My Dahlia Story is a bit like any other love story. It is a wild ride that you never want to end. It takes hard work, dedication, and perseverance. But like any true love, it is always worth it. My name is Alison Buerkley and this is My Dahlia Story.
My dahlia love story started when my real-life love story began. The day I met my husband. I met Ross my first year of college. At the time I was studying Early Childhood Education. That summer I was looking for a job and I started working for his mom, Sarah, on the Sarah’s Cottage Creations garden crew. This is where I would work the next two summers.
On the third summer Sarah introduced me to Floret and the idea of flower farming, an occupation I had never heard of at the time. I had never seen a dahlia before I became a flower farmer and was quite shocked that such an intricate, beautiful flower could come from something that very much resembled a potato! I was in love and haven’t stopped thinking about them, reading about them, researching about them ever since.
After graduating I left the farm and taught 2nd Grade for almost 3 years. Each day my heart ached and I longed to be outside in the fresh air and sunshine with the flowers. I knew I needed to pursue my dreams because it was now or never. So, I left my job and went back to the farm and also started my own business as a wedding florist.
These days I do what I love each and every day growing and selling cut flowers and designing wedding flowers for the most amazing people. I also get to share my love for flowers with others.
Since discovering dahlias, I have shared my knowledge and my tubers with my mom and sister. We connect with each other often to share photos and dahlia updates. Now my mom shares her tubers with her neighbors and my young niece helped my sister water her dahlias each day.
So, while the dahlias themselves are pretty, there is nothing more beautiful than the connection and community we find with others when we share them.