Mendocino, CA — Tulips and calla lillies have long been my favorite flowers. But after visiting EarthSpoke Farms in Mendocino last week, I just might have to add a third.

Founded in 2022, it grows dahlias. More than 250 varieties. In every vivid color imaginable. In sizes that range from a mere 1 1/2 inches to a staggering 10 inches across.

If you happen to have this Saturday or next free to take a drive up the coast, now is the time to take advantage of one of the last u-pick events of this season at one of the largest dahlia farms in California.

Reserve a spot, and for $50, you are given a mason jar half-filled with water and a pair of scissors to snip stems in the supporting garden planted with snap dragons, pussy willows, roses, zinnias, and other greenery. To complete your arrangement, you get to pick six dahlias from the nearby buckets of freshly-cut ones. Change the water regularly, and your bouquet should last about a week.

Earthspoke Farms is a true family affair. Shelly Deaton, her husband, four daughters, and three sons-in law operate it. Originally from Long Beach, the family had vacationed and camped in the area. When Shelly’s married children were wanting a slower pace to raise their own kids, the whole clan decided to relocate to Mendocino. Patriarch David Deaton, a law firm partner, continues to practice law to help pay the bills, Shelly half-jests.

“We always loved gardening in our little backyard in Long Beach,” explained daughter Mary Dueck, who is the farm’s harvest lead now. “We knew dahlias would grow well here. And there is such a dahlia craze now. They sell out fast whenever someone posts online about them.”

What was once barren land now boasts 6,000 dahlia plants that typically bloom from the end of June through September.

The showy flowers are popular for weddings, with wedding party guests often stopping by the farm a day before the big event to assemble their own arrangements. The family also sells the tubers or bulbs to enthusiasts across the United States. In the future, they hope to create their own hybrids, too.

The farm is 10 acres, but with plans to expand onto another 14 acres next-door that were just purchased.

That means room for even more dahlias to flourish. It really is a sight to gaze upon row after row of pom-pom-shaped blooms in every color from the most delicate of pinks to the most dramatic of reds.

The family also sells its flowers, as well as kennebec, Yukon Gold, and fingerling potatoes at the Fort Bragg and Mendocino farmers markets. You can also enjoy its potatoes on the menu at Cafe Beaujolais in downtown Mendocino.

The farm also has its own farm stand outside its gates stocked with fresh flowers, Wednesday through Saturday until October. Come October, it will host the only pumpkin patch on the Mendocino Coast, with a variety of home-grown pumpkins for cooking or decoration.

If you miss dahlia season this time around, don’t despair. Just mark your calendars for June 2026, because this place is definitely worth a visit.