Linda got involved with dahlias as a
teen when her employer, Eric
of Rossers Nurseries, encouraged
her to grow a few tubers at home.
Impressed with the variety
of colour and form, she started a small
collection within the constraints of a
tiny garden area and sympathetic
parents.
A visit to the Auckland Dahlia
Show in Eden Gardens led her into a
circle of very experienced growers and
the start of local exhibitions and competitions. With mountains of enthusiasm, encouragement and a friendly push from Trixie, Sheila, Grace and the late Cliff Rushton, Linda started down the path of National Exhibitions. As the competitions developed, so did the camaraderie and friendships, and the shows became one of the annual must-dos.
Marrying the ruggedly handsome Robert (the webmaster), they lived for a few years in Whangaparaoa using a small paddock in Waitoki to grow "just a few" dahlias and veges. For 3 years the vege garden got smaller and the dahlia numbers increased. Local pressure to come and see the display saw the first open days start.
Eventually moving to their own 9ha block in Dairy Flat (left), the "hobby" developed to the point where Linda gave up her fulltime nursery work and worked in the garden while still maintaining some off-season horticultural contracting.
Now in the 2011/12 season and the 21st year of open days, Dahlia Haven has developed into a gardening icon with Auckland's Northern Motorway on the front fence and the flight path of Dairy Flat Aerodrome above. Few would have missed
the 8-metre-high sign mown into the paddock, let
alone more than 10,000 display plants.
Grown primarily for the Mail Order tuber sales, the
flowers are also sold locally and are keenly sought
for their brightness, colour variety and forms. Over
the last 10 years or so gardeners have seen a revival
of this once forgotten flower. New varieties come
online every year and the long flowering season
- December to April/May in Auckland - provides
colour all the way from Summer to Early Autumn,
a feat other flowers can only aspire too.
"Grandma only used to grow orange Dahlias" is
a common comment from Open Day visitors, and
when you come and see for yourself you too will be
as amazed and captivated by the variety of colours
as Linda was over 20 years ago.
