25 Feb Dahlias – A True Celebration of Summer Flowers
Dahlias are (in our humble opinion) one of the most incredible flowers you can grow + enjoy. They come in all different shapes, and sizes in an astounding array of stunning colors, they are easy to grow in almost any climate and pump out an abundance of blooms mid-summer through the first fall frost.As soon as these beauties start blooming come July, you will find them tucked into many of our floral bouquets, arrangements + installations that we create for weddings from Bellingham to Seattle. Every summer we grow dozens of these dazzling treasures in our cutting garden here in Bellingham, WA, and with breeders introducing new varieties each year we are always welcoming some of these new and exciting botanical treasures into the fold both for our clients, pollinators + wildlife, and our own enjoyment.
As our friends at Floret Flower Farm say “One thing I have learned when it comes to dahlias I that once you have been bitten by the dahlia bug there is no going back. They have a strangely magical quality that somehow ends up taking over your life in the most fun and beautiful way.” There are well over a dozen official different classifications of dahlias, and in this blog post we are excited to share a few of our very favorites.
BALL\Pom pom DAHLIAS for a summer wedding
These cuties are true workhorses in the garden, masters of color palette blending, and come in just about every color you can imagine. Pom pom dahlias look like oversized lollipops, excellent for a lush boutonniere or grouped together in an arrangement or bouquet for a pop of magic. Ball dahlias, just slightly larger, work seamlessly into just about any floral arrangement, and are especially useful for bridging one color to another or using en masse for an installation such as a floral chandelier, aisle flowers, or grounded arch. It is always hard to pick a favorite, but a few of the varieties we find ourselves reaching for the most are “Rock Run Ashely”, “Crossfield Ebony”, “Koko Puff” and “Bracken Rose”. The color choices are truly breathtaking!
Anenome\collarette dahlias- a truly unique wedding flower
Arguably our favorite and taking up more space in the dahlia patch of our garden in Bellingham every year, anemone dahlias feature the most unique shapes of all dahlia types. These are the only dahlia form that have open centers, and they have soft, lush petals that invite a delicate, whimsical feel to any floral design. Some of our favorites featured below include “Platinum Blonde” “Appleblossom” and “Totally Tangerine”. Anemone dahlias are a true celebration of the summer season- only available for a few months and impossible to ship, growing and buying these locally-grown flowers opens up a whole world of beautiful possibilities for your summer wedding. And when we can be in relationship with the season, there is all the more magic!
Waterlily\dinnerplate dahlias- a stunning addition to any summer\early fall wedding
The SHOWSTOPPER of the dahlia kingdom! These incredible blooms are big, bold and beautiful. One of our most treasured dahlia varieties is a dinner plate dahlia known as “Cafe Au Lait”, lovingly referred by floral designers and growers alike as the queen of dahlias. Showy and marvelous on her own, woven into an impactful floral arch installation or as the main event of a bridal bouquet… wow do they make a statement. The soft pink\blush tones of “Cafe Au Lait” blend seamlessly with a wide range of color palettes both summer + fall inspired, and can offer a warm or cool tone to a floral arrangement or bouquet.
Dinnerplate dahlias are the last to bloom each summer, but they are well worth the wait. Once they get going, they churn out buckets of these large, gorgeous blooms.
It is a gift to know, nuture + grow, design + share with these incredible flowers. I hope this inspired you for your summer wedding flowers or garden! Dahlias are truly the crown jewel of the summer garden here in Bellingham.
In our cutting garden, we grow about 100 dahlia plants every year using beyond organic & regenerative practices, with which we seek to rebuild soil organic matter, provide habitat for pollinators, and restore soil biodiversity. Not only does this positively impact our planet by encouraging carbon downdraw, improving water cycles, reduce pollution, and enhance biodiversity- it produces a level of beauty and vibrancy in our blooms that you can feel! The freshness in scent, vibrancy of color, and quality of flowers that come straight from the farm is incredible- the beauty of flowers is a true form of nourishment and we all deserve to experience them at their very best!
If you have a garden space or a spare 5 gallon pot and some porch space available, I highly recommend planting some dahlias and enjoying their magic this coming summer! A few of our favorite sources are:
Photographer by Floret Flowers, Madison Nolling Photography & Courtney Bowlden Photography