Dahlias need to be lifted in the fall and stored. It's a bit of a pain, but they're a rewarding plant to grow - well worth the effort. The one you got last year was a beautiful variety; it's too bad it was a dud or got eaten by critters. If you try again, you can make a little basket out of hardware cloth (so the voles can't get to it) and for extra safety, put a lid of chicken wire on top (so animals can't get to it from above). It will just grow through the chicken wire.Gothichome wrote: ↑Mon May 23, 2022 11:06 am ...I lost 5 of my tree lilies and the dahlia I planted last year never did sprout. Looking forward to plenty of flowers this year.
I like to plant zinnias every year. They're easy as can be - direct sow, big cheerful flowers that the pollinators love, and as long as you keep cutting them, they'll bloom all summer long. I favor the "cactus" type, with shaggy blooms.