Our Story

My hybridizing journey began in 2020 when on a whim I decided to collect dahlia seed from collarettes in my collection. Prior to this, Cody and I had been growing dahlias since 2013 when we purchased our first home. In spring of 2021, I excitedly grew around 10 seedlings. This resulted in a handful of open centered blooms that became an incredible joy to watch open for the first time. Something about seeing a bloom that no one else has ever seen before is absolutely enchanting.

Over the next couple of years my dahlia fascination switched from being all in on collarettes to an outright love for waterlily form. In 2022, I met Steve and Sandy Boley of Birch Bay Dahlias and quickly learned I had not been effectively collecting seed. As I excitedly shared my waterlily collection with Sandy, she patiently helped me choose the best of them and taught me how to arrange them, separated by form. At this point, I believe it is safe to say I actually began hybridizing dahlias, rather than just collecting seed. Also in 2022, I met Dick Porter, who took me under his wing and shared with me how to exhibit and show dahlias. I became fully hooked on dahlia exhibition and hybridization. I am immeasurably thankful for these mentors.

While I find it very important to know and acknowledge the characteristics of dahlias set by the American Dahlia Society, I do find there are exceptionally beautiful flowers outside of show quality blooms. So for now, we will pursue seedlings that we find both good for show and perfect for the garden. Blooms we find fit for the show bench will have the prefix KLD (for Kale Lane Dahlias) and those more suited as a garden flower will have the prefix Molly’s (our sweet garden helping goldendoodle’s name).