Bay Dahlias

08/09/2026

You don’t need to own acres to grow a dream.

Here’s something most people probably don’t know about Bay Dahlias…

We don’t live on a flower farm. We live in an urban area, where space is limited. We rent the land where we grow our dahlias.

And when winter comes and thousands of tubers need to be lifted, divided and stored?

This little corner of our garage is pretty much it. 😂
One shelving unit at a time. One labelled container at a time. Somehow, an entire season of dahlias fits into a few square metres.

I think sometimes we convince ourselves that we need the perfect property, acres of land, a beautiful barn and all the infrastructure before we can build something meaningful.

But you really don’t.

Use the space you have. Rent the space you need. Grow slowly. Build as you go.

The dream doesn’t have to begin with acres.

Sometimes, it begins with a shelf in the garage.

05/09/2026

One ordinary seed could be hiding your next extraordinary dahlia.

That’s the magic of growing from seed ,
every seedling is genetically unique, a combination that has never existed before.
Grow it, watch it, assess it… and who knows?
You might just discover your very own unicorn.

And if you fancy playing the genetic lottery with the odds nudged beautifully in your favour, Maxwelton’s dahlia seeds are coming to the Grand Tuber Sale!

Decades of Cath Smart’s careful breeding, selection and dahlia knowledge are packed into those little seed packets.

Tiny seed. Endless possibilities.
Your unicorn might be in there.
See you on Saturday Sept 12 from 10am to 3pm
at Classic Flyers Mount Maunganui Tauranga.

Note: tickets are sold out, but we welcome walk ins from 1pm for those who missed out. ❤️

01/09/2026

Please keep an eye on your inbox. We’ll be emailing all attendees by September 8 with important event updates, prize winners, Health & Safety information, and a few housekeeping reminders.

If you’re bringing children, please take a moment to read the email carefully so we can help keep the day safe, smooth and enjoyable for everyone.

We can’t wait to welcome you on September 12!

30/08/2026

Drum roll, please!

This year, we’re opening the garden gates and inviting you into the world of dahlias—a hands-on afternoon of growing, learning and seeing flowers in a whole new light.

Tickets go on sale this weekend!

Join us for The Great Dahlia Yarn, an intimate afternoon of honest conversation, practical lessons and shared stories from the flower farm.

Wander through our fields, discover how we grow dahlias differently, and explore the regenerative practices and thoughtful gardening principles that help us nurture strong, healthy plants while conserving water and working with the natural elements.

With just 15 people per session, the afternoon will be relaxed and personal, with plenty of time to ask questions, share ideas and connect with everyone in the room—and the garden.

28 November 2026 | 1–4pm
📍 Bay Dahlias HQ
Snacks and tea provided.

Stay tuned for when the tickets go live!

28/08/2026

Want to know our favourite dahlia for starting a flower farm?

There is one variety we would choose without hesitation. It is beautiful, hardworking and has a fascinating family tree—but before the reveal, let’s talk about sports. And no, not the running-and-jumping kind!

A dahlia sport is a spontaneous genetic mutation that creates a change in colour, pattern or form. When that change remains stable through propagation, it can eventually become a new variety—and this is where the story gets exciting.

Meet the Cornel family! It all began with the deep-red Cornel, introduced by Dutch grower Cor Geerlings in 1994. Since then, this remarkable dahlia has produced several beautiful sports, all sharing the same dependable growing traits while appearing in completely different colours.

One of those is Caitlin’s Joy, with its dreamy blend of coral pink and lavender. It is a sport of Ivanetti—which is itself a sport of Cornel. Same family genes, but an entirely different personality!

The Cornel family truly earns its place on a flower farm. Strong stems, vigorous plants, generous tuber production, excellent vase life and plenty of blooms—everything a grower could ask for, wrapped in a stunning range of colours.

Caitlin’s Joy and several other members of the Cornel family will be available on September 12 at the Dahlias & Plant Collective Grand Tuber, Seed and Seedling Sale. The hardest part may be deciding which family member—or how many—to take home!

27/08/2026

Here’s a sneak peek of what we are bringing to the Grand Tuber Sale on September 12- this is only my list not including the rest of the crew, The Rural Florist, Chaos Blooms and plenty of dahlia seed packs from Maxwelton’s Valley Blooms.

Please stay tune in the coming days for reminder posts :)

26/08/2026

A productive afternoon getting a few more plants into the ground before the rain arrives tomorrow and stays for the weekend. 🌱

We’ve been a little quiet online, but there’s plenty happening behind the scenes as we get things moving for spring. We’re also finishing preparations for the Grand Tuber, Seed & Seedling Sale on 12 September at Classic Flyers, Mount Maunganui.

The countdown is on! Stay tuned for important event updates and reminders as we get closer to the day.

20/08/2026

19/08/2026

BEST ADVICE FOR GERMINATING DAHLIA SEEDS

Warmth + moisture + patience. Sounds simple… until you find yourself checking the seed tray every 14 minutes. 😂

For dahlia seeds, aim for a consistent temperature of around 18–21°C and keep the growing medium evenly moist but never waterlogged. Moisture activates the germination process, warmth supports growth, and oxygen around the seed is equally important.

Then comes the difficult part: leave them alone! Germination is already happening beneath the surface before you see anything. The first root, called the radicle, is incredibly delicate, so digging around to “check” can do more harm than good. And don’t give up too quickly—individual seeds can germinate at different rates.

And please, LABEL EVERYTHING. 😂 Dahlias grown from seed are genetically unique, so keeping track of the seed parent, sowing date and seedling number can become very useful when something special eventually blooms.

If you look closely at the photos, they show the step-by-step process we use to germinate our dahlia seeds at Bay Dahlias. There are hundreds of germination methods and hacks out there; this is simply what works for us.

I hope it helps—and brightens your day a little too. 😊 Like, comment and share; let’s spread some useful knowledge and put a few smiles out there.