Today we’re highlighting Jessica Dell, member of Triple Wren’s Novice Hybridizer Class of 2024 and the creator of the stunning new dahlia PK Bloodshot.
Jessica Dell
Jessica focuses her dahlia hybridizing efforts on collarette dahlias in the Hudson Valley of NY. She adopted “PK” in reference to her town of Poughkeepsie, NY. Jessica is also a lawyer. She lives with her two kids in a 100-year-old house surrounded by tall trees, with a steady parade of deer, foxes, and groundhogs—all frequent interlopers in the garden.
Her gardening journey began after moving to Poughkeepsie from Brooklyn in 2017. Dahlias had been a favorite photo subject in her annual travels to regional gardens, and they were among the earliest casualties of the deer and groundhogs once she finally had a garden of her own. She tried again. In time, and with fencing, the dahlias flourished. Jessica began collecting seeds in 2020, inspired by Kristine Albrecht and Dr. Keith Hammett. She became a member of the American Dahlia Society and other assorted regional dahlia societies. She began crossing collarettes in the summer of 2021. She hoped to get one similar to Rhubarb and Custard (unobtainable stateside back then) and was happy with the fruits of those crosses, finding several “keepers,” including PK Bloodshot.
Making a first foray into flower shows with her kids, they were thrilled to win blue ribbons in their county fair. She is a grateful member of the Novice Hybridizer program with Triple Wren Farms—thrilled to finally make these hybrids available to all the collarette lovers who have written requesting tubers and cuttings!
PK Bloodshot
This winsome collarette dahlia became a fast favorite of everyone who encountered her at the farm. It was a highlight of our 2024 summer to compare this amazing new hybrid with Rhubarb and Custard, and such a treat to grow it and combine it with other varieties! Its classic form is perfect, and works along with its (consistent!) bloom size and color palette to create an utterly enchanting dahlia. We’re growing lots of PK Bloodshot in summer 2025, so watch our blog and Instagram for more of this stunning dahlia.
