From Seed to Cover

If you had told me 20 years ago that I would one day be hybridizing dahlias and that the very first dahlia I ever sent to an ADS trial garden would grace the cover of the 2026 Dahlias of Today, one of the most respected publications in the dahlia world, I would have said you were absolutely crazy.

I didn’t fall in love with flower farming until my late 30s. What began as curiosity slowly turned into respect for the work, the patience it demands, the failures it requires you to sit with, and the long stretches of time before anything truly reveals itself. Over time, that respect grew into a steady passion, one rooted in showing up consistently and learning season after season.

Much of this work happens behind the scenes. Sean takes on the majority of the physical labor, which allows me to focus on the heart of the hybridizing process: making thoughtful crosses, studying forms, tracking performance year after year, and refining what we hope to bring forward. It’s meticulous work (often uncertain) but deeply rewarding.

Our hybridizing journey began during a season of loss, and over time it has become a practice rooted in hope. In 2023, a yellow seedling bloomed from our breeding patch. It wasn’t one that immediately stood out to me, but it showed promise. Sean encouraged me to give it a chance. Yellow is his favorite color, and I told him that if it survived its second year and stayed true, I would name it after him.

In 2025, we submitted it to the ADS trial garden in Tacoma as part of our commitment to having our work evaluated and formally classified. When the scores came back, we were humbled by how well it performed. Then, in January 2026, we learned that this same dahlia would be featured on the cover of Dahlias of Today.

I don’t think we fully processed the news at first. I may have cried a little. Sean, of course, joked that he should start practicing his signature so he could sign my copy when it arrived. After all, it is the dahlia named after him. He has a remarkable way of grounding me, of reminding me to laugh in the middle of big moments.

Seeing our work recognized in this way has been both surreal and deeply affirming. Hybridizing is long-term work (often years of effort before a single result is validated) and to have that effort reflected on the cover of such an important publication is an honor we don’t take lightly.

Over the past couple of days, friends in the flower community have reached out as they opened their mail and saw the cover. Each message has felt like a small, quiet affirmation. This experience has been humbling and validating, but more than anything, we are grateful. Grateful for the long, winding path that led us here. Grateful for the people who have supported us, believed in us, and followed along on this journey. And grateful that something born from loss could grow into something that brings so much joy.

Thank you for being here and for being part of this journey with us.

Author’s note: The 2026 Dahlias of Today publication is now available through the Puget Sound Dahlia Association. It’s a meaningful resource for anyone who loves dahlias, and proceeds support the important work of the PSDA.

https://puget-sound-dahlia-association.myshopify.com/