Dahlias are definitely summer flowers.

Most of them that I planted are barely 6 inches tall. My impatience gets the best of me, as they liger in this state through what is often a cold and damp June here in the Northwest. I question my choice of planting dahlias, even though I know within a very short time they will be the stars of the summer garden.

This year we’ve had an unusually warm and dry spell from Mid-May until a few days ago. Many of the dahlias that I left in the ground are sending up vigorous growth and even starting to bud up.

The dahlia above, ‘Moonfire’, has a remarkable staying quality; I’d call it a hardy perennial. It emerges very early and is usually the first to bloom and one of the last to finish. It lustrous dark foliage sets off the glowing red-centered yellow flowers. I hate to start claiming “bests” or “favorites”. Yet ‘Moonfire’ gets my highest regard, not only as a summer annual, but also as one of those temperennials we are so attracted to here in the Northwest that distinctly borders on hardy.

                          ‘Moonfire’ at its apotheosis last August.