Queensland Dahlia Society Show

As you may have gathered from my last couple of posts, I have been thrilled with the performance of my first real dahlia, 'Marie Antoinette'. After seeing Belinda at Wild Acre's beautiful arrangements, like this one and reading her cutting patch posts, I was inspired to try my luck with dahlias quite late in the tuber planting season. There were only two left in my local Bunnings store, 'Marie Antoinette' and a rather unhealthy looking 'Mrs Reeves' tuber. I bought them both, but not surprisingly, only 'Marie Antoinette' came up. I am planning well ahead for next season, and today, the Queensland Dahlia Society's competition and show at the Mount Coot-tha Botanical Gardens provided a great chance to see some superb blooms and to get a few ideas about which ones to select and to meet some local growers. 

I really only have space for about 3 dahlias and thought perhaps a dark red or deep pink pompom, an almost black waterlily, and a dark red or dark pink cactus (and maybe a burnished orange), but seeing this incredible selection leaves me back at square one!

I have done my best with names. It is possible with some of the double-barreled names that the first could be the name of the grower, and perhaps just the last half is the variety... I didn't question it at the time. 

'Regina'

'Bracken Sarah'

'Pam Howden' - could be my burnished beauty!

Granite 913 Collarette

'Bracken Sequel' and 'Bracken Nicholas'

'Bracken Enfield', 'Bracken Rossi' and 'Bracken Hazel'

At the back, 'Devon Calypso' and 'Bracken Sequel' and in the front 'Bracken Elizabeth' and deep red  'Bracken Rossi'  (another favourite)

Apricot 'Sarah', back red is 'Bracken Jessica', the other dark red is 'Bracken Perla'

These are small cactus. The red on the right is 'Kenora Sunset'

'Araluen Fire' (could be a contender!)

'Downs Hazel'

The centre red is 'Moray Jewel'

The light orange waterlilies are all variations of 'Pam Howden'

The orange  pompom on the right is 'Golf Ball'

These pale and mid pink pompoms are both  'Pam'

Anemone-type 'Mexico' - love it!

These are collarettes. The red is 'Apache', the mauve 'Christie' and I can't read my own handwriting on the front one, but it might be 'Kismet'.

'Granite Nymph'

No wonder I'm confused. Luckily I have till Spring to decide on my purchases (and I should also add, all care taken with names, but my writing is appalling, and there were so many!)