From Seeds to Spotlight
Hi! I’m Gracie, and I’m 12 years old. This February, something incredible is happening—I’m taking three of my dahlias to the National Dahlia Show in Hamilton!
I can hardly believe it. These flowers started as tiny seeds in our homeschool family business, The Kiwi Connection. Now, after last three years developing our family’s breeding programme, and learning everything I could about dahlias, I’ve chosen three blooms I believe have what it takes to stand out at the show.
The Perfect Picks
Choosing which flowers to take wasn’t as simple as picking my favorites. Dahlia competitions are serious business, and there’s a lot judges look for. So, I became a bit of a “flower detective,” examining every detail.
Here’s what I looked for:
✔️ Strong stems so they hold their heads high.
✔️ A 45-degree flower face—neither drooping nor staring straight at the sky.
✔️ Perfect symmetry and lots of petals that fit the bloom’s size.
✔️ Bright, bold colors that pop without any green centers.
✔️ Flowers that produce identical blooms again and again.
After inspecting every contender in our garden (more times than I can count), I finally found my top three. They’re beautiful, strong, and consistent—everything a winning dahlia should be!
The Road to Hamilton
As thrilled as I am, getting to the show isn’t as easy as cutting flowers and hopping in the car. My mum has challenged my sisters and I to plan and pay for the whole trip ourselves. We need to figure out how to fund our trip, where to stay, how much petrol it will take to get there and back, and what we are going to eat! It’s not just about travel expenses—we also need to keep the dahlias safe, fresh, and still looking their best during the journey.
We’ve started brainstorming ideas:
Selling my photographs as prints and large canvases.
Selling some dahlia flowers.
Helping others in the community with their gardens.
Or maybe even having a pop-up gallery and mini cafe one weekend in the shed!
The trip is going to take a lot of work, but I’m ready for the challenge. After all, this isn’t just a competition—it’s an adventure, and I get to share it with my family.
Why This Matters
What makes this whole experience so special isn’t just the chance to compete (though that’s super exciting!). It’s everything I’ve learned along the way: patience, attention to detail, and appreciation for the beauty in every little petal.
I’m so proud to represent The Kiwi Connection and to show what our us homeschooled kids, given the opportunity, can do. No matter what happens at the show, these dahlias already feel like winners to me.
Follow Along!
As the big day gets closer, I’ll be sharing updates about our journey—how we’re prepping the flowers, making travel plans, and (hopefully!) reaching our fundraising goal. Stay tuned, and if you have any tips or ideas, drop them in the comments!
Let’s take these dahlias to the spotlight together. 🌸