Issue 19, 2013 - Balliol College - University of Oxford

New dahlias for the
750th anniversary
By chris munDAy (heAD gArDener)
In spring 2011 the Gardens Committee felt that, as part of the
garden’s contribution to Balliol’s 750th anniversary celebrations,
we should endeavour to create a new garden plant variety. It was
decided that the range of different colours, forms, and sizes of
the dahlias growing in the long border in the Front Quad was
such that they would have the most potential.
Modern plant hybridisation is usually a
scientific and precise process in which
two plants with specific qualities are
cross-fertilised in an attempt to produce
predicted results. the plants are handpollinated
and usually kept in isolation
to prevent undesirable additional
pollination from insects. We, however,
adopted the more time-honoured
tradition of hybridising with ‘openpollinated’
plants, where only the seed-
producing plant is known and the pollen,
carried by insects or wind, is contributed
by any plant growing in close proximity.
towards the end of the 2011 season
we stopped dead-heading the dahlias
in the Front Quad (as is our routine,
to encourage continual flowering) and
subsequently collected a quantity of
seed, noting the varieties from which it
came. this seed was dried and stored
in individual envelopes, and between
March and May 2012 it was sown in
batches, with mostly high germination
rates – only one batch failed. seedlings
were grown on in stages into larger pots
until they were ready to plant out after
the last frosts.
‘Rawlinson 5’
‘Rawlinson 4’
‘Rawlinson 12’
in June 2012 some
110 dahlia plants were planted
in specially created beds at our
nursery at Rawlinson Road in
north oxford. the low temperatures
in early summer affected the plants’
progress and many were slow to reach
flowering size. this trial collection of
plants produced a pleasing range of
flower colour (mainly shades of pink,
orange, red, and yellow), petal shape,
plant size, and leaf shape and colour.
interestingly, no plant was identical
to its parent and the flowers were
mainly single or semi-double, which
is understandable, as the fully double
and ‘cactus’-type flowers of some of
the varieties in our border at College
are not good sources of pollen.
During late summer the
best plants and flowers were
photographed and notes taken on
their key characteristics. the tubers
of 39 plants were lifted and saved
for planting in 2013, each tuber with
a numbered label attached relating
to a photo and a description of it in
flower. some of these tubers were
‘Rawlinson 37’
quite small and undersized because
of the poor summer, and during the
winter the challenge was to keep
them frost-free and dormant, but not
allow them to dry out and shrivel
up. the intention is to display these
plants in the two new beds that have
been created in the Back Quad, with a
display board accompanying them to
describe the project.
Within this selection of plants
there are a number which i hope we
can put forward to be registered by
the Royal Horticultural society as
new varieties, such as those that are
currently named ‘Rawlinson 6’ and
‘Rawlinson 37’. However, there are
hundreds, if not thousands, of dahlia
varieties in existence and it is difficult
to know if any of our plants will be
considered distinct enough to be
given variety status.
old Members who rowed under nick are
scattered worldwide, and all were keen to contribute
to this celebration. Anna Lewis (2003) and Abs
Harrison (2002) coordinated the collection of crew
members’ favourite photos, abiding memories, and
messages of thanks. they assembled these into a
very fine book, which was presented to nick at lunch
on behalf of all former crew members, both present
and not. Alongside the book came a final, possibly
more dubious, gift in the form of a musical offering
written for the occasion – and, accompanied by
ukulele, guests joined in with gusto.
With characteristic (and memorable) modesty,
nick thanked his crews for their tolerance of ‘an old
codger with somewhat strange ideas’ and outlined
his hopes for the future of the club under new
Head Coach – and thoroughly experienced hand
– Ross Crooke (1998). task number one: regain
that Headship trophy. All present were encouraged
to remain involved with the club and pursue ways
of drawing in other old Members. Leading by
example, and as far from retirement as ever, nick
was at Bedford Regatta the following morning to
support this year’s crew.
Sara Dutta
issue no.19 MAY 2013
7