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Morro Bay Garden Club Dahlia Daze
By Nancy and Garry Johnson
Photos By Garry
The Dahlia was chosen as the Morro Bay City Flower with the help of the Dahlia Society and Max Anders in the mid-1960’s. When the Morro Bay Dahlia Festival was held in 1967, over 12,000 people from all over the United States came to display their flowers and view the exhibits. With the demise of the Morro Bay Garden Club in the late 1980’s, the Dahlia as the City Flower disappeared into history. Four years ago Grace Melton encouraged us to start with a small celebration on the Library patio. Thanks to Grace’s guidance, the celebration of the Dahlia as the City Flower has enjoyed a regrowth over the last four years.
“Dahlia Daze is an event held in August of each year. This will be our third annual event. Every year the event has grown substantially. The popularity and success has brought great publicity to the city. In addition, many people from outside Morro Bay come to participate and enjoy the show. People now recognize that the Dahlia is the City flower.
This year our theme will be “Celebrate Our Local Heroes,” with appropriate flower displays and participation from our Police and Fire Departments, Harbor Patrol, and Coast Guard personnel.
The Garden Club has invited other garden related groups to have tables at this year's event. Among those groups which have chosen to participate are Morro Bay Beautiful, Morro Bay Community Garden, the UC Davis extension, Master Gardeners of San Luis Obispo County, Montana de Oro District of California Garden Clubs Inc., and the SLO Botanical Garden.
Everyone is invited to participate and bring their dahlias for display. There is no need to pre-register and containers will be provided.
“Dahlia Daze” will be held Saturday, August 15 from 1:00 to 4:00 in the afternoon at the Morro Bay Community Center. There will be free refreshments and a plant sale sponsored by the Morro Bay Garden Club.
Want to learn how to take better pictures of flowers? Go to: http://www.plantea.com/photoflowers.htm
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