TEN days of mail has been stolen from our 344 O'Brien Rd., Port Angeles, address...

I am so upset!!  We were gone on a 10 day trip and had the Post Office HOLD our mail.  They were to deliver it on Sat.  They said they delivered it at 12:30 pm. and now want us to believe our mail was the victim of MAIL THEFT!!  How do I let those customers who send orders with checks that the mail was stolen... I don't know which customers sent orders!  What do I do???

Website is all good now!

No explanation to why or how it's all good, but the website works perfectly this morning.  If it's not working for you, click on your 'refresh' button and it should load okay.

I am so happy!

Have a GREAT day!!

I updated the website but it's not showing the 'new' ones that are SOLD OUT!

What a headache it is to not have a computer/computer program work properly.  I am literally pulling my hair out trying to get everything correct!

I'm gonna keep at it until I get it right!

I just don't GET IT!!

Last night when I went to bed, the website was screwed up all over the page making no sense at all.  This morning it works perfectly!

I jumped the gun on that last posting!! Website's first two pages are screwed up!

BAH!  Fix it tomorrow....

 

Updated the website tonight! More SOLD OUTs...

Just finished putting "SOLD OUT" on a whole bunch of dahlias on the website!  Processing orders every day... 



Getting ready for Thanksgiving too!  Company coming for dinner.  This is what we'll look like when its all over:

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!  Don't eat too much!

NEW website done and uploaded!! Wahoo!!

OMG, you can't imagine how good that feels!  I went to bed and worried all night trying to figure out HOW to move files and get all the files that were uploaded (it took more than 3 hours to do that) and then, the website wouldn't work.

This morning, I thought I'd check first and see if it worked... unbelievable!  The website pulled up beautifully, and it WORKED!!  Oh my!  So happy!

That's me, happy!!!

Today is October 30, and it's the last day of digging and dividing dahlia tubers!

Lots of 28 quart boxes full of beautiful dahlia tubers!  Only one for 50' row and another 10 or 20 feet to go and they will all be dug, and divided today.  Wahoo!!  What a good feeling.

I'll be spending more time on getting the website created... look for a more 'professional looking' website!  Still got the frogs and music though!!

Have a Great day!!

Well, it's been awhile since I lasted posted so I figure I better let you know what's goin' on!
Last Thurs. & Fri. we cut down all the dahlias and blooms.  Started digging on Monday, continued today and have been dividing dahlia tubers all day.  My hands decided to cramp up this afternoon!  What the heck!?!

I'm working on updating the website as quickly as I can... All of the photos that I took this summer, more than 1,000 have been cropped and ready to be inserted into the website.  It all takes time and I do have to create an entirely NEW website.  I'm trying to be more professional, if you will, even though I just like to have fun!

Folks have been calling about ordering.  I explain that the "link" in the upper right hand corner of the website (even though the website is wrong with all the SOLD OUTs on it) is CORRECT and shows around 650 dahlias that are available.  Hopefully it won't be long and I'll have the new website uploaded!

The SUN has been shining and promises to shine all week!  Wahoo!!!!

Seminar Offered: Digging, Dividing & Storing Dahlia Tubers

On Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013, the seminar will take place at 1:00 p.m.  Registration is limited, so sign up early to secure your spot.  Many customers have requested that I provide this information... HOW, I do it and succeed.  They have tried many ways... to no success!  So, show up (register first) for the workshop on Saturday! 

This is the last week the dahlia garden will be open to select dahlias.

A friend took this photo in late August... just sharing it!

Struggling with website software...

Hopefully, I will get this issue resolved in the next few days!  The list of dahlias that loads when you 'click' on the link in the upper right hand of the website is currently ACCURATE.  It is okay to order from that list--It includes 650 varieties.  Where the website shows as SOLD OUT -- THIS is NOT CORRECT.  I haven't been unable to correct that problem.  Sooooooon!  I hope!

Dahlias are doing AWESOME!! List now updated...

Hi and How are you?  Finally got the list with ALL the dahlias updated and posted on the website!!  Will be working on updating the photos as time permits.

Will have corn-on-the-cob this week, plus lots of cucumbers and beets, PLUS cabbage, celery and onions!  Have a great day!!

The garden OPENED last week and has seen visitors...

... from all over the country!  It's been pretty busy with the company of customers, family, and friends visiting!

The vegetables are doing awesome, as is the dahlias!! U-Pick is open for zucchini, cucumbers, green beans, beets, Walla Walla onions, parsley(s), and corn on the cob this week!  See ya!!

Have a GREAT Day!!

OPENING!!!! TODAY!!!! Been so busy in the garden...

I've been checking the names of the dahlias and matching blooms to make sure the names are correct.  It's a long process since I have to check more than 650 varieties.

