More Than 3,000 Miles: How My Rhode Island Dahlias Competed at the American Dahlia Society National Show
- Jason Beck
- 17 hours ago
- 4 min read
This article was originally written by Peter Roberti, a longtime member and current Vice President of the Rhode Island Dahlia Society (as of 2026), reflecting on his experience at the 2024 American Dahlia Society National Show. It has been lightly edited for the RIDS blog.
My name is Peter Roberti, and I grow dahlias on a small farm called Forge Road Farm in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. I've been growing dahlias for over twenty years, starting in my Dad's garden, and I've been a member of the Rhode Island Dahlia Society for many of those years, currently serving on its Board of Directors.
I enter dahlias into flower shows throughout New England regularly. But in 2024, I decided to take on something far more ambitious: I would bring my Rhode Island-grown dahlias to the American Dahlia Society's 57th National Show, held September 5–9, 2024 in Wenatchee, Washington, more than 3,000 miles away.
The Challenge: Keeping Cut Dahlias Alive for Four Days
When I told my dahlia colleagues what I was planning, the reactions were skeptical, to say the least. How would freshly cut blooms survive a multi-day, cross-country trip and still be show-worthy by judging day?
It was a fair question. Cut dahlias are notoriously temperamental. They don't travel well under ideal conditions, let alone across six time zones in late summer heat.
I decided to take on the challenge anyway.
On Tuesday morning, four days before Saturday's judging, I went out to my garden and hand-selected eighteen dahlia blooms at peak condition. I carefully packed them into a glass mason jar, which went into a florist's traveling bag designed for transporting flower arrangements. The goal was to keep the stems in water for the entire journey.
Coast to Coast: By Car, Bus, and Plane
The first leg was a car and bus ride to Boston Logan Airport. When I arrived, I approached the airline's customer service staff directly and explained the situation. The freshly cut bouquet, glistening in its traveling bag, apparently made a persuasive case, security let me through without making me dump the water. That alone felt like a victory.
I flew west to Portland, Oregon, where my daughter Gina was meeting me to join the adventure. Despite a three-hour delay, I landed just before midnight. The dahlias made it to the Pacific Northwest.
The Pacific Northwest Leg: Heat Waves and Ferry Rides
Wednesday brought its own obstacles. A major heat wave had settled over the Pacific Northwest, with temperatures pushing toward 100°F, brutal conditions for cut flowers trying to stay fresh.
Our first stop was the Pacific Northwest Dahlia Trial Garden in Tacoma, Washington, one of the pre-show events for national attendees. Seeing dozens of dahlia varieties in full bloom was extraordinary, and a good reminder of what we were competing against.
That afternoon, the dahlias joined us on a ferry ride to Vashon Island, where we visited working dahlia farms. That night, the flowers checked into a hotel casino in the area, no worse for wear, remarkably.
On Thursday, we crossed the Cascade Mountains via Snoqualmie Pass, stopping at Snoqualmie Falls. Despite the record heat, we were strategic: we parked in shaded spots whenever possible and kept a cooler of ice in the trunk right next to the flowers. Every degree mattered.
There was one more curveball when we arrived in the Wenatchee Valley: I realized I had booked lodging at Lake Wenatchee, over forty miles from the show venue. The dahlias had a longer drive than anticipated before finally reaching the cold storage room at the show facility.
Show Day: Five Ribbons for Rhode Island
On Friday, I staged the blooms. Of the eighteen stems I had carried from North Kingstown, eight were in good enough condition to enter. They had survived cars, buses, planes, a ferry, a mountain pass, record heat, and a forty-mile detour.
On Saturday, the judging took place. Of the eight blooms I entered, five received ribbons — including three first place finishes and two second place finishes.
I believe my dahlias traveled the furthest of any flowers at that show. From North Kingstown, Rhode Island to Wenatchee, Washington: 3,483 miles, according to our route calculations. See the map of where the dahlias traveled below!
Why This Matters for Dahlia Growers
Competitive dahlia showing is one of the most rewarding, and humbling, parts of this hobby. The American Dahlia Society National Show draws growers from across the country, each bringing their finest blooms to be judged against strict ADS standards for form, color, stem, and condition.
For growers in Rhode Island and throughout New England, the national show can feel out of reach. I hope this story is a reminder that it isn't. With careful planning and a little stubbornness, Rhode Island dahlias can compete on a national stage, and win.
I'm already looking ahead to the 2025 ADS National Show in Chicago, a comparatively modest 977 miles. Almost a short trip at this point.
Peter Roberti is a member of the Rhode Island Dahlia Society Board of Directors as the Vice President (as of 2026) and tends Forge Road Farm in North Kingstown, RI. Interested in growing dahlias competitively or connecting with fellow growers in Rhode Island? Learn more about RIDS membership here.
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