Dahlias are half hardy, so keep them protected from frost. Pot tubers individually between February and April and grow them on in a greenhouse or bright indoor position. Alternatively, start them outside in May, once the risk of frost has passed.
Out of season
New
Dahlia
'Pencil Art Sugar'
As though someone has taken a fine pencil to every petal, Dahlia 'Pencil Art Sugar' is a little work of botanical artistry. Its beautifully rounded flowers open in creamy ivory-white, decorated with delicate, almost graphite-grey lines that sometimes take on a soft lavender or mauve tint. Each slender marking follows the length of a petal, creating an intricate, hand-drawn effect that rewards a closer look. Towards the centre, the petals gather into gently curled layers with a warm, buttery-cream glow. The colouring is wonderfully unpredictable: some blooms have barely visible markings, while others reveal more pronounced lilac-grey stripes and the faintest purple blush at their tips. Dahlia 'Pencil Art Sugar' brings a refreshingly unusual touch to the summer garden, with an elegance that feels both natural and artistic.
Those beautifully detailed flowers make Dahlia 'Pencil Art Sugar' particularly appealing for cutting, where their subtle markings can be admired up close. Try combining them with dusky pink cosmos, lavender-blue salvias and airy ornamental grasses, or let their cool ivory colouring brighten a border of deeper purple flowers. Growing to around 80–100cm, Dahlia 'Pencil Art Sugar' appreciates a sunny, sheltered position in fertile, well-drained soil, with support for its flowering stems. Water during dry spells and remove faded blooms regularly to encourage fresh flowers from midsummer until the first autumn frosts. Start tubers under cover in spring or plant outside once frost has passed, lifting them for frost-free winter storage in colder UK gardens. Every flower of Dahlia 'Pencil Art Sugar' seems to have its own little drawing.
Quantity
Plant profile
Plant calendar
For planting out later, use a snug-fitting 15–20cm pot filled with peat-free multipurpose compost. For a patio display, plant directly into a container at least 30cm wide and keep it somewhere bright and frost free until it can move outdoors.
Position the old stem facing upwards, with the tubers covered and the stem stump level with the compost. Tubers naturally vary in size and shape and may arrive without visible buds. Bent necks are usually fine if they remain firmly attached, so do not remove them.
Water after planting, then allow the compost to become almost dry before watering again while the tuber remains dormant. Once shoots and leaves are growing strongly, water more regularly, always allowing excess water to drain away.
Plant out after the last frost, once the plant is around 20–30cm tall and its roots hold the compost together. Space dahlias approximately 30–50cm apart in borders, allowing less room for compact varieties. Water thoroughly after planting.
Water regularly during active growth and deadhead or cut flowers often. Dahlias usually bloom from July or August until the first frost, although later-planted tubers may start in late August or September. In autumn, lift, clean and dry the tubers, then store them somewhere cool, dry, airy and frost free.
- Botanical name
- Dahlia 'Pencil Art Sugar'
- Flower colour
- White, cream, pink
- Tuber size
- 1
- Established height
- 1-1.2m
- Established spread
- 30-50cm
- Growing skill
- Easy to grow
- Habit
- Upright
- Hardiness
- Half hardy
- Leaf colour
- Green
- Mouse resistant
- No
- Plant spacing
- 5 tubers per m2
- Pollinator friendly
- No
- Position
- Sheltered
- Rabbit resistant
- No
- Scented
- No
- Soil acidity
- Any
- Soil moisture
- Free draining
- Soil type
-
Loam
Sandy
Multipurpose compost
Loam-based compost - Suitable for
-
Large containers
Borders
Gravel gardens
Coastal gardens
Cottage gardens
Low maintenance gardens
Cut flower gardens - Sunlight
-
Full sun
Partial shade - Toxicity
- No report
- Years to establish
- 1st year
Good for cutting
Thrives in full sun
Farmer Gracy exclusive
Perennial
Packed in paper
Low maintenance
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