The garden and dahlias are growing so awesome!  I've been watching other gardens and hearing so many complain about HOW BAD their dahlias are doing...  Can't believe it!  I've been busy tying up the dahlias because the growth is so wonderful!  The blooms... incredible!

To top it off, the software program that I use for my website now says my license has expired (NOT true) and that the copy I have is licensed/registered has been registered by someone else!!  WHAT???  I bought the software NEW...  So, I'm going to create a new website using the older version that I have and it works too, to create a new website.  Complicated....

I'll be posting photos as soon as I can.  I've taken 100's of photos... time is the problem right now.

My Sister from Palm Springs is visiting (since Aug. 2) and she's been a big help picking flowers to stock the ONE flower stand I have on O'Brien Rd.  She's also working on the pond's waterfall creating a terrific waterfall with slate and brick.  It's beautiful!!

I have another Sister arriving today for a few days... you know how it is when you have company...  Everything seems to take longer!

I also am taking care of my 9-year old granddaughter on Tues., Wed., Thurs. and Friday.  Do you have any idea HOW many questions a 9-year old can ask??  That, too, takes time.

Will post photos as time allows!  HAVE A GREAT DAY!

Having some issues with my software program...

Oh gosh, forgot to tell you I have ARTICHOKES~~~

Tons and tons of Artichokes and only 50 CENTS each!  They taste so good!!!

What's happening in the veggie garden...

I've had a number of former vegetable customers want to know if I'd still be selling organic vegetables this year... So, for those of you who would like to get vegetables, I'll be posting when I have extra of certain vegetables available.  Right now, that would cauliflower and broccoli.  The zucchini is just starting to put on nice zucchini veggies but won't really be ready for picking until after the 4th of July.  The corn is coming along beautifully!  It's about 4' tall right now and lots of it!  The snow peas and shelling peas are at least Six feet tall and blooming, and the beans are climbing fast. 

Art helped with the weeding last night and didn't know what carrots or basil plants looked like... He thought they were weeds!! OMG!  He pulled them all.  The cylinder beets are awesome! 

I'll keep you posted!

For dahlia lovers... the dahlias will soon need to be tied up to keep from falling over!

More later...

Closing the Garden on Friday until July 11, 2013.

With the close of Spring Dahlia Tuber Sales the garden will close on Friday, May 31, 2013 and re-open on July 11, 2013, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Here's a couple more photos of new ones that will be growing in the garden (in addition to the photos already posted):

Art Act

Elks Huckleberry Pie

Elks Eyreka Marie

Elks Lips on Fire

If you want to purchase dahlia tubers, give me a call at 360-452-8287, and we'll arrange a time for you to do that.  Thanks!  Have a Great day!!

ALL THE DAHLIA TUBERS ARE PLANTED!!!!!

What a wonderful feeling of freedom to know that more than 3000+ tubers are planted in the warm earth to begin growing!  We just finished today planting.  I do have another 35 or 40 pots of potted dahlias that are up and growing to plant but will wait until the possibility of frost has passed.

So, this is what it looks like right now out there!  The laminated labels have worked out beautifully and cut down the amount of planting time -- almost in half!!

Will be planting those dahlia tubers in pots (35-40) in a couple of weeks after ole' Jack Frost has decided to not come out and nick up any more.  There WAS frost on the barn this morning!

Gonna start planting today...

It was only 37º this morning, but the sun has been shining (windy tho) and I don't think I can wait any longer to plant!

I've been busy putting the steel fence posts in the ground for the dahlia support.  I shortened the distance between the rows to 41"  (hope it wasn't a mistake on my part to do that).  My grandaughter Ella helped me on Sat. and Sun. to get the rows lined up correctly and all sections of the garden determined.  It looks nice and orderly.

Essentially this is how it will look when it's all planted.  The only change I've made is in "how" I label each variety.  This year I laminated all the labels and hole-punched them to put on a heavy wire stem.  Last year I had such a problem with the rain and sun destroying the printed label, I decided I just couldn't go through that again.  Hopefully this new method will work better.  Guess we'll see...

GARDEN OPEN Thurs., April 25, Fri., April 26, & Sat., April 27, 2013

Tomorrow the garden will open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for customers to pick up their dahlia orders or for those who wish to purchase dahlia tubers.  Please give me a call if you have any questions: 360-452-8287.  Thanks!!

The Encyclopedia of Dahlias by Author Bill McClaren is mine!!

My daughter, Debbie, had Bill McClaren sign for me.  Bill McClaren, is a well-known hybridizer and creater of Alpen Dahlias.  He now instructs in Kalispell MT.

How lucky am I???
:-)

I LOVE my Customers!!

