And now for some serious wow-factor, with the giant, dinnerplate flowers of Dahlia 'Fairway Spur'. Peachy pink with a hint of bronze at the centre, these double blooms reach an incredible 25cm across, and can be supersized even further with a technique known as disbudding. Used by competitive growers, this involves removing all but the top bud on a stem to direct energy into one ‘champion’ bloom. Given this treatment, the flowers of Dahlia 'Fairway Spur' have been known to come in at a whopping 38cm across!  

Large-flowered varieties such as Dahlia 'Fairway Spur' can benefit from additional support, particularly if grown in a windy spot. Inserting a network of freshly cut hazel branches into the ground and twisting their whippy laterals together is an attractive solution, or shop bought metal supports also work well. Always install 'Fairway Spur' dahlias when plants are still small; large, already flopped-over plants hoisted back into place rarely look as good as those grown through supports.