Ten great dahlias to grow this year

Dahlia ‘Pooh’

Called after the storybook bear of the same name, this collerette-type dahlia has jaunty red and golden flowers and is a favourite of Irish champion dahlia grower Christopher White.  Height 100cm. Available to buy as tubers from mrmiddleton.com and as pot-grown plants from White's nursery, flowersbychristopherwhite.com

Dahlia ‘Labyrinth’

A large dinner-plate dahlia with giant ruffled flowers in glowing shades of raspberry pink-peach-apricot, which the well-known UK grower Sarah Raven has memorably described as looking "like the Queen Mother's hat'. Height 120cm. Available to buy as tubers from sarahraven.com

Dahlia ‘Café au Lait’

Despite its prima donnish ways (it’s slow to flower and not especially floriferous) , ‘Café au Lait’ still reigns supreme as the dahlia that brides most want to have in their bouquet. Many stockists have already sold out but tubers are still available from mrmiddleton.com while for Irish-grown plants, see camolinpottingshed.com. Best grown under cover. Height 130cm.

Dahlia ‘Jill Mixed’

A great colour-mix of pompon-type dahlias in shades of burgundy, faded peach and antique-pink. Looks lovely in the garden and as a cut-flower. Height 100cm. Available from mrmiddleton.com as tubers

Dahlia ‘Admiral Rawlings’

Dublin gardener Helen Dillon grew this magnificent variety to perfection in her famous Ranelagh garden. Not one for the timid gardener and requiring careful staking, it can reach 1.8m and produces giant, purple blooms. Available as tubers from nationaldahliacollection.co.uk

Dahlia ‘Sam Hopkins’

With large, long-lasting double flowers the colour of chocolate-crimson, this decorative variety of dahlia is a classic. Height 100cm. Available as tubers from sarahraven.com

Dahlia ‘Crème de Cassis’

A two-tone decorative dahlia with pinkish-blackcurrant coloured petals, this variety is compact enough (height 70cm) to grow in a large pot. Very beautiful. Available as tubers from rosecottageplants.co.uk and avonbulbs.co.uk or as Irish-grown plants from camolinpottingshed.com

Dahlia ‘Carolina Wagemans’

Another big favourite with cut-flower enthusiasts as well as with gardeners, this waterlily-type dahlia has soft apricot-coloured flowers that look great in the garden or in a vase. Available as tubers from withypitts.co.uk

Dahlia ‘Walzing Mathilda’

A great choice for container-growing or for the front of a small border, this relatively compact dahlia has semi-double red-orange flowers and handsome dark foliage. Height 70cm. Available as tubers from rosecottageplants.co.uk

Dahlia ‘Eveline’

A classic decorative variety with ruffled white flowers gently flushed with lilac at the edges of the petals as well as the centre of the flowers, it’s been described as “achingly pretty”, Available to buy as tubers from mrmiddleton.com and rosecottageplants.co.uk. Height 100cm.

Specialist nurseries aside, all good Irish garden centres stock dahlia tubers at this time of year