Czech Republic dahlia tubers received today!!!

The postman brought a little package to my garden today. It contained 12, yes, TWELVE new varieties of dahlias either hybridized by Sv. Masopust (Czech Republic), Konishi (a Japanese grower), or Michel Robert of France. I was thrilled!! I quickly potted them up so they can start growing--they were such little guys! I've been hoping I would receive Alauna Claire Obscure (Robert) and lo and behold... IT WAS THERE!! Isn't it beautiful?

Wishing everyone a Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Just wanted to say Happy March 17th and wishing you the best of Irish Luck!

Corned Beef, cabbage, and baby carrots are a cookin' and we'll have mashed potatoes with gravy, a fresh green salad, and a fruit salad! Happy Day to all!

Surely Spring MUST be near, this snow has gotta go!!

Incredible to see the snow coming down today here at the farm. But, at least it wasn't like where we spent Fri. and Sat. nite in Brinnon. We woke up to an inch of new snow and it was snowing like crazy. We had heard the weather prediction of a possible 16" of snow in some areas and decided we'd better head over Walker Mt. before it would be impossible to get over to go home. Didn't even stop for breakfast! Just packed the cooler and our bag and headed home!

FINISHED TODAY!! The last of the 40+ BIG boxes are unpacked!

Now I have 400 shoe-box sized boxes loaded with beautiful dahlia tubers. I'll start pulling my planting stock tomorrow and for the rest of this week. Then, next week start filling my growing number of orders. I have lots of return customers so I think that might mean I'm doing something right! Wahoo! Life is Good even if it has snowed for the last 3 days in a row. I sure am getting tired of the snow and cold. Time to find a warm place and lay in the sun!

Jan's Country Garden certified by Washington State Dept. of Agriculture

Yesterday, Tobin Lewis, an inspector for Washington State Dept. of Agriculture came to the garden and inspected my growing, dividing, processing, and storage of dahlias. When he was all finished he said I passed the inspection with "flying colors" and the garden will be added to the list of certified gardens.

This is what the dahlias look like when all boxed!

I'll run out of small boxes before too long and I'm a long ways from being done!

To see a display of my collection of over 400 varieties go to:

http://www.janscountrygarden.com/

Dahlias from Czech Republic arriving in March!!

Jan's Country Garden will have 10 NEW European dahlias from the Czech Republic growing in the garden. Totally Awesome!! Just got word today!! Hopefully this will be one of the new ones! Alauna Clair Obscur hybridized by Michel Robert of France's Dahlia Society.

Last Friday and the French Dahlia Conservatory

I was so excited about getting an email last Friday from, Michel Robert, the President of the French Dahlia Society. He wrote:

"Dear Jan,

Maybe you know I am in charge of the conservation dahlia garden of the FrenchDahlia Society, which is approved as "Collection Nationale" (no need to translate!).

Looking attentively to your dahlia list I saw you grew some cultivars we are looking for. Would it be possible to buy or exchange the sevarieties with some we grow ? Of course, we would pay the phytosanitarycertificate.

These cultivars are :

ABRACADABRA

ALICE MAY

BELLEFLEUR

BLOOMS XL

CAP'N HERSCHEL

JEWEL K

JR'S FLASH

ORANGE BOUNTY

PERSIAN MONARCH

You can see the conservation garden web page at http://sfddahlia.free.fr/Conservatoire/leconserv.htm

Regards from Paris,

Michel ROBERT

President of the French Dahlia Society"

I called the WA State Dept. of Agriculture about getting a Phytosanitary Certificate and a guy from the Dept. is coming to the garden tomorrow afternoon for an inspection. I won't be able to provide the tubers for a year though, because my garden needs to be inspected twice while actively growing during the summer.

I emailed Michel and told him I would prefer to trade... he is a hybridizer and has some BEAUTIFUL dahlias that I would love to have in my garden. Gotta to get to work in the potting shed now.

Up with dahlias!!