Question

whatfloweristhis   Hi there!

I finally came around to uploading this picture of a flower I found while walking around my neighborhood during the summer.  The flower itself was approximately 5.5-6 inches wide and was just beautiffuuull.  Would you be able to help me narrow down my search or tell me what this is please?  

Thanks,
graham

Answer
Hi Graham,

Thanks for your question.  Those are Dahlia flowers, and some mighty nice ones, too.  I'm a little jealous, because they only grow with very limited success in the southern US.  They are a bulbous perennial plant that grows beautifully in northern climes.  If I sound bitter, it's because big chain stores stock them here to tempt us, and my clients buy them and expect something like your picture.  In our high heat and humidity, they might produce a tiny flower, but eventually become food for spidermites, and no amount of TLC or bug spray seems able to alter the outcome.  BC must be the best gardening spot on earth, judging from all the fabulous photos I've seen - like this one.  Thanks for the beauty!
Susan