Spring is right around the corner, so it is almost time to stop and smell the roses—or better yet, the dahlias.

The largest public dahlia display garden on the East Coast is right in our own backyard, based in the 690-acre Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Great River. The colorful flowers in the William Wolkoff Dahlia Garden attract hundreds of visitors each year, including artists, photographers, flower lovers, and a wide variety of butterflies.

The William Wolkoff Dahlia Garden is solely maintained by volunteers from the Long Island Dahlia Society (LIDS), a completely volunteer-based organization of enthusiastic gardeners. The volunteers nurture and care for over 1000 dahlia plants in the garden, with hundreds of different dahlia varieties. From a single color to variegated to blends, this stunning garden displays the full range of colors of the dahlia.

The friendly group of gardeners encourages anyone who wants to learn how to grow dahlias to join the Long Island Dahlia Society weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

The delicate flowers are uniquely grown from tubers gathered by the LIDS from last year’s bounty.

“If we grow them from seeds, we do not know what type of flower it will be, so the dahlias are basically grown from tubers from the year before,” shared LIDS member Tom Gangone of Lindenhurst, who has been a member since 2011. “Last year, we dug up the tubers and we saved them through the winter. Now we take them out of storage and we split them into individual tubers.”

Garden director Joe Lysik and other LIDS members offer hands-on learning during their Wednesday and Saturday meetings for anyone interested in learning how to nurture the special plant. The society meets to maintain the garden from 9 to 11:30 a.m., and cake and coffee are offered after 11 a.m. Members have an opportunity to share dahlia knowledge, obtain advice, and simply enjoy the presence of like-minded individuals.

“The camaraderie of the gardeners has been my favorite part of being a member,” shared Gangone.

The LIDS will also begin selling dahlia tubers on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 9 a.m. through 11:30 a.m. at the Wolkoff Garden starting Wednesday, April 3, and ending mid-June.

Come buy your tuber and learn from the experts!