Yesterday I mailed off my dahlia orders for 2011.
Growing dahlias became a passion despite the limited sunshine on my property and despite my increasing interest in native and woodland plants. I keep records in a separate journal
to track the success and failure of each year.
The classifications of dahlias are numerous and each year I explore different areas. Dahlias are grouped by the size of their blooms (AA,A, B,BB, M, P) and by their characteristics ( lacinated, waterlily, cactus, etc.) I was growing many formal decorative and informal decorative the first years of my dallying in dahlias. Now I try to venture into the other areas as well. One of my all time favorites is Bed Head, IC(incurved cactus) introduced in 2005 which I purchased from Swan Island Dahlias. I did not have success with digging, storing, dividing and replanting this variety as I have had with so many others, so I re-ordered it this year. 
I could write a book on dahlias, or should I say, I’d LIKE to write a book on dahlias, but there is already a good one out there given to me by my dear friend Andrea, THE GARDENER’S GUIDE TO GROWING DAHLIAS by Gareth Rowlands. As a matter of fact, this friend fueled my dahlia passion by giving me a $100.00 gift certificate to Swan Island Dahlias many years ago. I can thank her for many years of joy with dahlias!
I also placed an order with Brent and Becky’s Bulbs , a smaller grower but their prices are unbeatable and I love them!
22 days until Spring, and less until my tubers arrive when I begin another year of dabbling and dallying in dahlias!
Jayne In Georgia 
“Digging, storing, dividing and replanting” says it all to me about dahlias! I love them, but I guess I’m not a dedicated enough gardener to put all the work in. No-dig garden, no-dig (up, that is) bulbs! I do wish I knew someone close by who grew them, though. Once a long time ago someone gave my mother a cut one — a yellow dinnerplate — and I swear you could read by its brilliance!
Tricia
http://lettherebegarden.blogspot.com/
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such a lovely blog! How happy I am to have found you here! On, on!
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Why dig, store, divide and replant? Isn’t that what I pay Swan Island for? And what a great job they do for me.
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They do it beautifully! But why let them have all the fun!
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Thanks for the tips on dahlias… I am really interested in perking up my August around here and I will look into those companies and the book. When/how do you start your sprouts?
Thanks for looking at Wife, Mother, Gardener. It is snowing again this morning here in PA… spring should be synonymous for tease.
Thanks, Julie
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