Rich colour palette
For the Impressionist painter, Claude Monet (1840-1926), the gardens around his house in Giverny were an important source of inspiration. The gardens acted as an outdoor studio. The painter designed and maintained the gardens himself. Like the water garden with the famous water lilies, he also planted the ‘Clos Normand’ flower garden. From spring to autumn, this garden is a huge window display, with a rich colour palette of flowers. In addition to roses and perennials, flower bulbs play an important part. In summer, dahlias take centre stage here.<
Impressionism and dahlias
Typical of impressionism is the experience of the moment (impression) and attention to the effects of light and colour. Dahlias come in many colours: white, yellow, pink, red, orange, purple and bicoloured. New colour variants are emerging all the time. With the many shapes and heights, combined with the luxuriant flowering, dahlias quickly provide a colourful and varied picture in public green spaces. It is an image that lends the same atmosphere as Monet’s own flower garden. The long flowering period of dahlias is unbelievable: from July until the first night frost. Moreover, the single-flowered and semi-double flowers attract bees, bumblebees and butterflies, thanks to the large quantities of pollen and nectar.
Application in public green spaces
In public green spaces, dahlia plants in pots are usually used, similar to bedding material. Tubers are sometimes planted, for example among perennials. The different groups of dahlias are classified according to the shape of the flower. The more compact types are especially suitable for public green spaces, such as the single-flowered Mignon dahlias, or the semi-double anemone dahlias. The most beautiful effect is created with bigger groups of varied types, as in Monet’s garden. Dahlias need to be placed in a light area with plenty of sunshine to achieve their full potential. Extra flowering is stimulated by removing seed pods. With their painterly atmosphere, dahlias boost the quality of public green spaces.
