I believe that our Australian Dahlia breeders deserve to be acknowledged and rewarded for their hard work in bringing new cultivars to our Australian market.

While there are no legal requirements for royalties or patents related to selling Dahlias, I feel it is my responsibility as someone who distributes these beautiful plants, to honour the person that created them.

In the US there are now a number of programs focused on supporting Dahlia breeders, giving them a greater ability to focus their resources on what they do best, breeding Dahlias. Tuber prices overseas are much higher than they are in Australia, which is a true reflection of both the work required to grow them as well as the work required to breed them (this takes more than three years of incredibly intensive work for breeders). I would love to see our local breeders acknowledged in the same way.

My goal is to thank and support our breeders in the form of royalty payments, and hopefully encourage others selling named varieties of Dahlia tubers to do the same. Our breeders are working so hard to create an amazingly varied offering for us in Australia, that both compares to what is available overseas and inspires growers and breeders around the world.

Breeders typically only see any significant financial gain in the first year or two after release, as the large number of us who collect their new cultivars start sharing them as well. I believe it is only fair that we contribute to their breeding programs when they have worked so hard to release these beautiful flowers to us.

From this year (2024), I will be paying breeders of new Dahlia cultivars a royalty fee of $1 for each new cultivar Dahlia tuber that I sell, which I believe should be the minimum industry standard. This includes Dahlia cultivars that were released for growing this season and have bloomed in my patch.

In addition, as a thank you for all of the support and kindness I have been shown by Florelie Seasonal Flowers, Lileah Dahlias and K&B Smith Dahlias since I started my flower farm, and to show respect for the contribution they have made in recent years to our Australian Dahlia market, their entire Dahlia catalogues will be included in my program.

My breeder partnerships are by invitation only.

My royalty program will begin this year (2024) with:

• Lorelie Merton of Florelie Seasonal Flowers
• Kate Mungoven of Lileah Dahlias
• Karon & Brian Smith of K&B Smith Dahlias

From 2025 onwards the following breeders will be included in my program after they release their first cultivars:

• Erica Downes of Erica's Garden Flowers
• Emma Scott of Blue Gum Valley Farm
• Emma Horswill of Earthenry Farm

My Dahlia collection is focused on premium quality cut flower cultivars and rare specialty varieties/cultivars. I am always trialling new cultivars and seedlings each year from new breeders and will certainly share with our community any new and exciting breeders that I am lucky enough to discover. As a sneak peak, keep an eye on:

• Anita Lee-Archer of The Queen of Mayfield

If you are a customer wanting to support our Australian Dahlia breeders, I recommend trying to source your tubers directly from the breeders first, then from those suppliers who support our breeders with royalties from your purchases.