dahlia

"When I first started, there were a lot of the 'old boy gardeners', who loved dahlias, chrysanthemums, the old fashioned plants," he said.

He said the risk of frost would pass in the south soon, allowing "frost-tender plants" such as dahlias and tomatoes to be planted outside.

They mingle with puffy red and fuchsia dahlias and purple phlox, as well as hydrangeas, sedum and Creeping Jenny, a ground cover that doubles as paths for strolling.

White marigolds and green onions are planted to help deter the skunks, raccoons and squirrels that like to pull out her dahlias.

I reached out to a couple of local flower farmers for their best tips on growing dahlias in the Puget Sound region: