What is your best deepest darkest purple?

I've been trying to find a deep dark luscious purple dahlia, and can't - when I wrote to Fernwood, they sent me this one as "dark purple"

http://www.ferncliffgardens.com/BallDahlias2.html

Now that is not my idea of dark purple, I'd call that light to medium. Years ago, we used to come down here to go shopping, and at a vegetable stand at the edge of town, an elderly lady sold dahlia bouquets, and she had what I'd call a "royal purple" - either a ball, or a formal decorative, but very dark.

I'm not fussy about what form it is, it can be formal, informal, cactus or decorative, it's that COLOUR I'm wanting.

Please, make suggestions, and post a photo, if you can - let's have a free-for-all.
Thanks,
Cheryl

free four all she says
Cheryl - there's no u in color don't fall for the government propaganda ;)
that one is almost white it's so not purple



the best purple I had was LeBaron
http://davesgarden.com/journal/d/i/21062/
and then Lilac Time
http://davesgarden.com/journal/d/i/21072/

I know, Al, I was SO disappointed when it bloomed and was that middling shade, I had my heart set on the kind of purple in Poochella's picture of "Edinburgh":

http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/135126/

Gasp! makes me weak just looking at that shade of purple....

How big is Lilac Time, that's a nice saturated shade?

(And here in the frozen north we use the British spelling for stuff, just to make it more confusing, so if I write to you guys and add the "u" I get grief, and if I write to my British friend, and leave it out, she gives me an earful - thank goodness for dogs. Although I was talking to my friend, and said I was going to take the dogs out for a W-A-L-K later on, and both dog's heads swivelled around and they began to stare at me, and my friend fell over laughing and said: "Teaching the dogs to spell, eh?")

Did you want to mention no-to-minimal white, just purple, to keep the earwigs away from the dahlias? Or just anything goes as long as it's purple?

I already mentioned some dahlias for Cheryl in Dmail, but want to see what others come up with. Meanwhile, let's refer to my color chart. It's really scary when you go to Crayola.com and it says Hello Anne! LOL Purple is popular!
http://www.crayola.com/colorcensus/americas_favorites/index.cfm

'Thomas Edison' is a nice dark purple, I think.

Yes T. Edison is one of the darkest, good call Carol! My Lilac Time was a lovely flouncy rich kind of pinky lavender. Saturated? yes, I'd say so. It's big and has stems the size of your fingers, just about.

Also thought of Camano Thunder, brighter but still a rich purple.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/poochella/More%20Dahlias/CamanoThunder.jpg
Never mind this mess of flowers: Camano Thunder is the brighter purple/magenta right above the dark purple Edinburgh here.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/poochella/September%20Dahlias/PinkBouquet.jpg

Dark Magic, the two toned, magenta/purple one
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/poochella/darkmagic9706first.jpg

Jennifer's Wedding! Slightly frilly, fairly dark violet red, or red violet. something small and blurry happened to this photo:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/poochella/New%20Dahlias%202005/jenniferswedding.jpg

Hey, how about the 'Phantom Camano' I got from Mone last year? That one is a very dark one which I just love!

What-what-what??? Annie, earwigs are drawn to white in dahlias??? Why?

Oh Thomas Edison looks wonderful, and so does Jennifer's Wedding, which is also lacinated, from the looks of it, I love those.

Now to find those two. I tried Jennifer's Wedding from Art's Nursery(read about that place in PF BEFORE you buy, I beg you) and it never grew, such a bummer.

Dark Magic is fabulous, too - Poochella you are a bad, bad person to discuss dahlias with, you just keep showing me pictures of ones I didn't know I couldn't live without!

As Poochella mentioned, no white tips, the earwigs chew them off, don't eat the other dahlias, but the white tipped ones get gorfed into ratty depressing messes even before they open.

This is wonderful, any more to suggest?

Lilac Time is an A, LeBaron is a M.

I've never had that white tipped earwig problem, my earwigs are equal opportunity pests and go for anything with petals here. But Cheryl had mentioned that problem before and Jam had trouble with light colored dahlias too. No, Jam's nemesis was the corn root borer? Some little monster in the rich Iowa soil. Do Japanese beetles go for white more than other colors?

