- Author: Launa Herrmann
If you're planning a vacation this summer and the gardener in you dreams of skipping through fields of flowers, think about a drive to Oregon. A couple years ago my husband agreed to indulge my fantasy of visiting the dahlia farm whose annual catalog I had received for decades. And let me tell you, the glossy photographs were no match to the real thing. Swan Island Dahlias is one of the prettiest places on earth. The flowers are unforgettable.
With over 40 acres, there are fields of dahlias, rows of dahlias, dahlias galore in every color of the rainbow. Low growing dwarf dahlias. Pom pons and Collarettes. Anemones and Balls. Peony and Orchid types, and of course, the Waterlily shapes. The Incurved and Semi and Straight Cactus varieties. The Formal and Informal Decoratives, plus the Lacinated ones with fringy edges. Even varieties with black foliage. Dahlias with 4 - 6 inch blooms and the 8 to 10 inch sizes. Dinner plate size flowers 12 to 14 inches across.
That day I saw more dahlias in one place than I've ever seen in my life. I traipsed between straight rows that seemed to stretch to forever. The plants were beyond counting yet each one labeled. I thought I was in heaven. My husband thought I'd never leave. After all, over 360 Dahlia varieties were growing on that 40 acres and I wanted to see most of them.
So here's the scoop: Swan Island Dahlias hybridize their own varieties. Each year they plant 10,000 seedlings and introduce 5 to 15 new varieties. Located outside the town of Canby, Oregon in the Willamette Valley, this farm is worth visiting. You can check out their website at http://www.dahlias.com to learn more about their long history. How to and FAQ sections are available, along with information on their Annual Dahlia Festival held this year August 26-28 and September 2-4.