West Bend, WI – Parishioners at St. Frances Cabrini Church, 1025 S. Seventh Avenue in West Bend, WI are treated to a special sight before Mass as Rick Taetsch’s dahlia garden is in bloom.
“There are over 400,000 different varieties of dahlias,” said Taetsch as he was busy watering the beautiful array of flowers. “I try to get about 70 to 80 different variety so the congregation can enjoy them.”
It’s been a challenging season this year for Taetsch, and a lot of local farmers.
“I struggled in June with too much rain, which slowed the development of tubers,” he said. “Consequently, dahlia flowers are about three weeks later than usual.”
From rain to heat, the recent hot weather and high dew points promoted rapid growth, hence what you see in current pictures,” he said.
For those who have been patient, flowers are now pouring in daily, enhancing the view for those who take a moment to stop and view.
“Please no picking,” said Tatsch.
Taetsch said the flowers are currently 4-feet high; he would like to see them grow to 6-feet high. “People love the color, love the variety, and the comments are always very positive,” he said. “It brings a brilliant display to the altar and adoration chapel.”
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Taetsch points to the large red pom in the back of the flowerbed as one of his favorites. “I started out with yellows and reds, because there was so much contrast,” he said.
Slim streaks of color bleed through some of the dahlias while others carry a rich single color with a button of finger-like pedals in the center.
The Farmer’s Almanac has a fabulous writeup on dahlias.
Click HERE for more information.
Taetsch also has a wide variety of dahlias at the Kathy Hospice in the Town of Polk. However, this year has been a huge challenge as “critters got about 60% of the crop.”
