16 Beautiful DIY Dahlia Flower Arrangement ideas

I am so excited to show you how easy it is to make a dahlia flower arrangement!

It is summertime, meaning there are lots of dahlias in the garden. And you do not need to go to the flower shop for these beauties. If you do not have them in your garden, visit Trader Joe’s. They have the very best fresh flowers, and the prices are great.

Whether you have a special occasion or love seasonal flowers in the house, I have the best ideas for arranging your own dahlia flower arrangements.

This season I planted more dahlia tubers than ever, and my cutting garden is overflowing. I purchase all of my dahlia tubers from SCC Flower Farms and Swan Island. Keep an eye on their website for their next tuber sale, because the best varieties always sell out fast.

I have made a wide selection of floral designs for you to enjoy. You can make these flowers at home, so choose the arrangement that fits your style and let’s get started.

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Do dahlias make good cut flowers?

Dahlias are an excellent choice for cut flowers. They have strong stems, come in every color and size imaginable, and you can enjoy their beautiful blooms for several days if cared for properly. All of my favorite care tips are at the end of this post.

Fun fact: Once you cut a dahlia bud, it will not continue to open, unlike many other cut flowers. Always harvest dahlias once the bloom is already showing its full color and mostly open, not while it is still a tight bud.

What are the best dahlia varieties for a dahlia flower arrangement?

Dahlias are one of the most popular flowers in the world, and for good reason. They come in various colors, shapes, and sizes, making them perfect for any occasion. Whether looking for a seasonal centerpiece or everyday flowers, dahlias will impress you with the freshest blooms.

There are thousands of dahlia varieties. Here are just a few of my favorite types, and throughout this post I will name the specific varieties in each arrangement so you can grow them too.

What are the basics of flower arranging?

Sixteen of my favorite dahlia arrangements

1. All-white dahlia arrangement

An all-white dahlia arrangement is a classic and elegant choice. The pure white petals create a sense of serenity and peace in any room.

Every bloom here is Boom Boom White, one of my favorite ball dahlias from my cutting garden. One variety, one color, repeated across a collection of little glass bottles, makes the simplest arrangement on this list. I like to use several small vases and put single stems in them at different heights.

2. A Small Dahlia Arrangement for Any Tabletop

Not every dahlia arrangement needs to fill a whole table. This one proves that a handful of blooms and a single glass vase can be just as striking.

This mix pairs Boom Boom White with golden Jowey Linda, blush Sweet Nathalie, and deep magenta Rocco, cut close and kept simple in a glass vase. A sprig of fern adds a little movement, but the dahlias are still doing all the work. This is the arrangement to make when you want something special without needing a big garden haul.

3. Monochromatic dahlia flower arrangements

A collection of dahlias in a single color family is a bold and dramatic statement. Sticking to one color lets every different flower shape shine, and it works beautifully in red, purple, or white.

In this all-red collection I mixed Cornel ball dahlias, dramatic Arabian Night, and the anemone-style Rock Star.

Here is the same idea in rich purples and magentas, using Diva, Rocco, and Rock Star.

4. Mixed dahlia Arrangement

Mixed dahlia arrangements are a great way to show off the variety of colors and shapes these flowers come in.

One of my favorite things is to pick dahlias from my garden and mix them in a bouquet. This way, I get a variety of colors and shapes in each bouquet, and the arrangements are always different.

This arrangement is full of Lilac time, ottos thrill, cornel, jowey linda, ,wizard of oz and platinum blonde.

5. Shades of Sherbet dahlias

Shades of sherbet dahlias are a fun and playful way to display these beautiful flowers. This arrangement is typically made up of dahlias in pastel colors, such as peach, pink, and yellow. The different shades create a soft and delicate arrangement.

This bouquet is a full sherbet rainbow: creamy Boom Boom White, blush Wizard of Oz, coral Jowey Winnie, coppery Cornel Bronze, soft pink Sweet Nathalie, and moody Labyrinth, softened with sprigs of Queen Anne’s lace and wax flower for a garden-gathered finish. Truly the colors of sherbet ice cream.

6. Dahlia’s mixed with other types of flowers

Dahlias are such versatile flowers that they can be mixed with various other flowers to create beautiful and stunning arrangements. Some popular flowers that mix well with dahlias include sunflowers, cosmos, zinnias, and rudbeckia. However, I say use what you have, what is growing in the garden, or what you find at the grocery store.

In this bouquet, La Luna and Wine Eyed Jill dahlias mingle with white cosmos, black-eyed Susans, and zinnias, all cut from the garden the same morning.

7. Show stopper arrangements

Sometimes one incredible bloom is all an arrangement needs. In one bouquet, a single pale yellow La Luna dinner plate takes center stage among smaller peach dahlias, cosmos, and hydrangea; in another, a deep red dinner plate anchors a cloud of pink cactus and pompon dahlias and magenta zinnias. Either way, the trick is scale: pick your biggest, most dramatic bloom first, then build everything smaller around it, and it will read as curated instead of just gathered.

8. Dinner Plate Dahlias

Dinner Plate dahlias are the most stunning of the different varieties. They certainly steal the show with their large, colorful blooms.

This urn holds three of my favorite dinner plates: pure white Fleurel, blush Cafe au Lait, and soft pink Breakout. A footed urn gives these heavy blooms the stage they deserve.

