Swan Island Dahlias

"The Dahlia you brought to our isle
Your praises for ever shall speak:
Mid gardens as sweet as your smile,
And colour as bright as your cheek."
~Lord Holland

As part of my job, the part I love (which is most of it, minus the paperwork), I take groups of our participants on outings to a variety of places in and around Portland. Many times I am able to see and experience things and places I wouldn't normally, or I get to share a place I have experienced with these wonderful people. Today was such a day. The Swan Island Dahlias are AMAZING! The fields are in Canby, OR...about 30 minutes south of Portland. I took a group of five ladies to see the flowers, picnic lunch in tote. We sat in the sun and ate lunch and then walked among the beautiful flowers. Enjoy the pictures!! I know in the dreary months of winter, I will!

The above flower is my favorite for the season...Freckle Face!

Our stash to take home! A bunch of these were given to us! How wonderful!

Me with the Dahlias!

One of my participants wanted to take a picture of me because I was taking pictures of all of them. The above picture, not a great one mind you, was taken by one of my little ladies. I promised I'd show it off and not delete it. Too bad I keep promises... :)

After trips to the fields the last couple of years, I must say that it is a good thing for my pocketbook that I don't have a yard to plant all of these wonderful plants in...I could do some damage.