The dahlia has fans all over the world. This is a tribute to its adaptability as well as to the enthusiasts who have worked to maked it so popular. After its arrival in Europe from Central America, towards the end of the eighteenth century, its development proceeded apace in Britain, France, Germany and the Netherlands. It was popular in Britain during the Victorian era, and as the British Empire sptead it was taken to the colonies.

Few public parks and gardens are without a dahlia border, and from stately home to council house, dahlias contribute to many and varied magnificent floral displays.They also make an eye-catching focus in any horticultural show and are ideal for flower arrangements. For variety of form and colour, dahlias are difficult to beat, and they are remakably easy to grow.

Following its popularity as agarden plant, the dahlia rapidly became an exhibition flower in Britain, and later in America, Australia and New Zealand. Thus most of the dahlias available in these countries today are show varieties. In most of continental Europe, in contrast, dahlias are still primarily garden flowers, and any show or trial focuses on massed beds of them in parks or exhibition gardens.