The sheer beauty of the Dahlia

Behold the sheer beauty of the Dahlia, a flower that never fails to mesmerize with its vibrant colors and intricate petal formations.

Dahlia tubers were grown for food by the Aztecs.  In 1789, a number of dahlias were sent from Mexico to the botanical garden in Madrid along with the recommendation to use them as food. At the time, this recommendation resulted in little popularity. All that changed when Joséphine de Beauharnais, Napoleon’s wife, had a sudden whim to fill her entire garden with Dahlias. Having set the trend, everyone wanted these charming coquettes in their garden. Dahlias then became so popular, however, that they soon became affordable; their status changed from ‘exclusive’ to ‘ordinary’. For years, the charming Dahlia had to make do with this undeserved status. Fortunately, however, she has been rediscovered! This lady is again a hot item in the garden.