Since 1996, the quays of Morges, between the Temple and the Parc de Vertou, have been blooming with thousands of Dahlias, thanks to the Association Morges Fleur du Léman. The tuberous roots are bought by the association, the city employees plant them, then the volunteers take care of the maintenance of the beds.
*Provenance of the Dahlia*
The Dahlia originated in Mexico and Central America where it was called Acocotli and Chichipatli. It was named after André Dahl, a Swedish botanist who lived from 1751 to 1789 and to whom the plant was dedicated.
Abbot Cavanilles was the first to receive this type of plant in Europe in 1788 in Madrid. After some time, he sent some specimens to the Jardin des plantes in Paris.
The interest that this plant aroused was initially culinary, as it was thought to be used as a substitute for potatoes. It soon became clear that the tubers were too pungent to be eaten.
The breeds as well as the innumerable varieties that we can admire in the gardens are derived from Dahlias coccinea, merki and variabilis.
In Morges, the public has the pleasure of being able to contemplate 73 varieties of all heights, shapes and colours.
*Arrived in Morges*
It was in 1996 that the Morges florist Ernest Lüthi decided to bring together various partners and launch the idea of an exhibition of dahlias on the Quai Igor Stravinsky. Since then, this event has attracted both professionals who can come and discover the technical aspects of the different varieties and the general public who can come and admire their beauty.
*Planting of the Dahlia*.
The tuberous roots are planted in the ground from mid-April and the plants are planted from the end of May. As soon as the plants are planted, care should be taken to pinch them, remove dead flowers and tie them up. Routine care such as spraying, weeding and watering should be given special attention.
