The dahlia has been recognized as San Francisco’s official flower for 100 years. (Photo by Cristina Carrizosa)
Golden Gate Park’s Dahlia Dell will host a celebration in September. (Photo by Cristina Carrizosa)
The San Francisco Botanical Garden features dahlias, the city’s official flower. (Manny Crisostomo/Sacramento Bee)
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The dahlia has been recognized as San Francisco’s official flower for 100 years. (Photo by Cristina Carrizosa)
One hundred years ago, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously crowned the fabulous dahlia as San Francisco’s official flower, an honor it’s held ever since.
This year, the Dahlia Society of California in San Francisco — the first California chapter of the American Dahlia Society — will celebrate the centennial of that honor with a series of events.
If you’re an early riser on Saturday, head to the San Francisco County Fair Building for the Dahlia Society of California’s annual tuber sale, where you can choose from among the best dahlia tubers for a flashy summertime display in your garden. People line up early, and the sale, which begins at 10 a.m., is usually sold out by noon.
Along with the dazzling starburst form of agapanthus blooms, splashy dahlia flowers make terrific Fourth of July floral arrangements. There will be more than 1,000 seedlings or cuttings ($12), more than 1,000 tubers with more than 800 tubers across 110 rare varieties ($4 to $15) and more than 100 large 1-gallon plants ($15).
“Our dahlia tubers and plants are lovingly grown and donated by Dahlia Society of California members for our annual public sale, so this is a rare opportunity,” said Amanda Wilkins, a Mill Valley resident and Dahlia Society of California member. “We offer varieties that are tried and true in our Bay Area gardens, and we have many hard-to-find varieties.”
And, she adds, “the purchase cost is substantially lower than you find from online growers and nurseries.”
Subsequent events include a free “How to Grow Dahlias” lecture at 7:30 p.m. May 12 at the San Francisco County Fair Building; the annual dahlia show from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 15 and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 16 at the San Francisco County Fair Building Recreation Room, where additional dahlias may be for sale; and a celebration at the Dahlia Dell in Golden Gate Park on Sept. 13 — the time will be determined.
“Dahlias are flowers that not only thrive in our Bay Area climate, but serve as a wonderful symbol of the diversity, vibrance and joy that makes San Francisco one of the best cities in the world,” said Erik Gaensler, Dahlia Society of California president. “The Dahlia Society of California takes pride celebrating our beloved flower and hopes to steward it through the next 100 years and beyond.”
More information at sfdahlias.org. Membership in the Dahlia Society of California costs $10 annually. Monthly meetings are held in person at the San Francisco County Fair Building and on Zoom at 7:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month.
Scholarship fund update
The Sausalito Woman’s Club’s glamorous Black and White Masquerade Gala, which celebrated the 70th anniversary of its Scholarship Recognition Fund, was a big success last weekend.
The numbers aren’t officially in, but it appears that between the ticket sales, donations and online and in-person raffles, the gala brought in almost $175,000.
“This year, we expect to award scholarships to approximately 43 students from Marin City and Sausalito, with the majority of the funds going to need-based scholarships,” said Sylvia Fong, the chair of the Scholarship Recognition Fund.
A ceremony will take place on June 7.
Scholarships may be used for a wide range of accredited post-secondary pathways. Students who live in Sausalito or Marin City and are high school seniors, first-time or returning college students or students pursuing reentry, trade or professional programs are welcome to apply. Applications for the next scholarship cycle are expected to open in December.
Show off
If you have a beautiful or interesting Marin garden or a newly designed Marin home, I’d love to know about it.
Please send an email describing either one (or both), what you love most about it and a photograph or two. I will post the best ones in upcoming columns. Your name will be published, and you must be over 18 years old and a Marin resident.
PJ Bremier writes on home, garden, design and entertaining topics every Saturday. She may be contacted at P.O. Box 412, Kentfield 94914, or at pj@pjbremier.com.