Dave Ross Garden Tour

Dave Ross has been a Utah Dahlia Society member from the beginning.  

He is an accomplished rosarian and added dahlias to his list of hobbies.

Dave has had prize winners in every 

Utah Dahlia Society Exhibition Show.

 He has earned those awards by lots of hard work to create the perfect soil conditions.  He and his wife, Laree bought a new home 14 years ago.  I had to tease him a bit when I guessed he hardly looked at the house after he saw all the land that came with it and could imagine the roses, dahlias and vegetables he could grow.  The soil however was hard clay which is typical for the area.   He got to work and built raised beds and put in a drainage and irrigation system.

 He grows many dahlias each year always trying new varieties but sticking with some of his favorites.

 This is his experimental garden.  

Many of us in the UDS are trying Mel's mix in raised beds to grow our dahlias.  He is very impressed with the results.  The varieties he put in this bed are superior to that in his other garden.

 The rose and dahlia beds thrive side by side.

 More roses on the south side of their home

 Laree, Cheri and Dave giving perspective to the size of the Ross property.  

 What do you do when your Laurel bushes succumb to a harsh winter?  Paint them pink! It is a fun welcome to their home and are the foundations for Holiday decorations.

Dave has followed through with one of the main goals of the UDS to share our knowledge and enthusiasm with our community.  This dahlia garden was started by Dave's  neighbor with his help.

Thanks for the tour Dave and Laree and congratulations on your UDS ribbons at the show again this year!

Dee and Elaine's Garden Tour

There is a common thread I have discovered this past summer doing these tours.   It is simply that dahlia growers make them a priority in their gardens. Often times going out of their way to make room by removing most anything, including trees that may be in their way for a few more plants. 

 Dee and Elaine's garden is no exception.

 Miss Delilah and a few others welcome you to the garden in the front yard giving you just a taste of what is in store as you go into the back garden.

 They have dedicated a good portion of their garden to grow one of their favorite flowers in many of the wonderful varieties and colors available.

 Spartacus 

 Dee has grown dahlias for many years and enjoys the colorful blooms that bring smiles to his neighbors, friends and family.

 The bees are obviously very happy.

Thank you for the tour Dee and Elaine.  It was beautiful!

Frost has hit most of our gardens this past week which is always sad but a chance to decide which varieties were our favorites and worthy of saving the tubers.  Digging and storing tubers will begin the middle of November here in Utah.  That time frame usually gives the tubers a chance to harden off before a hard freeze.

Members, don't forget our 

Awards Banquet Wednesday, October 16th.

Utah Dahlia Society's 2013 Exhibition Show

The Utah Dahlia Society may be small in comparison to other dahlia societies throughout the nation but around the Salt Lake area we are one of the largest Garden Clubs with a reputation of putting on a gorgeous show.  

 This year's show did not disappoint.  

With Megan Badger's leadership and the participation of many of our members we had 154 entries 

of the best flowers our gardens had to offer.

The show was held September 28th and 29th 

at the Sugarhouse Garden Center.

 Nick Spencer with judges and clerks that had a tough job to pick the winners of so many great entries.

 Stephen LeCheminant with his Dorthy R that won

 Best Ball

 and

Best of Show

 Megan Badger's Large Arrangement took the

 People's Choice Award

 26 vases of Spence Mortensen's flowers

 were sold as our fall fund raiser.

 Our show was well attended and brought smiles to the faces of participants and the public.

 Best AA was Wanda's Aurora - Stephen LeCheminant

 Best A was Formby Kaitlin - Stephen LeCheminant

 Best B was Lovely Lana - Karen Crook

 Best BB was Bloomquist Barbara - David Ross

 Best M was Glenbank Twinkle - David Ross

 Best Ball and Best of Show was Dorthy R- 
Stephen LeCheminant

 Best Three Blooms was Embrace- 
Bill and Barbara Hughes

 Best Exotic was Rai Mister - Bill and Barbara Hughes

 Best Club Flower, Miss Delilah - Mark Hurst

 Best Arrangement- Cheri Schultzke

 David Ross was all smiles with two entries 

on the head table

 Steve LeCheminant and Mark Hurst were big winners

 Jessi and her friends came to enjoy the blooms and give little Penny an introduction to dahlias.

 Our photo contest for our UDS calendar

 Cheri Schulzke wore many hats by helping cut and arrange our fund raiser flowers, helping to set up and clean up the show and being a judge's clerk. 

 Oh yeah, then she won ribbons and Best Arrangement as a participant.  Thanks Cheri!

 UDS 2013 Head Table

 The "A" Entries

 "B" Entries 

For a complete list of winners leave a comment with your e-mail address and I will send you the PDF list.

Thanks to Megan Badger as always for making it happen, to Spence Mortensen for his flower donations, 

to Nick Spencer for his work as Show Chairman,

 to Bill Hughes for his great photos,

 to the Judges and Clerks 

and to everyone that helped and participated.

  

Congratulations to our Winners!!

Check back for more Garden Tours.  I will be posting the gardens of Dee and Elaine Davis, Dick Taylor, and Dave Ross in the following weeks.