Saturday, April 3, 2010 Open to the Public at 10:00am

Bloedel-Donovan Park, 2214 Electric Ave, Bellingham

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GARDENING PUBLIC

This is the very BEST spot in Whatcom County to get new dahlias for your garden. Typically the society has 500 to 600 different varieties of dahlias for sale at very reasonable prices. We have many, many varieties that will make wonderful cut flowers - medium, small, miniature, ball and waterlily sizes and forms in all the bright and beautiful dahlia colors - blends, bicolors, variegated and bright whites, reds, yellows, pinks, etc., etc.. There are also lots of giant, large and medium varieties just waiting for you to make a big statement in your garden or on your table with their show-off blooms. We also have special tables of shorter dahlias to use in containers or use like bedding plants on the edges of your garden. And, many special dahlia forms, like orchid, collarette, single, anemone, and noveltys. Another feature is an area for dahlia varieties with dark foliage - rather than green, the stems and leaves of these plants look purple or kind of black - something different for your garden. Plus, we have new dahlia originations from our Whatcom County growers. These are usually priced higher because they're new, but you can pick up some spectacular, fresh new varieties at our sale - be the first on your block to have that great, new introduction.

In past years the tuber sale has been popular with the local gardening community. Many folks try to get to the sale at or before 10AM to line up and get a good chance of finding just the dahlias they're looking for. While we've never completely sold out - you can still come at 2:30 and find a good selection - the greatest choice of varieties is in the morning. We provide bags for you to carry home your treasures and a handout to help you decode the dahlia abbreviations that the growers use on their tuber tags. Except for the new introductions, the tubers are priced at $2 to $5 each, with the majority at the lower end of that range. We also sell several "how-to" books to help your dahlia growing experience as well as the annual "newsy" Dahlias of Today" from the Puget Sound Dahlia Association. You may pay for your purchases with cash or check - we don't have the facilities to accept plastic.

Here's a list of the abbreviations we use on our dahlia tags.

Here we'll try to get a layout of the room so it will be easier to find your way around.

Here's a list of the varieties that were on the tables for sale in 2009. Some of these may not be for sale in 2010, but there may be up to 100 other varieties available. This should provide an pretty good idea of the range of dahlias that you could buy. While a number of these dahlias will just have a few tubers available, many of the varieties have 10 or more for sale - there's enough to please almost everyone.

Another nice part of this event is the chance to talk about dahlias with club members. Bring your questions about varieties, growing, insects or diseases, even exhibiting. You'll find a lot of "dahlia-crazy" folks to chat with and share your interest in our favorite flower.

WCDS Members

Perhaps the most important thing members can do is to help tell our local community about the sale. Here are some posters you can print and put up all over the county. And, there are some of the smaller handouts that you can pass out to friends and interested gardeners.

Color Poster

Black & White Poster

Color Handouts

Saturday morning club member/workers who can lift and set up tables show up at 7am to unload the trailer and get the tables around the room. All other club member/workers should arrive by 7:30/7:45 to help with all the other tasks. We get signs up, arrange the pictures, setup the checkout and cashiering areas - then help the growers get their tubers out for the sale. Hopefully everything will be ready well before 10am so that workers can have shopping time before the sale opens to the public.

WCDS Growers

Description of process to bring your tubers

Here's a page of blank tuber tags so you can print up what you need for selling.

Contact Linda Ness to get your Tag Highlight Color.

Contact Dick Porter to get a Grower # and a current Tuber Sale picture and price list.