Dig on Dahlias

Join Joann and Allison discuss the Pacific Northwest Trial Garden in Tacoma, WA with Trial Garden Director Terry Schroeder. Terry has made significant contributions to the dahlia community. In addition to being director of the Tacoma Trial Gardens, Terry also serves as secretary for the Federation of Northwest Dahlia Growers and secretary for the American Dahlia Society.  
Terry shares with us how she and her husband, Bob, help coordinate all that is involved with running the Trial Garden. Its not as easy as just throwing some tubers in the ground. 
If you're interested in getting inolved, you can find Trial Garden Director contact information on the American Dahlia Society Website.

Join Joann and Allison chat with Dr. Jan Gawthrop of Oldoc Dahlias. Jan is a bovine pediatrician. He grows dahlias in Northeast Indiana and is a member, previously Vice President, of the Elkhart Dahlia Society.  Jan shares with us a bit of his dahlia history and reminds us how much joy sharing these flowers with others can bring. 
Jan new dahlia introductions are distributed through jsdahlias.com and missysdahlias.com.

Join Joann and Allison sitting around the table with Barb and Paul Bloomquist of Bloomquist Dahlias talk about how they started growing dahlias and how it looked for them over the years. Bloomquist dahlias are known for their beauty and strong plant habits, definitely staples in the dahlia garden. 
If you're intereresting in purchasing new Bloomquist releases be sure to follow Paul's son's dahlia farm www.northcascadedahlias.com and @northcascadedahlias on social media. North Cascade Dahlias grows around 600 Bloomquist varieties and is home to to Paul's seedling patch (hardly a patch when you're growing thousands of seedlings) where he selects and grows out potential new varieties.

Part 2 of our discussion with Steve and Sandy Boley of Birch Bay dahlias discussing their mentors. However, we do often get off topic and Steve and Sandy share quite a bit about breeding. 
Part 2 cover mentors: Wayne Holland, Jean Herringa, Steve Santose, Walt and Cory Wynne, Dick Williams and Bill Bonneywell. 
You can find out more about Steve and Sandy's breeding on their website www.birchbaydahlias.com or on their facebook page. 
Dahlia Legacy Project: https://www.legacy.nwdahlia.org/person/boley-steve-sandy/

Steve and Sandy Boley of Birch Bay Dahlias are back! This time our converstaion focuses on how the many mentors of theirs influenced their journey to become the incredible hybridizers that they are today. 
Part 1 goes over mentors: Dr Kieth Hammett, Gordie Leroux, Richard Raymond, Evie Gullikson, Curt Sell and Bill McClaren. 
You can find out more about Steve and Sandy's breeding on their website www.birchbaydahlias.com or on their facebook page.