Now is the time to do some garden maintenance:

The DSA is the umbrella organization for dahlia societies in Australia.

The 2021 DSA Annual General Meeting was held on Friday 11 June in Canberra. The results of the election of office bearers were:

Delegates from each of the eight member societies meet once a year at the Annual DSA Conference. At the Conference in Canberra the following resolutions were passed:

❖ Australian Championship

This new championship will be sponsored by the DSA and rotate around the societies the year after their conference (2022 Canberra, 2023 Queensland).

❖ Judges Standards Panel

A panel has been formed to review judging standards and will meet at the Australian Championship and annual DSA Conference.

Les Lawson was announced as the recipient of the Dahlia Society of Australia's Dahl Medal at the DSA'a Annual Conference in Canberra on 11-12 June.

The Dahl Medal is the DSA's highest honour. Only five living members of the Society can be recipients at any one time.  Les joins fellow DSV member Fran Grylls as a holder of the award. Covid restrictions meant Les and Joy Lawson were unable to attend the Conference.  DSA President Warren Vigor will present Les his award at the September member's meeting.

John Menzel has been awarded the Order of Australia Medal for his work in growing and promoting dahlias.

Unfortunately John passed away in April, so did not live to receive his OAM. John was the driver behind the foundation of the Dahlia Society of Australia and its President from its inception to his passing.  He and Anne Menzel were also members  of the DSV.

Warren Vigor was elected President of the Dahlia Society of Australia at its AGM in Canberra on 11 June.

Warren is a grower and breeder of dahlias and a champion exhibitor at shows throughout Victoria and elsewhere. His travels to the US have given him insights into the way the flourishing Dahlia Societies operate there.

Warren is a long term member of the DSV. Congratulations, Warren!

On May 13th 2021, Brian James “Joe” Daniel, formerly of Rokewood and Tallygaroopna, passed away in Ballarat aged 84.

A much-loved member of the dahlia growing community in Victoria, Joe Daniel has the distinction of being the only exhibitor in the history of the Victorian Annual Dahlia Show to be awarded (in 2003) the Dahlia Society of Victoria Gold Medallion for an exhibit of outstanding excellence.

After a drawn-out battle with a debilitating degenerative condition, John Menzel has been lost to the Dahlia world in which he was a huge presence.

John spent a significant portion of his life promoting the dahlia. He organised groups, wrote books and brought all the dahlia societies across Australia together in what is now the Dahlia Society of Australia, of which he was President from its inception to his passing.

John wrote a book titled Dahlias in Australia: The Winkie Way - a comprehensive guide to growing and showing the dahlia.

John and Anne Menzel were prolific dahlia breeders, producing many varieties which appear regularly on the show bench, mostly under the Winkie label. The July 2020 edition of the DSV's DAHLIAS magazine includes a feature on this breeding program which began in the 1970s.

John and Anne were based at Winkie in the South Australian Riverland but have also been members of the DSV and have often exhibited here.