I visited Normandy Dahlias a few years ago and the guy kept showing me gorgeous reds; I told him no reds, didn't have room. Of course, each red one was prettier than the last! It wasn't so much him showing me, I spotted them across the rows like a beckoning beacon of color and just had to run over and have a look-see. Very tough to choose among the thousands of dahlias out there.

Maybe earwigs won't be a problem since I'm in a different area? I see the little creeps under rocks (seen a few former bosses under there, too), but I've never known them to belly up to the buffet. I'm sure my area has an insect just as destructive.

Two years ago, I had about 30-odd dahlias, and the only one eaten by earwigs, was DUET, which has those great white tips.

Sort of looked lacinated, when they were done with it.

Yes, corn rootworm beatles thrive on any white, white edged or very pastel bloom. Read an article which said they were probably colorblind___anything pale or white all looking like a tasty morsel. And that dahlias and roses were favorite foods.

Purple? I did some searching, try these:

PURPLE TAIHEIJO
http://www.dahlias.com/ProductImages/Dahlias/PURPLETAIHEIJO.JPG

BOOGIE NITES
http://www.dahlias.com/ProductImages/Dahlias/BOOGIENITES.JPG

TABOO
http://www.dahlias.com/ProductImages/Dahlias/TABOO.JPG

PEARSON'S COLLEEN
http://www.dansdahlias.com/images/big/6605.jpg

IMPERIAL WINE
http://www.dansdahlias.com/images/big/3615.jpg

LUPIN CHRIS
http://www.dansdahlias.com/images/big/4930.jpg

MIDNIGHT DANCER
http://www.dansdahlias.com/images/big/5230.jpg

GONZO GRAPE
http://www.dansdahlias.com/images/big/3175.jpg

CHIMACUM TROY
http://www.dansdahlias.com/images/big/1200.jpg

I've have grown Purple Taiheijo, it is that purple (see below). I also had Jennifer's Wedding, quite deep purple:



This message was edited Jan 27, 2007 12:48 AM

Purple is grrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaat! Those are some dandies you found Al. And that Purple Taiheijo is gorgeous, flouncy. After the dahlia shows last summer my notes had in caps and underlined 3x "Chimacum Troy-Get it!!!" and I did. Gonzo Grape too. Can't wait to see them- let's see about 6-7 months to go.....

That was Tod, but thanks anyway.

oopsie, Those are some greeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaattttt purples you found Tod.
Here's a new one I'm trying this year. In the catalog it appeared much richer in color than here, so we shall see how it turns out.
http://shop.connells-dahlias.ieasysite.com/productinfo.aspx?productid=328

Pooch - I'll be watching that one of yours too, Barbarry has a good line so it could be good.

Gorgeous!! Each one better than the last, what a list, thankyou thankyou! Loved Gonzo Grape and Chimacum Troy - luscious.

Loved them all, actually. Purrrrrrrrrrrrple.

I got my Thomas Edison from Brecks.com LOVE IT!
I am a big time purple fan. It goes back to my Donny Osmond days as a teeny bopper. :) I just bought a lovely dark purple rose called ebb tide.
Dayna

Purple Imp and Gonzo Grape are both deep purple.

Now to find a supplier who will ship up here without asking for a $200-$300 minimum order...

I really appreciate all your suggestions!

I might know of one, 2Z. Email me, please.

I did order Chimacum Troy - loved the color. Swan Island doesn't show Canada on their shipping map but their catalog is wonderful.

Well, Hi, Joann. Finally came out of hibernation, I see. LOL
But yes, I just love 'Gonzo Grape'. I was going to list that one but wasn't sure if it was dark enough for everyone.

Hi to you too, Daisy, my favorite purple is Ted's Choice.
http://www.dahlias.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=287

My niece is getting married in late August and she has asked Katy(my dd and I ) to do flowers. She wants garden flowers and doesn't even care if we use a particular color). Her bridesmaids will wear lavendar. But of course I would like to use lavendar and Ted's Choice would be so wonderful to have. I guess I am begging for lavendar and purple dahlias as that is color I have the least of . Worton's Blue Streak may not even be too bad. I will order a few from SI or Frey's but can I do a little trading here.

