vibrant, and the effort was minimal – the balcony became absolutely beautiful. I highly recommend them!"

Nikolai Ivanovich:

"I've only been growing dahlias for a few years. Last year, I bought some Gallery 'Matisse' seeds to line my garden paths. I wasn't disappointed—all the bushes bloomed profusely from early June until October. The only downside was that aphids attacked the bushes with unprecedented intensity, and I had to resort to store-bought remedies."

Natasha:

"For my 16th birthday, a friend brought me a potted plant with a label. Sveta knew I dreamed of becoming a gardener. A few weeks later, buds appeared on the plant. And after a while, beautiful soft pink flowers followed. It was a Gallery dahlia, the 'Rembrandt' variety. For over two years now, the plant has been traveling with me through rented apartments—I'm studying at university, and it delights me with its colorful blooms. As soon as I have the opportunity, I'll buy a few more varieties—I really liked the 'Cézanne' and 'Leonardo' varieties from an online gallery."