The West Michigan Dahlia Society originated as the Grand Valley Dahlia Society about 1950 with a Grand Rapids area woman named Lillian Donaldson. Lillian loved the dahlia flower, and started going to state dahlia society shows in the mid 1940’s. It was at one of these shows in Lansing, Michigan that she met others who shared her love of dahlias. One of these was Professor Wildon, head of the Michigan Dahlia Society and a professor of horticulture at MSU. Networking began in earnest to start a Dahlia Society in Grand Rapids. The original meeting of the Grand Valley Dahlia Society was held at Lillian’s home, and about 20 members were in attendance. The first meetings were held in various members homes. As the Society grew, meetings were held monthly at the Chadwick Garden Center in the Grand Rapids Museum, with the members paying $3.00 for membership.
Lillian was in her 90’s and still growing dahlias. She had even named one after her second husband, Joe. In 2008, the flower Joe Deike won enough awards to be officially entered in the ADS classification guide. Lillian died in January of 2010 at the age of 94 with dahlia tubers still in the basement in storage! Many of us are truly passionate (or obsessed?) with this gorgeous flower.
In 2011, the Grand Valley Dahlia Society was renamed the West Michigan Dahlia Society.
The West Michigan Dahlia Society holds an annual banquet, tuber sale, and dahlia show each year, as well as summer meetings in member gardens. Our membership continues to grow, and we hope that you will join us. We love to share our ideas as we continue to learn all about the dahlia flower.
We discuss planting, maintaining normal plant health, diseases, arranging and how to stage dahlias at displays and shows. Showing a dahlia is as simple as showing up with a couple of flowers or arrangements, and we can help you become an award winning dahlia exhibitor!