The Dunedin Dahlia Circle will celebrate 25 years when it hosts the South Island National Dahlia Show in Dunedin this weekend. Foundation members talked to Gillian Vine about the circle's history.
Dahlias are making a comeback but 25 years ago, they were right out of favour.
"For several years, the late Dorothy Broad, Bill Christie and I were the only ones showing dahlias at the Dunedin Horticultural Society shows," Dunedin Dahlia Circle foundation member Dave Young says.
Another foundation member, Nancy Langford, recalls: "Dorothy had become interested in dahlias because there were so many different types, so many beautiful colours."
Mrs Broad was flexible in her approach - "One year, the judge didn't turn up [at the DHS show], so Dorothy said, `We'll do it ourselves, and we did. It was all very friendly," Mr Young says.
Mrs Broad suggested forming a dahlia interest group to promote the flowers.
"Ten or 12 people met at Dorothy's house and formed the Dunedin Dahlia Circle," Mrs Langford says.
Strong support came from Invercargill growers Walter and Kathleen Jack, and from members of Timaru's dahlia club.
"Timaru sent down a trailer-load of tubers and that was the start of [us] distributing dahlias," Mr Young says.
Mrs Broad regarded selling tubers as a good way to raise funds - "We had no money," Mrs Langford says - and gave members advice on lifting tubers, how to divide them and pack them in sawdust before labelling them for sale. The sale is still an annual event.
Shows have also been a feature from the earliest days and as well as the group's show, dahlias are a major part of the DHS summer show in late February.
Asked what are the best dahlias for a newcomer to show, Mr Young suggests starting with smaller varieties, such as miniature decoratives Tui Connie and Bloom's Amy, and moving up from there.
He grows some of the giant types, including the deep-red Zorro and vivid yellow Inland Dynasty, but also likes Taratahi Lilac, a New Zealand-bred semi-cactus variety notable for its strong, straight stems with which he had success at the recent Otago-Taieri A&P Show.
This weekend's South Island National Dahlia Show promises a strong line-up of blooms, ranging from the tiny pompons to giant decoratives the size of dinner plates.
"We have exhibitors registered from as far north as Blenheim and south to Invercargill," Dunedin Dahlia Circle president Stuart Brown says.
"Dahlias are difficult flowers to transport as they have to be kept in water and upright, hence few North Islanders attempt to bring their blooms south - Dunedin being considered a bit too far south."
However, several from the North Island have registered to attend, including National Dahlia Society of NZ president Peter Burrell, of Te Puke, and Linda and Robert Brown, from Dahlia Haven, at Albany, north of Auckland.
Be there
The South Island National Dahlia Show will be held at Forbury Park Raceway tomorrow and on Sunday.
It is open to the public from 2pm to 5pm tomorrow and from 11am to 4.30pm on Sunday.
Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin will officially open the show and present top prizes at 2.30pm tomorrow.
Admission is $3 (children free) and there will be potted dahlias on sale for $5 each.
Everyone can enter.
Dahlia types
•Dahlias are classified according to the shape of their flowers. The main types are: Single-flowered, anemone-centred, collerette, water lily, decorative, ball, pompon, cactus, semi-cactus and a catch-all group of miscellaneous, which includes star and orchid types.
•Within these divisions, dahlias are subdivided according to size, from miniature pompons to giant decoratives more than 26cm across.
•At shows, a judge may use a set of rings to check that a smaller bloom does not exceed the size limit. Some serious exhibitors also make use of these when selecting blooms to show.
