2024 Season Highlights, Flower Power is Real

All Dahlia’d Up Survived and Thrived despite the loss of our main Facebook page hacked to the point of no return a couple months before the ringing in of 2024.

From increased local foot traffic, customers driving from Anchorage, more men buying flowers, the pink pig fair special, and gorgeous flower topped cheesecakes galore. Ending the season with more dahlias than ever with a 35% increase in gross profits and about a 50/50 split of new and returning customers. The season was a win. 

Here are a handful of highlights that made 2024 so wonderful.

 

 

Tuber to Bloom:

The last time I spoke about dahlias aka flowers was back in 2017 at the Lipgloss & Leadership Summit. I was super duper elated to speak about how to grow dahlias from Tuber to Bloom at Northwest Flower & Garden festival in Seattle. I had dreamed about presenting there in what felt like forever. 

Taking the stage in February was a really fun way to kick off the new year sharing my passion for growing Dahlias.

This next February, on the 20th  I’ll be heading back to the show this time to present and demonstrate how to create a sustainable floral centerpiece from the Blooms & Bubbles stage sponsored by Slow Flowers Society.

If you’d like more information here Click Graphic below.

 

Sourcing from other Alaska Flower Farms

Over the years it’s been such fun bringing in blooms from other farms. From Rachel at Alaska Stems in Homer for their typically by Mothers Day spring Tulips in May and the lovely Sierra from Wildberry Meadows in Wasilla for her Peonies.

These two flowers have been a wonderful addition to our spring and early summer bouquets to fill the gap until our other later flowers and Dahlias start blooming.

 

Northwest Chapter of the WOCN

I have a special spot in my heart for nurses from the years of taking care of my special needs son until his passing as well as my Mother back in 2019. The kindness shown without hesitation, overall support, for shoulder when needed I’m deeply grateful.

So it was a honor to be chosen to design flowers for the nurses of the Northwest Chapter Regional Conference. 

I loved the followup email.

“Hi Misty,  It was such a treat to meet you and visit the farm even with the fog. The flowers were gorgeous and lasted the whole conference. We put the postcards out on each of the 12 tables for the auction night. We had around a dozen wound/ostomy nurses from all the regions of Alaska represented. There were 10 different states represented.” 

 

Bridgerton Vibes Alaska Grown Style:

Attendees with their colorful attire, boots of all design, dresses and floral everything showed up eager to absorb all the flower magical delights we offered. Its ALWAYS a highlight of EVERY season!

With each event we host we strive to create a flower filled experience. Full of live music, great farm fresh Alaska Grown eats and of course hands on time with the blooms grown in our gardens.  It’s not uncommon to hear it’s a magical place.

Starting with our lovely sweetpea tunnel, growing spaces and vases full of flowers. Even blooms on cakes, around the food. Halos on heads, noses in flowers. Bees buzzing, climbing vines and guitar streaming music. Complete with floral vintage dishes.  A few people have said it was like the Nextflix show Bridgerton. 

Here is what one of our Bartenders had to say: “One of my favorite nights of the year – when I get to help at an All Dahlia’d Up Flower Farm Dinner Tour. The flowers are cathartic, truly. They bring a sense of calm and beauty that is unmatched.” Here is a link to her beautiful video

To get in on an Event or Dinner Tour in 2025 be sure to sign up to be on our newsletter list.

 

Flowers bring people together:

Back in early September Emily Sakis from That Thing Going On approached me about her project Flowers for Friends. I didn’t hesitate to offer them a space to create bouquets from blooms donated from the Alaska State Fair to spread flower love around the neighborhoods of the Valley.

We had moms, dads, children, best friends and flower lovers gather all in the name of sharing nature’s color and  beauty. Definitely a highlight that I hope I get to partake in again.

 

Dahlia Gift Given:

 

When someone offers to gift you 300+ gorgeous dahlia plants they have growing in a high tunnel you don’t say no. 

Sarah Phipps of Mountain Field Farm announced in August she was selling her farm. She told me she was offering me her beauties for 2 reasons.

1. Dahlias take special care and must be dug before winter. She wasn’t sure how long it would take to sell the farm. She wanted to make sure they wouldn’t die.

And 2. She told me after hearing my story about my son and why I started growing flowers she knew she had to grow them too.

Now All Dahlia’d Up has even more dahlias to offer in 2025. Eeeeepppp! THANK YOU SARAH! Your special dahlia collection will go on.

 

The exclamation point to the fact Flower Power is REAL.