Open-pollinated
Bishop's Children Dahlia is an open-pollinated seedling mix that carries the legacy of Welsh garden history in every packet. Unlike most dahlias grown from tubers, these seed-grown flowers deliver spectacular genetic diversity, producing a myriad of bloom forms and colors from a single sowing. Plants grow 42 inches tall with a moderate 24-inch spread, blooming reliably from summer through fall (84-98 days from seed to first flowers) in zones 7-11. The magic lies in dahlia's unusual octoploid genetics, meaning these flowers pack four times the chromosomes of most plants, creating stunning architectural variations in leaves and blooms that make every seedling a small surprise.
18-24 inches apart
Full Sun
Moderate
7-11
42in H x 24in W
Annual In Colder Climates, Perennial In Frost-free Zones
High
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Each seed produces flowers unlike any other in the patch, ranging across numerous forms and colors thanks to the dahlia's remarkable genetic complexity. The Bishop's Children name honors the gardens of the Bishop of Llandaff's Palace in Wales, where these dahlias originated and continue to thrive through seed. Seeds germinate quickly (5-20 days) and reach blooming size in roughly three months, offering gardeners the rare joy of growing dahlias without hunting for tubers. Japanese beetles and slugs may challenge the foliage, but the sheer diversity in a single patch means you'll have plenty of blooms even if pests claim a few plants.
Bishop's Children Dahlias are grown primarily for their ornamental blooms, which attract pollinators throughout the summer and fall months. Gardeners treasure them as cut flowers for arrangements, appreciating both the range of colors in a single planting and the long vase life dahlias are known for. The seed-grown nature of the mix makes them popular among gardeners who enjoy the element of surprise and discovery, as each plant reveals its unique form and color when it blooms.
Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last spring frost date, keeping them at a consistent 65-70°F. Seeds will germinate within 5-20 days under these conditions.
Harden off seedlings gradually over 7-10 days before transplanting outdoors at or after your last frost date. Space transplants 18 inches apart, allowing room for mature plants to reach their full 24-inch width.
Direct sow seeds outdoors at your last spring frost date. Seedlings will germinate within 5-20 days and bloom within 84-98 days of sowing.
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“The Bishop of Llandaff's Palace in Wales now stands as only an iron-gated arch entrance and crumbling stone towers, yet the gardens live on through the dahlias that bear the bishop's name. These seed-grown dahlias represent a living link to that historic Welsh garden, perpetuated by gardeners who appreciated both the botanical wonder and the human story embedded in each seedling. Unlike tuber-propagated dahlias, seed-grown varieties capture the full genetic expression of the parent plants, allowing the original diversity of the Bishop's gardens to resurface with every generation of seeds sown.”