Dahlia Decorative
Mr Optimist
Dahlia ‘Mr Optimist’ is a decorative dahlia that brings a burst of cheer to the garden with its bright red blooms edged in golden yellow. The flowers are formal and symmetrical, with rounded petals that radiate warmth and positivity—true to its name.
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🌸 Bloom Size: 12–14 cm, fully double with a formal decorative shape
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🌿 Height: Grows to 100 cm, with upright stems and a bushy habit
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☀️ Sunlight: Thrives in full sun, tolerates light shade
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🪴 Best Use: Ideal for cutting gardens, borders, or as a vibrant focal point
‘Mr Optimist’ blooms from summer through autumn, and its vivid colouring makes it a standout in bouquets and garden beds. It’s easy to grow, fast-growing, and long-blooming, with flowers that face upward like little optimists themselves.
- The best time to plant Dahlias here in NZ is September or October, but can be planted anytime from mid August through to late December.
- Dahlias love sun ,so choose a nice sunny spot in your garden. Ideally a spot that gets at least 4 hours of full sun a day.
- Dahlias will grow in almost any soil, but prefer well drained loamy soil conditions.
- Prepare the ground a few weeks before planting by digging over the soil thoroughly and adding a little well rotted compost and an application of general fertiliser.
- Before planting the tubers, apply stakes (for larger varieties) staking after planting damages roots and tubers.
- Plant your Dahlia tubers about 5-10cm deep and about 50cm apart with the eye facing upwards. Water well and keep moist being careful not to over-water.
For a full overview of how to plant Dahlias visit our Gardeners Guide.
We’ve answered some of the common questions about buying our bulbs and the payment/delivery process. We want you to buy with confidence, so if your question is not answered in our FAQ please don't hesitate to ask!