1 tuber 229347-1 £4.50 Delivery late February
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Due to unprecedented levels of demand, please allow up to 4 weeks for despatch.
3 tubers 229347-3 £11.95 Delivery late February
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Due to unprecedented levels of demand, please allow up to 4 weeks for despatch.
1 x 3 litre pot 229347-3L £11.50
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The best of the new generation 'Café au Laits', with whopper, milky coffee to ivory flowers, with the lightest dusting of pink. This is set to make all dahlia lovers swoon.

This can be gift wrapped in our exclusive hessian sack, with ribbon and a Sarah Raven gift card. You will be able to add this to your basket once you begin the checkout process. To add a gift message to your order, simply fill out the details at the delivery stage of the checkout.

Please note: only items which are showing ‘in stock’ can be gift wrapped.

Genus Dahlia
Group/Species Decorative Group

Broad and flat petals, normally bluntly pointed, with no central disc showing. Click here for more information about dahlia groups.
Variety Café au Lait Royal
Type Tender Perennial Tuber
Common Name Dahlia
Border Position Container, Middle
Bulb Size I
Soil Type Acid, Alkaline, Chalky, Clay, Fertile, Neutral, Sandy
Scent Unscented
Site Full Sun
Moisture Moist but Well-drained
Height 1m (3ft 3in)
Spacing Plant just under the soil surface, 75cm (30in) apart.
Sowing, Seeds, Planting Pot them up undercover March or early April in a generous pot (at least 2 litre) filled with multi-purpose potting compost. Place them in a light, frost-free place and keep the compost moist. Pinch out their growing tips when they have reached about 8" tall. They will have formed bushy plants by the time the frosts have ended and will be in flower by the beginning of July. If you don’t have anywhere to grow the potted tubers, you can put them straight into the ground when the frosts are nearly over, mulching them or protecting with a cloche or protective horticultural fleece if the foliage appears before the frosts are over, but this will delay flowering.
Care Tips Support with a stout stick, tie in every couple of weeks. In the south you can mulch deeply and overwinter them in the ground, alternatively, lift and overwinter your dahlias frost free undercover.
Flowering July - November
Vase Life Only pick dahlias in full flower. Recut the hollow stem ends under water to avoid airlocks.
Harvesting Flower production 5 months
Cooking Notes All dahlia flowers are edible. I use the petals scattered over salad and to decorate a range of puddings
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • Sow Under Cover/Plant Indoors
  • Direct Sow/Plant Outdoors
  • Flowers/Harvest
Advice & Videos
History of the dahlia

First discovered by Aztec Indians and used for food and medicine, this tuber has an interesting history of cultivation.

Understanding dahlia groups

A list of the different dahlia groups, along with some classification info and an example of a variety in each group.

How to plant and grow dahlia tubers

Discover how to grow strong, healthy dahlias – how to plant, look after and overwinter them, and what to do with your bulbs when they arrive.

How to overwinter dahlia tubers

Sarah discusses the best options for overwintering dahlias – lifting or mulching.

Sublime dark dahlia flower arrangement

Sarah shows you how to make a gorgeous large arrangement of dahlias.

Planting narcissi bulbs with dahlias

Have a beautiful display of flowers in your garden from March to the first frosts with this simple planting technique.

New favourite dahlia arrangement

Sarah shows you how to make a quick arrangement of colourful dahlias.

Growing dahlias in pots

Sarah shows you her favourite dahlia varieties for pots, and gives you some tips on how to grow them successfully.

How to take dahlia cuttings

Watch and learn how to take dahlia cuttings – turn 1 tuber into 10.

How to plant up your dahlia tubers

In this video Sarah shows you how to plant up your dahlia tubers.

When To Plant Dahlias

Related Videos
Delivery

Bulb Delivery - Due to unprecedented levels of demand, please allow up to 4 weeks for despatch.

Plant Delivery - When in stock, please allow up to 3 weeks for delivery. 

Click here to find out more information about our delivery rates and times.

Dahlia 'Café au Lait Royal' reviews

* * * * - Average based on 25 reviews

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Reviewed 20th April 2020 by Susan

Everything has been well controlled from the ordering to the delivery.

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Reviewed 7th September 2019 by Jennie

Of 3 tubers one is magnificent. One is stunted and bright pink. One is stunted with weird pink and white striped flowers. Not what I expected. Disappointing.

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Reviewed 28th August 2019 by Margaret

Delighted, beautiful dahlias growing in the garden

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Reviewed 20th August 2019 by Sarah

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Reviewed 10th August 2019 by Elizabeth

Lovely healthy plant, no flower yet

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Reviewed 9th August 2019 by Margaret

I have never grown Dahlias before but seeing these last year in flower decided to have a go. They are superb, I have grown them in pots the early ones were huge tea plate size but they are now around saucer size and just keep on flowering. I have purchased other Dahlia plants elsewhere and no way are they as good as these, will certainly go for buying these tubers again and a few more varieties. Excellent

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Reviewed 6th August 2019 by Victoria

Very dissapointed as has hardly grown so nothing to comment on except a couple of sad looking leaves. I doubt it will survive until next year so be wary. Not sure what has gone wrong considering I have been growing dahlias with success for several years.

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Reviewed 5th August 2019 by Jocelyn

Good plant, now flowering well.

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Reviewed 3rd August 2019 by Graham

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Reviewed 2nd August 2019 by Sarah

Dreadful pink flower, so many blooms i felt sorry enough to keep it watered and fed. I was hoping for a pale peachy bloom with a hint of pink...

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Reviewed 2nd August 2019 by Chrissy

Ordering and delivery good. The 3 plants were tightly packed together but unfortunately as they were so tight in the box a large stem broke off as I took it out. My fault. The Bishop of Canterbury is the one that is now doing best in the garden. The other two look like they are still getting over the shock of transporting and haven't really added anything to my garden yet.

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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Julie

This is one of my favourites and they get better each year looking really nice. now.

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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Corrie

Quality and size good well watered and packaged

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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by James

again a really good quality tuber , they are as big as dinner plates and look fab u lous !

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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Sammy

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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Nicola

The flowers are described on the website as "milky coffee to ivory and the lightest dusting of pink" whereas the flowers produced are a very vivid pink and totally totally unlike the description. One tuber produced a flower which was half vivid pink and half pale pink.

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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Gina

Lovely large flowers but unfortunately not the colour as described and shown in catalogue, which was creamy beige with a hint of pink, mine are almost all bright pink, and are in the wrong place for that colour!
I have been promised a refund.

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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Jeannette

Well these are magnificent,so beautiful and the colour is amazing.
Huge flowers on strong stems.Everyone comments on them.

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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Clare

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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Bernard

some of the dahlia tubers were not of good quality

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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Mrs Sadler

Small plant,but have got a flower. Think it's the weather and late planting.

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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Nicola

Doing ok at present. Service quick and easy.

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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Maureen

Again, this dahlia Is not the café au lait that I ordered - it is pink with deep pink inside. It is growing well and producing lots of flowers, but it is not the one I ordered. So I ordered 3 dahlias, and only 1 of them is the one I wanted!

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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Marilyn

Arrived safely packed and have started flowering. Enormous flowers!

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Reviewed 14th July 2019 by Jackie

Failed to grow see as above

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