Welcome back from the hibernation cave Lenjo! Do you think white and lavender would work for the wedding flowers? Clearview David was a standout here-- unfortunately I just tossed the last of my tubers- all others rotted and the last one had a good start on a cracked neck so I tossed it. Got it from Accent Dahlias last year.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/poochella/2006%20New%20Dahlias/2006%20Smaller%20Versions/clearviewdavidcroppedMedium.jpg

I can give you Painted Lady- another white/lav blush favorite.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/poochella/2006%20New%20Dahlias/PaintedLadybest06RESIZED.jpg

Lavender Athalie?: solid colored, kind of pinky lavender though-
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/poochella/2006%20New%20Dahlias/2006%20Smaller%20Versions/lavenderathalieonblackMedium.jpg

And the lavender white wonder bloomer that was to be Stolze Von Berlin but was even better!
Seen below.

Clearview David, Annie, is gorgeous. I will try to get a hold of one. I would be happy to take anything you want to share and pay postage.

BTW:) :) :) Jomanda didn't make it, it rotted.

Shame on me I have so neglected my tubers. I still have a nice patch but ..........

Ok, Joann. I have a 'Ted's Choice' plant in the garden. It is an extra one. Since the original momma came from you anyways, LOL
I will dig it up just for you later this spring then you can divide it up and have more than one plant??? Sound good? I have some tubers in storage so will look at my list to see what you might be interested in.
That sounds like fun to do the flowers for the wedding.
We do need to get together sometime!!! I keep saying I am going to come up your way but when it is nice out, I tend to work in the yard instead visiting people. Bad, huh?

Is Worton's Blue Streak really as blue as pictured?

2Z - check Plant Files and be ready for a shock - it's pink to lavender.

Carol, I will love you forever for Ted's Choice, thank you so much.


2Zeus, I find here in my soil it isn't blue at all but definitely a purpley blue. I don't see pink too much here, Pirl. But isn't it funny how colors seem to vary depending where you live. I wonder if soil PH has something do with it. Poochella's Stolze von Berlin is lavendar as pictured but mine is definitely a clear wonderful pink.

Isn't that interesting - I hadn't realised that could happen with dahlias. I wonder if my clay soil here has something to do with why colours can be kind of wishy-washy? Or am I just a victim of catalogue......um.........how do I put this politely? Enhancement?

2Z - I think many of us feel that way maybe moreso with daylilies than any other flower. Maybe it's why we remain loyal to the catalogues that aren't (as) guilty of altering colors. I loved the light lavender touches on Eveline (dahlia) but after seeing the photos from Plant Files I couldn't order it expecting it to look like what I had seen in a catalogue.

Eveline is gorgeous from the googled photos I just saw. Camera settings can vary wildly too making colors appear vastly different, at least they do for me. I ordered 'Blue Streak' this year just to see what it looks like, but anything really looking true blue in a dahlia photo is just hooey.

Lenjo I have a list started for you and should be able to do Jomanda too. If I think of any other wedding flower candidates I'll mail you. Yeah, the Stolze Von Berlin isn't, so it's labelled SVBW for Wannabe. Really a great little bloomer, though.

How about Unforgettable? Mostly white with just a hint of lavender blush. And a small bug LOL

That is gorgeous.

Thanks 2 Zeus.
Another idea for the wedding: Mary, a larger B FD but a nice deep bloom.

Annie, Any extras, you have I will be happy to send postage. If I remember correctly I owe you French Doll and Mary Munns. Was there anything else?

Not that I have room for Lenjo, thanks though! I ordered a sinful ton of tubers but would be happy to try Mary Munns and French Doll. Golden Egg died last year after a valiant fight, so if you still have that I can try it in a pot somewhere perhaps.

If I have an extra Golden Egg it's yours. With this lovely lovely weather I have been cleaning up after a windy wet winter so far. Soon I have many roses to trim. My poor dahlias are rather neglected in an outbuilding; not freezing just neglected.