Minnesota is home to Dahlia Trial Garden – one of eight in North America
Minnesota home to one of eight Dahlia Trial Gardens in the world
Each year, the Dahlia Society of Minnesota plants a new selection of hybrid dahlias in the Dahlia Trial Garden at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, which is one of eight trial gardens in North America. The flowers in the trial garden aren't available to buy for home gardeners -- yet. The judges will evaluate each flower to determine if it's worthy.
CHASKA, Minn. (FOX 9) - Minnesota is home to one of eight Dahlia Trial Gardens in North America, where flowers are judged to see if they're worthy to be sold to people to use in their home gardens.
The Dahlia Society of Minnesota each year plants a new selection of hybrid dahlias in the trial garden at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. The flowers are sent in by hybridizers from around the country, and then the Dahlia Society of Minnesota judges the flowers to see if they're worthy of being sold. Judges evaluate seven characteristics: form, color, substance, stem, foliage, bloom position and floriferousness.
Dahlias are a popular flower because they bloom in late summer and fall, with the Arboretum's website noting the trial garden is most beautiful in August and September.
FOX 9 Garden Guy Dale K stopped by the Dhalia Trial Garden to learn more. Watch the segment in the player above.