Tracking down dahlias

Fire

I'm trying to track down these dahlia tubers but can't find hide nor hair of them to buy in the UK. Does anyone have any ideas? I'd be interested in similar ones of height and colour - ie dark red to purple, as tall as I can get. Thanks

D. Admiral Rawlings

D. coccinea Mary Keen

D. coccinea Great Dixter

B3

Got this one in Lidl £1.29

Pete.8

I've had Arabian Night for 10 yrs or more.
It gets to about 5ft and the flowers look like those above, a really deep red.
But I have found that for the last few years the colour is now quite a bright red and the flowers are now only semi-double...
Do the tubers change somehow over the years?

Jenny_Aster

Just wondering if you've been in contact with Aylett Nurseries? Think they must be the world's best dahlia grower.  https://www.aylettnurseries.co.uk/product/dahlias-2/

AnniD

I think Thomas Edison is a lovely colour. Some catalogues  give a height of 4 feet, but l would say between 3 to 3 and a half in my experience .
https://www.farmergracy.co.uk/products/dahlia-thomas-a-edison-tubers-uk 

Loxley

I can't find those precise ones, but Daily Dahlias on Instagram may be able to help. 

My favourite at the moment is Dahlia Lou Farman - big single flowers that start off intense deep raspberry red, but then the outer petals soften in tone as the flowers age leaving a red ring in the centre. What I like most is how they are held aloft above the foliage on dark stems, it gives a very airy look.

Tanty2

What about HW Hyde for Dahlias? The ones I bought there last year flowered profusely in their first season

Fire

I'm looking for 1.5 - 2m tall. I'm going for height.

Nollie

I searched some European suppliers out of interest and couldn’t find any of your varieties or any other dark red tubers of the sort of height you are looking for. Avon bulbs have seeds of coccinea var palmeri, an orangey red. Thompson and Morgan have a pack of mixed coccinea seeds including some dark red ones. Seeds might be your best/only bet.

In saying that, some get much taller than stated, as most people want shorter, sturdier border dahlias so I think they understate heights sometimes. I have a big dinner plate dahlia that gets to around 2m (not red, an OTT orange blend) and the bishop reds got to 1.5m for me before I lost them to frost. I think you already have BofLl tho?

Hostafan1

I bought Arabian Night from B&Q. 2 per pack and 3 packs for £6

B3

OK. You win @Hostafan1😉