Fields of fire - dahlia flower farms of the Northwest

Sunset, August, 1997 by Steven R. Lorton

The Northwest produces more dahlias than any other region in the West. This is the month to pay its farms a visit

Radiant colors may make dahlias seem more at home in sunny southern climates. But these fiesta-hued beauties - native to the highlands of Mexico - grow prolifically in the Pacific Northwest, where they are among the major commercial flower crops. The mild, moist climate and rich, acid soil combine to produce vibrant flowers that are beautifully formed and long-lived.

From August until the first frost, dahlias set growing fields ablaze with bright flamenco colors as they open up to bask in the end-of-summer sun. At one of the Northwest's biggest farms, Swan Island Dahlias in Canby, Oregon, you can walk the grass paths between rows of flowers that stretch out in every direction, and celebrate the bloom peak at Swan Island's annual Dahlia Festival and Indoor Show. This is a grand time to see these gorgeous blooms in arrangements, too, or to take a field tour. Some visitors bring cameras to capture the dazzling scene on film; others set up easels to paint.

If the dahlia bug bites, you can order tubers for planting next spring. Dahlias grow well throughout the West if you plant tubers after soil warms and frosts are over. In hottest climates, plant them in light, filtered shade and give them ample water.

7 DAHLIA FARMS TO VISIT

The following dahlia farms are as friendly as they are colorful. Owners and staff are usually on hand to answer questions. Most offer price lists or catalogs so you can order tubers for delivery by mail once you're home. Flower stands in many of the fields sell dahlias by the bunch, Seasoned visitors often travel with a water-filled plastic bucket sitting in a box (so it won't tip over in the car) to transport flowers home.

Connell's Dahlias. 10616 Waller Rd. E., Tacoma, WA 98446; (253) 5310292. Show gardens fill 5 acres. Open daily August 15-October 1. Catalog $2.

Ferncliff Gardens. 8394 McTaggart St., Mission, BC V2V 6S6; (604) 826-2447. This 77-year-old family business has a show garden and 3 acres of dahlia fields. Look for the dahlias that never need staking. Peak bloom from mid-August through early October. Open 9-4:30 daily August 10-October 10. Catalog free to visitors, $2 by mail.

La Conner Dahlias. At junction of Chilberg Rd. and La Conner-Whitney Rd. (Box 329), La Conner, WA 98257; (360) 466-3977. More than 125 varieties in 2 acres of field and display gardens. Owner David Rothrock got hooked on dahlias while living in France, where the plants grew in vegetable gardens. Open during daylight hours daily July 19 until frost. Price list free to visitors, $1 by mail.

Pioneer Dahlias. 1606 Hwy. 20, Burlington, WA 98233; (360) 855-1357. More than 850 varieties grow in 3 acres of fields. Look for the flame red 'Lady Darlene' with 6- to 8-inch flowers (several photographers are usually clustered around it, trying to get a closeup). Open dawn to dusk daily August 1-September. Price list free to visitors, $1 by mail.

Sea-Tac Dahlia Gardens. 20020 Des Moines Memorial Dr., Seattle, WA 98198; (206) 824-3846. Owners Louis and Patti Eckhoff grow close to 7,000 plants in a 1-acre field. The Eckhoffs favor small and medium-size flowers that are good for cutting. Open during daylight hours daily mid-August until frost. Price list free to visitors, or send a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

Skagit Heights Dahlia Farm. 576 Hobson Rd., Bow, WA 98232; (360) 766-6612. This charming Skagit Valley farm is home to more than 600 varieties. Open 9-dusk Mon-Sat, 12-dusk Sun, August-September. Catalog free to visitors, $1 by mail.

Swan Island Dahlias. 995 N.W. 22nd Ave. (Box 700), Canby, OR 97013; (503) 266-7711. About one-third of the plants on these 40 acres were hybridized here, where the family has been in business for 35 years. Open daylight till dark daily August 1 until frost. The Dahlia Festival takes place August 23-25 and August 30-September 1; food and drink are sold, and picnic tables provided. Price list free, catalog $3.

DAHLIAS FOR BOUQUETS

Flowers 4 inches and smaller are best.

Anemones. Single anemone-shaped flowers with nearly flat petals.

Ball and pompom. Petals tightly arranged in a globe shape.

Cactus and semicactus. Spiky, tightly curled petals resemble cactus flowers.

Collarettes. Wide, roundish petals with a ruffle of smaller petals around the centers.

Formal decorative. Uniform, rounded petals are evenly spaced.

Informal decorative. Flowers often have ruffly or gently twisted petals.

Water lily. Open clusters of flat, broad petals resemble water lilies.