When I get up in the morning and check my email, it's always makes me happy and puts such a boost to my self-esteem when a customer writes:

"Jan, thanks for the wonderful tubers !  I buy a variety every year because I am not good at keeping them over winter.  This is usually spread over about a dozen vendors to get the varieties I want.  I have to tell you that your tubers and one other company are at the top of my list for future purchases. Good size tubers, always with a visible eye, etc.   Have a good growing season and I look forward to many years of doing business together. 

Sincerely,

Steve"

Thank you Steve!!

Garden OPENs tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.!!

For those local customers who want to pot their tubers up ahead of planting time, please come by and get the tubers.  Many of the orders placed over the internet have been mailed Priority Mail.  There are still two bins of orders... some to go next week and some to go the last week of April.
I do want to say though for local customers in the Port Angeles/Sequim and on the Olympic Peninsula, it is not necessary to pick your tubers up right now. They are happy in the potting shed until May when they should be planted. The 'rule of thumb' is to plant them when lilacs begin to bloom. It is too cold and too wet to plant just yet.

I've been so busy with filling orders and planting veggie seeds, planting cannas and gladiolas and other beautiful plants that it's time for me to take a week off -- next week.  So while the rains continue to come down... we will have beautiful dahlia blooms to look forward to in July!!

Not only in July, but ALL SUMMER LONG!  Won't that be Grand!!

I'll be adding new "new" dahlia photos, but first, I wanted to share...

Comments from John K who just received his huge dahlia order:

"Hi Jan,

Received my order yesterday and all look really good. I was disappointed that Mas Pride was replaced as that was the one I really wanted, but understand how that goes with dahlias. I hope you will have it again next year. The quality of your tubers is just excellent.
Thanks, John"

I am alway thrilled to have Happy customers!  Thank you so much John!!

More Photos of the NEW ones scheduled for next year!!

The sun was shining so wonderful today!  I loved it!!  Warm and cozy in the greenhouse.  My veggies are growing nicely.  Potted up a bunch of dahlia tubers...  Same thing tomorrow!

However, I have a list of new dahlia varieties that will be planted this Spring in the garden!!  I am excited about these new babies!! :-)

American Sun Yellow BB WL

Angel's Dust White M WL

Avignon White/Red, Var. A ID

Badger Twinkle Purple/White M SC

Balance Red/yellow flame BB FD

Barbarry Red Baron Red M FD

MORE photos later...


Bedhead Orange BB IC

Berliner Orange Orange BB BB

Betty Ann Pink M WL

Bill McKnight's Memory Yellow/OR M ID

Bold Accent Lav/Pink blend BB SC

Boom Boom Red Red BA

Boom Boom Yellow Yellow BA

Bracken Palomino Apricot B FD

Brittany Rey Rasp/Fuchsia BB ID

Charlie Dimmock Orange M WL

Cherish Yellow/Rose Edges M FD

Cherry Drop Red M WL

Clara Marie Pink BB FD

Crazy 4 Jessie Dark Red BB BB

Diva Dark Purple BB FD

Elma Elizabeth Lav. A FD

F.D.N.Y Red B SC

Firebird Yellow/Red flame A SC

Frigoulet R/W BB SC

Heather Feather Lav/Pink/white BB FD

Honey Dew Honey Buff B FD

That's it for today... more later...

Jacs Ferriswheel Dark Red OR OR
(Photo later)

Jacs Janet LB Pink/Yellow A C
(Photo later)

Jacs Sashay Pink Coll COLL
(Photo later)

Jordon Nicole Lavender BB ID

Kenora Macop-B Dark Red A LC

Koppertone Copper/BZ/OR BB WL

Kyli-Bug White/Fuchsia tips BB IC

Lakeview Peachfuzz Pink BB LC

Loverboy Red B SC

Lynnette Mauve BB SC

Marilyn M. Pink BB IC

Marry Me Lav./White Bl. B ID

Maxime Red/yellow Bi-color BB FD

Mayan Warrior Dark Pink BB SC

Millenium PR/W BB LC

Moonstruck Yellow cream M ID

Normandy Wild Willie Purple/white B Lac.

Northlake Heritage Yellow, B, Lac. B Lac.

Oreti Liz Pink M FD

Otto's Thrill Pink A ID

Papa's Benji Orange B LC

Philadelphia Red BB ID

Platinum Blonde White AN

Primrose Pet Yellow Stellar

Red Velvet Red B WL

Skipley Bonanza Red B IC

Stevie D R/W BB FD

Tahiti Sunrise Red/yellow Blend BB C

Tahoma Lael Yellow POM

Tanjoh White/Fuchsia tips M SC

Tanner Joe PR/Wh. Var. BB FD

Timmo Burgundy Red BB FD

Tiny Treasure White POM

Vancouver Purple/white Bl tips B IC

White Nettie White M BA

Windhaven Highlight Yellow B IC

Wyn's Sensation Bronze A SC

Yellow Star Yellow B SC

Zoey Ray Yellow/Purple B ID