The Zimbabwean Gardener Issue 2 Spring 2012 | Page 9

The Zimbabwean Gardener
Dahlia flowers are mesmerizing. It’s
difficult to believe that such odd,
knobbly, brown tubers can possibly
produce anything as absolutely
perfect as a dahlia flower.

Lavender Perfection Dinner Plate

Did you know that the arrangement of the petals in dahlias
conforms to a precise mathematical formula known as the
Fibonacci sequence? The same pattern is echoed in art and
nature in just about anything we call charming, elegant or
beautiful. It’s in the graceful proportions of Ancient Greek
architecture, in the balance of an exquisite human face and in
the innermost spirals of a sea urchin’s shell. No wonder you can
gaze into the neatly coiling petals of a pompon dahlia and lose
all track of time.
By now, I’m sure you will have mapped out your summer garden.
If there’s anyone out there who still needs convincing that
dahlias are a fantastically good choi