Dig on Dahlias

Join Joann and Allison chat with Catheriya Burke of South Moore Garden. Catheriya is a hobby grower who fell into learning how to clean dahlias of virus through tissue culture because of her desire to grow healthy stock after purchasing some expensive international cultivars. Catheriya openly shares with others how to be able to do the same on her social media. Catheriya has started hybridzing dahlias and is creating some beautiful blooms! To find out more about South Moore Garden and all Catheriya has been up to, you can visit her Instagram @SouthMooreGarden or you can contact Catheriya through email at info@southmooregarden.com.

Join Joann and Allison chat with Karen Sanchez, ADS Classification Chair. Karen shares with us a look into keeping all the show results organzied within the Classification Handbook of Dahlias, an annual publication sent out by the American Dahlia Society summarizing all the show winning and newly introduced dahlias. Karen is an active senior judge in the Pacific Northwest. She has released a few blooms with the Hacienda prefix. Her new blooms are released through Lobaugh's Dahlias.

Join Joann and Allison chat with Brenna Estrada of Three Brothers Blooms all about her experiences writing the book, Pansies: How to Grow, Reimagine, and Create Beauty with Pansies and Violas. Brenna shares with us some of her inspiration, travels and connections that made this book possible. Pansies just recieved the 2026 AHS Book Award, sure to be enjoyed by anyone who picks it up. You can find out more about Brenna on her website www.threebrothersblooms.com and on her social media FB and IG @ThreeBrothersBlooms.

Join Joann and Allison chat with Michael Burns, the current President of the Chrysanthemum and Dahlia Society of Canada. Michael's excitement and love for dahlias is infectious. He is growing and hybridizing dahlias in Ontario, Canada. He is both a successful hybridzier and exhibitionist. His dahlia hybrid prefix is Eire. Micheal has a few blooms that have been released and has many more in the queue. You can find out more about Michael on social media. Facebook, Dahlias by Michael, or on Instagram @tattooeddahliaguy. To find out more about his new collaboration, Bonded by Blooms, with Murray Thompson and Lori Peplinskie, check them out on Instagram @bonded_by_blooms.

Join Joann and Allison continue our interview with Dave Gillam of Dave Gillam Dahlias. Dave is currently serving as Chairman for the UK National Dahlia Society. He is an exceptional exhibitionist. During this Part 2, Dave shares with us more about how the UK National Dahlia Society trains judges, classifies new blooms, his history of how he got into dahlias and some of his favorite blooms to grow and show. You can find out more about Dave on his YouTube @DaveGilliamDahlias.

Join Joann and Allison chat with Jeff Miner, ADS National Show Chair. Jeff shares with us a little sneak peak into what to expect for the 2026 ADS National Show at the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He shares with us details about weekend tours and activities and how to stage and enter your blooms. You can sign up here to get email updates on the National Show.

Join Joann and Allison chat with Janell Weiss of the Pollinator Patch. With a professional background agriculture, Janell grows thriving dahlias in Ohio, placing a strong emphaisis on virus free dahlias. When she was first made aware of virus in dahlias, she set a goal to clean her garden and has stuck with it. Janell shares with us her experiences along this journey and how others can also achieve a healhty dahlia garden. Find out more about about Janell and the Pollinator Patch on social media @thepollinatorpatch and on her website www.thepollinatorpatch.com.

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.

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/

Join Joann and Allison chat with Deanna of the Growing Kindness Movement. Driven by a mission to use flowers as a way to connect and show kindness towards others, the Growing Kindness Movment has become a worldwide effort. To find out more about the Growing Kindness Movement, check out www.growingkindndessproject.com or on social media @growingkindnessproject. You can listen in on their new podcast, Growing Kindness, on all the major podcast platforms.

Join Joann and Allison chat with Heidi Zierdt. She is the North Central Trial Garden director as well as the ADS Chairperson for all Trial Gardens. We discuss what an ADS Trial Garden is as well as how to go about entering hybridized blooms to be evaluated.

Join Joann and Allison chat about our recent adventures and our emotional preparation for the seasons end.

Join Joann and Allison chat with Nina about her new rose business Heart Song Roses. While Nina has been in the floral industry for years as Trillium Finch, she is braching out with a renewed love for old heritage roses selling varieties that are nearly impossible to find. Follow Nina on social media @trilliumfinch to find out more about Heart Song Roses and where to buy these roses and to find out information about Nina's annual tuber sale.