DAHLIA :

These bold, bushy flowers possess a history as dramatic as their appearance. Conquistadors found dahlia in the gardens of the Aztecs and caused a sensation when they brought the flower back to Europe. As the dahlia gained popularity, the pursuit of its potatolike tubers was conducted with intrigue and deception-dahlia tubers were reportedly stolen even from the garden of the Empress Josephine! An inexpensive summer-through-early-fall choice, the dahlia has a peppery earthy scent and is available in an array of flamboyant yellow, orange, pink, red and purple hues.

Dahlias are the peonies of summer. Blooming from the hottest days of the season until the first frost of fall, these robust blossoms run the gamut from pale whites and pastel pinks and lavenders to blinding fuchsias and hot pinks. Some are only two inches wide, while others are as large as dinner plates-spectacular blooms that can be a full foot across. And these are strong flowers that can still look beautiful a week after cutting. Their diversity of shapes, from spiky, spare tendrils to those with more romantic, blousy layers of lavish petticoats, makes them a versatile bouquet choice.

This is an increasingly popular flower, thanks in part to their availability-they’re not only grow throughout North America but are now also widely cultivated in Holland. (The Dutch imports, however, can barely complete with their cross-Atlantic cousins: American blossoms are much more showy.)

Another reason dahlias are being used more and more is that they can be a money-saving option: A large, dazzling bouquet of these beauties costs about the same as two or three stems of pricey out-of-season flower.

Speaking of budgetary constraints-no show of hands necessary-always use those financial limitations to your advantage stylistically. Do what you can afford, but do it well. That way, whatever you choose to do, even if it’s two or three exquisite flowers tied together with a crimped ribbon, it looks like a design decision, not a lack of funds.