Tom Hodges is a very special dahlia because it was chosen by and named after our friend Tom Hodges.

The 4” flowers sit atop sturdy but narrow stems on a 3.5’ plant. The somewhat compact and very upright form of the plant makes it a good candidate for containers or tucked into a perennial border but the stems are long for cutting.

Tom and his wife Jenn are friends of mine that live in Charleston SC and Tom was diagnosed with ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease in 2020 and he lost the fight this past December.

Tom grew up in Virginia surrounded by his mother’s garden filled with gorgeous peonies and he loves flowers. I wanted to do something to honor Tom in his fight against such a sinister disease and naming a dahlia after him is what I can do. Last summer, I sent groups of photos their way and Tom chose this beauty. Needless to say- he has excellent taste!

$35 from the sale of each Tom Hodges tuber will go where his family designates it best served. I only have a handful of these this year but they will continue.

I can’t fix the world or cure terrible diseases but I can pass on love and beauty with flowers, raise awareness and it is always my hope that doing so may inspire others.