One of the most stunning Dahlias you will ever see, let alone grow, Bishop's Children is a warm-toned mix of solid and bicolour blooms in shades of red, orange, yellow, pink, and purple.
The single and semi-double, peony-formed flowers include plenty of bicolours and two-tone blends, some gaily striped, others shading from one hue to the next like a tropical sunset, and still others a rich, deep solid colour. But what makes these blooms really extraordinary is that they arise atop black foliage!

The large blooms form a colourful canopy atop the neat but bushy plant. Stunning in the garden and long-lasting in the vase, Bishop's Children may become your favorite cutflower as well as a showstopper in the border and bed!

As its name suggests, Bishop's Children is is a seed grown descendant of that most famous of all Dahlias, Bishop of Llandaff. Introduced in 1927 and grown extensively in England (where it's one of the most popular plants of all time), Bishop of Llandaff is certainly magnificent, but we think that its "children" are even more impressive for modern gardens.

Dahlias are straightforward to produce from seed it will flower 12 weeks from sowing until first frosts. Seed-raised Dahlias flower well especially towards the autumn, after which the tops will die off. They are generally treated as Annuals though they produce a tuber to survive the winter, which can be dug up, stored and replanted the following year.

Sowing:
Sow in spring for flowers 12 weeks from sowing.
Fill cells or pots with a free-draining, seed sowing compost, and stand in water so that the compost is thoroughly damp, then allow to drain.
It is advisable at this point to use a suitable fungicide prior to sowing, to prevent damping-off disease (available from any garden centre)
Sow the seeds onto the surface of the compost and cover with a layer of vermiculite. Cover the trays with clear or milky polythene to maintain humidity, until the first seedlings are visible.

Watch out for slugs, caterpillars and aphids – they love Dahlia seedlings!

Transplanting:
Germination takes around 7 days at 18-20°C (65-68°F) Remove the cover and keep the seedlings moist at all times. As soon as the plants are large enough to handle, usually at around three weeks, prick out into 7cm (3”) pots to grow on at 15-18*C (59-65*F). A balanced liquid feed should be applied as plants get establish. Once the plants are established, plant outdoors 30-45cm (12-18”) apart in soil with a good nutrient content.

Cultivation:
Water well in summer, Dahlia do not like dry conditions. Feed weekly during the growing season and dead head regularly.
Plants are sturdy but may need some support in exposed situations.
Cut flowers early or late in the day when nearly fully open.

Aftercare:
When the foliage begins to die back, cut stems to 15cm (6in) and lift the tubers. Store in straw, wood shavings, or vermiculite in a frost-free place. Divide tubers in spring and plant out once danger of frost has passed.