A few years ago, I took Mia to Victoria, BC for her birthday. We went on a recommended trip to the Butchart Gardens which lay outside of Victoria to the North. The gardens are an astonishing collection of plants that span over 50 acres. As I recall it was formerly the site of a quarry and after the area had been mined Mrs. Butchart decided to plant a garden in this eyesore which was a part of her home.

We went to the gardens in late September and I remember being a bit sad that we were there at a time when a few floral varieties, which are my favorites, were no longer blooming in this cool clime. On the visitor handout there was listing for a display of Dahlias and I thought I would just skip this as Dahlias were never my favorite. The Butchert Home has been converted to a lovely, formal teahouse and I thought I might prefer tea over Dahlias.

I nearly made a very bad mistake. The Dahlia Gardens were breathtaking and here I first learned to love these beautiful flowers. It was easy to love the Dahlias at the Butchart as you are strolling through acres of mass plantings, carefully manicured and without a single flaw. What I soon realized is that while the garden is stunning it is based in the beauty of these flowers.

Dahlias are a wonderful, diverse, group of flowers that grow from a low bush of 12" to as high as 5 or 6 feet. The size of the flowers can be as small as 2-3 inches across to as large as 12-15. With over 20,000 cultivars this diverse group of flowers has a wonderful range of colors including white, pink, yellow, red, orange and every variation such as burgundy and dusty rose. Dahlias come in a host of forms from globe to flat, ruffled to daisy. Dahlias come in varities both classically formal (not my favorite) and novelty blooms which are much more "comfortable" to be around.  Dahlia cultivars are available whatever your taste and color preference may be.

Dahlias, the national flower of Mexico, are indigenous to South America. First shipped to the Netherlands in the 1800's and from there cultivated by the Dutch into the amazing range of flowers we see today, Dahlias have a rich history dating back to the Aztec, who used them for food, and were later immortalized by French Botanist Pierre-Joseph Redoute.

Commercially they are generally available from June 1st through October 31st. Dahlias should be purchased for consumer use when the blossoms show full color. Re-cut stems and place in a vase of fresh water to which floral preservative has been added. Change water every two days and enjoy Dahlias for a full week.

Growing Dahlias on the Central Coast

Plant Dahlias once the ground warms in April. Prepare an area in an open, sunny location in loose soil. If you have a heavier soil, add in sand, peat moss or bagged steer manure to lighten and loosen the soil texture for better drainage. If you live in an area of sandy soil, add topsoil. Bone meal is ideal at planting time, put a small handful in the hole and work in well before planting tuber. PH level of your soil should be 7 or slightly acidic.

Plant bulbs beginning in April and weekly through May in a full sun location where the plants will get 8 hours of sun per day. Water deeply once or twice per week.

Dahlias can be started from seeds or tubers.

In cold climates Dahlias are dug up and wintered in indoor storage after the first frost or freeze has killed off the foliage. While you can dig up Dahlias, separate and replant here on the coast it is not necessary to do so each year. Dahlias will grow via tubers many years and one only needs to cut the foliage back in the Winter and enjoy the rich color once they bloom again in the Spring.