Meet My Flower Friend, Ashley

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How did dahlias find their way into your garden and heart?

Covid, and some chance nursery centre purchases. I had recently moved from a north-facing condo to a one acre property, and the chance to grow anything, everything, in full sunlight with rich organic soil from our kitchen scraps has been a lifelong dream come true. Dahlias in the off-season feel like too much work…until those first blooms burst into July and you chide your winter self for forgetting the bountiful beauty that ensues until frost. I am in awe every day in the garden. Flower therapy is the best kind, and I love experimenting with colours and textures.

What are some of your future garden goals?

I am a non-repentant dabbler, so I have to balance my robust gardening hobby with other pursuits in the off-season (basketweaving with yard prunings, dyeing with plants, textile art, etc). Last year I canned for the first time; applesauce, pickles, tomatoes. This year, I’d like to do more. Slowdown Farmstead has a lovely concept of ‘slow food for fast food’. Put in the work to store large batches, and reap the rewards in the lean months.

In this vein, I’d like to optimize my efforts this year. I am currently revising a sci fi novel draft with the hope of self-publishing in a year or so, and seeing as very little writing happens in the bustle of summer, I’ve got to streamline my spring efforts. No more 4-month seedling rotations with unsustainable pot-up demands! I’m employing the 80/20 Pareto Principle, and batching my sets!

I’ve figured out how to wake up my tubers enough to see which are viable, and then tuck the majority back to sleep until I’m ready to handle them in April, along with the tomatoes, and basil, and peppers, and cosmos, and…

What has been the most rewarding part of growing dahlias?

Dahlias have taught me the power of beauty. It heals. It soothes, it brings a perspective like no other. I cannot but be reminded in every bloom and bouquet how infinitely imaginative our Creator is, and how lucky we are to be here. The love that you can show to friends through the work and beauty of your hands is something special, and it is a joy to share flowers.

Do you have any tips to share that you’ve learned along the way?

Hold things lightly. I entered the dahlia world during the strange and unusual times of 2020, and it astonishes me how wound up people get about ugly potatoes =) The unicorns you manage to snag will rot, or struggle, or refuse to sprout. C’est la vie, mon amie.

Big pinches and deep cuts reap better rewards.

You don’t have to monetize your hobby.
I’ve been asked if I would sell my bouquets, set up a road stand. Honestly, I think that would add stress and take joy. We attach too much importance to the monetary value in things. Some things have a higher value than dollars and cents.

Be generous and gracious. Not for karma’s sake, but for your character’s. I have met so many lovely fellow gardeners through seed exchanges and tuber trades, and wish we could predominantly garden this way; through open generosity of stock, advice, and harvest.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Shoutout to Joanne, who dreams big and DOES IT. I am always an admirer of people who set high goals and then are willing to put in the work to achieve them. As a fellow web designer, I am in awe of the robust resource she has committed to providing here, and look forward to seeing it evolve. Thank you, Joanne, for inviting me to contribute!

xo Ashley

To learn more about Ashley’s flower journey, you can visit the following links : Website | Facebook | Instagram