Belinda's Bloomers

I’m beginning my adventurous project to see many dahlias I can grow by turning my house in Meadowbank into a mini flower farm! In 2024 I planted over 200 dahlia tubers and for the 2025 season, I've dug up all my lawn and am creating flower fields so I can plant over 500 tubers and seedlings that I'm breeding myself!

I am planning to be overwhelmed with flowers all summer, so you’ll be able to buy flowers, bouquet subscriptions, buckets of cost-effective flowers for decorating your own events, and come along to shop at my flower cart. Flower fun!

WHAT'S GROWING IN MY FLOWER FARM?

Here's a gallery of all the dahlias that have bloomed this season, divided into colour themes - Moody Dark, Brights and Pastels. Photos are of the actual flowers in my garden.

All Bouquets and Buckets will be different each week depending on what is blooming at the time.

Next season I have FOUR flower field areas planned:
Gradient Flower Field - I have arranged my planting order of around 200 tubers on a spreadsheet by colour gradient, and I can't wait for a full blooming field - imagine the photos!
Ball Pit - my favourite dahlias are the ball varieties, so I have a zone along the edge of my deck just for about 50 of them - it will feel like you could jump into a ball pit!
DNF Zone (Did Not Flower) - I had 100 tubers that did not flower, probably because I'd planted them in the wrong place and conditions were not ideal. They grew a bushy plant but no flowers. So, they have one more season to prove themselves to me and perhaps make their way into the Gradient Flower Field the following year!
Breeding Ground - I've been cross pollinating my favourite flowers and have been harvesting seeds to grow. These will be completely new dahlias that do not exist, so they will be my creations! I can't wait to see the results of this science experiment, of around 200 plants!

MOODY DARK DAHLIAS
La Recoleta, Dark Spirit, Arabian Night, Edinburgh, Ryan C, Rocco, Spartacus, Red Fubuki, Cornwallis Island, Copper Boy, Tartan

BRIGHT DAHLIAS
Purple - Franz Kafka, Heather, Smokey, Joy 157, Creme de Cassis
Pink - Christine, Art Nouveau, Elma Elizabeth, Colorado, Rosella, XXL Berry Cheesecake
Peach - Mr Optimist, Snoho Jojo, Coralie, Cameo Peach, Sebastian, Salmon Runner
Orange - Orange Breeze, Mystic Spirit, American Sunset
Yellow - Joy 153, Joy 156, Pure Happiness, Canary Fubuki

PASTEL DAHLIAS
Pink - Wizard of Oz, Remuera Pink, Colorado, Cafe au Lait pink, Wine Eyed Jill
Purple - Arbatax, Genova
Orange - Penhill Watermelon
Cream - Cafe au Lait
White - White Aster

DWARF DAHLIAS - heaps of assorted short-stemmed flowers for mini posies, cocktail and cake decorations