9. Ball and pompon dahlias

Ball and pompon dahlias are small and round and add great appeal to any arrangement. Their perfect honeycomb petals look almost too good to be real, and their small size adds a touch of fun and whimsy.

This sunny mix includes Jowey Linda, Boom Boom White, Lake Carey, Cherish, and one with the best name in the dahlia world: Blah Blah Blah.

10. Simple hand-tied dahlia bouquet

A dahlia bouquet is a beautiful arrangement of dahlia flowers, often combined with other flowers or greenery. They can be arranged in various ways, from simple to elaborate, and are often used for weddings, special occasions, and everyday home decor.

11. A cluster of bud vases, mixed edition

Way back in idea 1, I showed you my all-white single stem vases. This is the colorful version, and it might be my favorite way to show off dahlias, because every single bloom gets its moment.

Gather whatever small vessels you have: bud vases, juice glasses, little jars. Give each one a show-stopping stem or a small handful, then group them together on the table. I used my most treasured varieties here, and this little collection reads like a dahlia sampler.

The blush beauties up front are Cafe au Lait, and the big shaggy pink is Penhill Watermelon. Tucked into the mix are Boom Boom White, Wine Eyed Jill, and deep, moody Black Satin, with a few zinnias for good measure.

This is also the perfect arrangement for stems that came out of the garden shorter than you planned. No floral foam, no frogs, no fuss.

12. Dahlias and garden roses

If you only try one new combination this season, make it dahlias and roses.

I cut everything for this arrangement on the same morning: spiky pink Park Princess cactus dahlias, one dramatic crimson Diva dinner plate, and an armful of soft pink garden roses. The roses bring a romance that dahlias alone cannot quite reach, and the dahlias bring the drama.

A little white ironstone pitcher from the kitchen holds it all together. Notice how the spiky Park Princess petals play against the smooth, swirled rose blooms. That contrast in texture is what makes this arrangement feel like it came from a florist instead of the backyard.

13. Loose garden-style dahlias

Not every dahlia flower arrangement needs to be a tight, perfect dome. This one is proof.

For this look, I let the stems do whatever they wanted. Some arc out to the sides, some trail low, and I left the buds right on the stems. Those little green buds add so much movement and charm, so do not snip them off.

Start with your tallest, most dramatic blooms in the center, then work outward and downward, letting each stem find its own angle. In this pitcher you will find Park Princess, Dancin Queen, Appleblossom, Chilsons Pride, and little Koko Puff trailing off to the side with a few zinnias. A vintage ironstone pitcher is my favorite vessel for this style. The wide mouth lets the stems fall naturally.

This is the arrangement to make when you want that effortless, just-gathered-from-the-garden feeling.

14. Plum and berry tone dahlias

Deep plum, magenta, and berry tones give dahlias a rich, jewel-box look that feels a little more elevated than a summer pastel mix.

I built this arrangement around two enormous fuchsia Dancin Queen dinner plate blooms, then tucked in creamy white Boom Boom White ball dahlias for contrast. The white blooms are doing the heavy lifting here: without them, all those deep tones would blend together. With them, every flower stands out.

Spiky Park Princess adds texture throughout, and a dark burgundy dahlia tucked toward the back adds depth and a little mystery. This is my pick for a dinner party centerpiece.

15. Dahlias and zinnias from the cutting garden

If you grow zinnias alongside your dahlias, this is the easiest arrangement on this entire list.

Everything here came out of the garden in one trip: creamy Boom Boom White, spiky Park Princess, blush Chilsons Pride, a soft pink Breakout dinner plate, and a handful of bright purple zinnias. Zinnias and dahlias bloom at the same time, love the same conditions, and their shapes complement each other beautifully.

The zinnias also stretch your dahlias further. A few stems of each fills a pitcher, so you can keep more dahlias blooming out in the garden.

16. Sunset shades: coral, apricot, and cream

I saved my favorite for last. These sunset shades might be the prettiest color story a dahlia garden can give you.

This arrangement mixes coral, apricot, peach, and cream blooms in every size. You will spot Chilsons Pride, Boom Boom White, Wine Eyed Jill, and coppery Cornel Bronze in the mix. A simple clear glass vase is all it needs. With colors this warm, the flowers are the whole show.

One styling secret: when a few petals drop, leave them scattered on the table. It looks romantic and lived-in, and it photographs beautifully.

How to make cut dahlias last

Dahlias can last up to a week in a vase with proper care. Here is everything I do to keep mine looking fresh:

• Cut dahlias when they are almost fully open but not yet fully mature. Unlike some flowers, dahlias do not continue to open much after cutting.
• Cut the stems diagonally with a sharp knife or shears.
• Remove any leaves that will sit below the water line.
• Place the dahlias in a vase filled with cool, fresh water.
• Change the water every day.
• Add flower food, bleach or a splash of white vinegar to extend vase life.
• Keep arrangements out of direct sun and away from heat.

With a bit of care and attention, you can enjoy beautiful dahlias in your home for many days.

Frequently asked questions

As the Season Winds Down

I hope these arrangements inspire you to keep cutting and filling your house with dahlias all season long. Once the blooms start to fade and the first frost is on its way, don’t let your dahlia season end there. Digging up and dividing your tubers is one of the best ways to multiply your collection year after year, so next summer you’ll have even more blooms to cut. Check out my complete guide to dividing dahlia tubers to get started.

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