Growing and Breeding Dahlias at Scale: Inside Florelie Flower Farm in Australia
Tune into Episode 85 to learn how Florelie in Australia grows and breeds dahlias at scale, from seed to tuber, with insights on cut flowers, soil, and family farming.
Growing and breeding dahlias at scale looks very different depending on where you are in the world — and today, we’re heading south to Australia to explore what it really takes to do it well.
In this episode of The Backyard Bouquet Podcast, I’m joined by Lorelie Merton of Florelie, a specialty cut flower farm located near Ballarat in Victoria. What began as a simple love of flowers has grown into a highly intentional farm producing 20,000 dahlias, a robust dahlia breeding program, and a thriving tuber business serving florists and gardeners across Australia.
This conversation is a rare behind-the-scenes look at how dahlias are bred, evaluated, and grown for real-world performance — not just beauty.
From Gifted Peonies to a Flower Farming Life
Lorelie never set out to become a flower farmer. The spark came in 2015, when she received a gifted bunch of homegrown peonies — flowers she had never seen in real life before. That single moment opened the door to curiosity, research, and eventually a new path forward.
At the time, Lorelie was working as a speech pathologist while raising young children. Flowers began as a hobby, then slowly grew alongside her professional life. When she and her husband Ethan moved to their farm property, what started in pots and small plantings began to take on a life of its own.
By 2021, Lorelie made the leap to flower farming full time — and Florelie has continued to evolve ever since.
What It Means to Grow Dahlias at Scale
Florelie sits on 20 acres, but only about 2.5 acres are actively planted in flowers. That intentional scale is part of what makes the farm successful.
Today, the heart of the operation is a two-acre dahlia field with approximately 20,000 plants, alongside summer annuals like cosmos, zinnias, amaranth, celosia, and sunflowers. Peonies are also a major long-term investment, with thousands planted and still maturing.
Scaling a flower farm doesn’t always mean using every available acre. At Florelie, it means:
- Growing what can be managed well
- Prioritizing quality and consistency
- Designing systems that support long-term soil and plant health
Inside a Dahlia Breeding Program
One of the most fascinating parts of Florelie is its dahlia breeding program. Lorelie began growing dahlias from seed very early in her journey — long before many growers consider breeding their own varieties.
Each year, thousands of dahlia seedlings are evaluated. From those, only a small fraction move on to a second year. By the time a variety reaches a fourth year of evaluation, just a handful remain.
Florelie now uses a four-year breeding and evaluation process, which allows Lorelie to assess:
- Stem strength and length
- Bloom attachment (avoiding “bobblehead” flowers)
- Petal count and durability
- Bloom angle for bouquet use
- Plant structure and branching habits
This approach ensures that released varieties perform not just in ideal conditions, but in real working fields and florist environments.
Breeding Dahlias for Cut Flower Performance
Because Florelie primarily grows for florists, dahlias are bred with cut flower performance in mind.
That means prioritizing:
- Strong, straight stems
- Flowers that face upward in arrangements
- Long vase life
- Forms that tolerate minor petal loss
While color does matter, performance comes first. Soft pinks, blush tones, ivories, and peaches tend to be most popular with florists, especially for weddings and events. Brighter colors and novelty forms still have a place — particularly for home gardeners — but the farm’s breeding goals always start with usability.
Soil Health, Crop Rotation, and Long-Term Thinking
Florelie benefits from rich volcanic soil, but soil health is never taken for granted. Dahlias are rotated through four paddocks, with strategic rest periods that help prevent disease buildup, particularly verticillium wilt.
Rotation looks like this:
- One year on, one year off
- Longer five-year breaks between repeated plantings
- Sheep grazing on resting paddocks when possible
- Fertigation used to deliver nutrients efficiently
This system reflects a pragmatic, long-term approach — balancing plant health, soil health, and the realities of managing a large cut flower crop.
A True Family Flower Farm
Florelie is very much a family operation. Lorelie’s husband Ethan works as the farm manager, bringing his background as an agronomist into every aspect of planning, irrigation, crop rotation, and field maintenance.
Together, they’re raising three children on the farm, with the kids helping in age-appropriate ways — from packing dahlia tuber orders to assisting in the shed. It’s a reminder that flower farms aren’t just production spaces; they’re living, evolving family systems.
Agritourism, Workshops, and Connection
Beyond flowers and tubers, Florelie has expanded into workshops and on-farm events. Dahlia dividing workshops give gardeners hands-on experience, while seasonal afternoon teas in the dahlia fields invite visitors to slow down and experience the beauty of the farm.
These events aren’t about scaling faster — they’re about connection, education, and creating meaningful experiences rooted in flowers.
What Flowers Can Teach Us
At its core, this episode isn’t just about growing and breeding dahlias at scale. It’s about patience, observation, and allowing curiosity to lead.
Lorelie’s advice for growers is simple but powerful:
- Check your plants
- Start small when experimenting
- Learn before scaling
Flower farming, like life, is built season by season.
Connect with Lorelie & Florelie
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/florelieseasonalflowers/
- Website: https://florelie.com.au
Listen to the Full Episode
🎧 Ep. 85: Growing & Breeding Dahlias at Scale: Inside Florelie Flower Farm in Australia
Available now on The Backyard Bouquet Podcast.
If you love hearing real stories from flower farmers around the world — from breeding programs to soil care to family life — this episode is one you won’t want to miss.
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