The Nature of Things

I've always admired dahlias, always thought they were especially beautiful flowers. Unfortunately, it hasn't been a mutual admiration society. Whenever I've tried growing them in the past, they have just curled up and died on me. I've never been able to figure out why. Dahlias are supposed to be relatively easy to grow, so why have I been such a failure with them? With my last try a few years ago, I decided to admit defeat. I would not try them again. But dahlias are one of the few plants that my husband, the non-gardener, has ever expressed a liking for. He calls their blooms "elegant." And I am always trying to do something in the garden that will actually get his attention. So, when I was in one of the big box stores' nursery section this spring and came across a bin full of dahlia bulbs, I thought why not give it just one more try? I bought three bulbs and planted them. And promptly forgot about them.  Several weeks later, I was about to transplant som...