Dahlia 'Jane Cowl'
“No dahlia has given more universal satisfaction than Jane Cowl, and no other has won so many prizes since we introduced Jane Cowl in 1928. If you can grow but one bloom, let it be Jane Cowl” - Downs Dahlia List 1933
Dahlia ‘Jane Cowl’ blooming at Meadowburn Farm.
A dahlia so luscious and luminous, it is as extraordinary in our gardens today as it was when first released nearly a century ago in 1928. Since we started offering tubers for sale through Meadowburn in 2014, and now through Queen Valley Farm, ‘Jane Cowl’ has remained one of the most popular of the Meadowburn heirloom dahlias. The peachy pink blooms are voluptuous, and at close look the petals are dusted with gold. The blooms tilt upwards and are held on sturdy stems.
Type: Informal decorative dahlia
Bloom Size: 8” - 10”
Height: 5 - 6’ +
Bloom Time: July - October
Bloom Color: Deep peach & glowing bronze
Sun: Sun
Water: Medium
Breeder: Downs Dahlia Farm, 1928
Notes: Good cut flower, will require staking.
“Just imagine the ideal Dahlia bush – fairly tall, with vigorous, dark green, leather-thick foliage. Give it stems that are straight and strong, yet not clumsy. Then add monster blooms of glistening bronzy buff and salmon shades – blooms that will stop you every time you near them – and you have a mental picture of your own Jane Cowl. Jane Cowl is held on the stem just as it should be – looking at you and slightly up. Some blooms are even set squarely on top of the stem, umbrella fashion. The flowers are immense of the full petaled decorative type, with just enough twist to the broad petals to add the touch of refinement. Since its sensational debut as a seedling, this Achievement Medal winner has proved itself to be one of the greatest Dahlias. If it has a fault we have yet to find it. No variety ever won more prizes in such a short space of time, nor made more friends wherever Dahlias are grown. Many foreign countries are included in its triumphs. “ Downs Dahlia Farms, 1929
Jane Cowl in The Road to Rome, 1927 - Archive.org
History: Dahlia ‘Jane Cowl’ was breed by Downs Dahlia Farms in Clayton, New Jersey, and debuted in 1927 as an unnamed seedling at the 13th Annual American Dahlia Society Show in Manhattan. Broadway actress Jane Cowl was the guest of honor at the show’s grand opening and was asked to select one of several seedlings to carry her name.
“It so happened that Miss Cowl, after carefully examining the dozen or so flowers offered for her choice, chose an orange and yellow bloom shown by Downs Dahlia Farms” (The New York Times, 1927) Thus, Dahlia ‘Jane Cowl’ was officially released for sale in 1928.
Jane Cowl was a famous American stage and film actress and playwright. She was age 44 at the time of the 13th annual ADS show, and well known for her lead roles in Broadway productions, silent films and as a playwright. She set the record for the most consecutive productions of a Shakespeare play in her role as Juliet, with nearly 1000 consecutive shows in 1923. She was described by critics as having “marvelous bovine eyes ” and a “voice with a tear”.
The Dahlia Garden at Meadowburn Farm, 2015
Rediscovering Dahlia ‘Jane Cowl’: I saw the heirloom dahlias bloom at Meadowburn Farm for the first time in September of 2012. All identifying information of the seven remaining heirloom cultivars had been lost decades before. Walter DeVries, the keeper of the dahlias and 3rd generation gardener at Meadowburn walked with me through the garden sharing the stories he knew of the dahlias, the care of which had passed down to him through his Great Uncle and Uncle since the late 1800’s. The next season, with the help of the American Dahlia Society, we were able to match one of the distinct heirloom cultivars to a historic named variety; ‘Jane Cowl’. Read more about the history of the Meadowburn Heirloom Dahlias.
