A look at the dahlia varieties that performed best for us this season and why we focus on growing fewer, more reliable cultivars for wholesale. Sharing our top three selling dahlias, plus one honorable mention, and what made them work so well for florists.

Flora in Focus was our first event of the season, bringing together flower farmers, photographers, and garden lovers for an evening in the field. Guests walked the rows, talked flowers, learned practical photography tips from Rachel Evelyn Photography, and left with new skills and connections.

This fall we welcomed Eleven Eleven Yoga into the dahlia field for an evening of movement, fresh air, and flowers at their peak. From yoga between the rows to creating arrangements with blooms cut straight from the field, it was a reminder of the beauty that comes from slowing down and being present in the season.

This fall Rachel Evelyn Photography captured our field for the third year in a row and the first time in our new space. The season moves so fast that it is easy to miss the beauty right in front of me and these photos help me slow down and see it. They feel honest to who we are at Green Willow Gardens and I treasure having them for our business and for myself.

Pantones new Color of the Year, Cloud Dancer, stirred up plenty of opinions online, but here on our southwest Michigan flower farm white is a color we rely on. From top selling white dahlias to our expanding rows of white lisianthus, plus favorites like cosmos and phlox, white continues to be a classic choice for weddings and mixed bouquets. It can be tricky to grow since browning shows fast, but when harvested at the right moment nothing beats the clean bright look of a fresh white bloom.

Feverfew turned out to be one of the most dependable crops in our southwest Michigan field this season. We grew Magic Single from seed and were impressed with how quickly it bloomed, how well it handled neglect, and how much it added to our mixed bouquets. It is a low maintenance workhorse with a dainty look that always feels welcome in the harvest buckets.

Cosmos and I have always had a love hate relationship and this season was no different. After a rough first planting that never took off, I cleared the row, improved the soil, and started again. The second round finally grew, even if the harvest window was short. It was a season full of lessons and a reminder that timing, soil health, and steady conditions matter for this airy summer favorite.

Every flower farmer has a list of dahlias they trust. These are the varieties that give steady blooms, long stems, and strong performance no matter what the season brings. This post highlights the tried and true dahlias at Green Willow Gardens that earn their space year after year.