The Alberta Dahlia and Gladiolus Society will be hosting their 10th annual Flower Show and Sale this Friday and Saturday (August 19th and 20th). In total, the society has 65 members and around 15 of them will be showing off their best flowers to the public.  

“It's dahlias and gladiolus for this show. We are a sanctioned show that means that we are the only one in Canada. If you want to grow a dahlia and produce it, develop it, name it and sell it commercially you have to go through a trial garden. We're their only trial garden in Canada. People send their little tubers or seeds up to us. We grow them and we judge them,” explained Debbie Hatt, Secretary for the Alberta Dahlia and Gladiolus Society 

Green thumbs share their seeds with trial gardens across north America to determine how they grow in different climates and areas. 

“All the dahlias that are established and gladiolus we put them in the show and they're judged to standards. Then they go in a big book and they're actually recorded, and that's how we how the dahlias and gladioluses get named,” said Hatt.  

Hatt says Friday will be a busy day because that’s when the flowers are being judged. The public is welcome to attend after 1:00PM on Friday and from 11:00AM to 4:00PM on Saturday. On Saturday, visitors will have the opportunity to purchase some flowers starting at 3:00PM.  

Over the past couple of years, the event has moved to different locations due to a need to scale down following the pandemic. This year, the event will be hosted outside at the Piper Creek Trial Garden in Red Deer, South on 40th Avenue, across from the landfill site. Hatt says it’s a great location and will have a big tent to keep you safe from the heat this weekend.  

“We welcome the public and the weather is beautiful and it's all under shade so they can come and be comfortable and look at the beautiful flowers,” added Hatt.