History of Dahlia City

One hundred years ago in the small town of Wayland, Michigan, Earl and Hazel Ryno sold their dairy farm and planted the seeds of something extraordinary. In 1925, they began growing dahlias with just 57 tubers. By 1931, their operation had expanded to 40,000 plants, and in the years that followed, it grew to more than 1,000,000 dahlias—making the Rynos’ farm the largest exclusively dahlia operation in the world. Their flowers were sold wholesale through Sears Roebuck and shipped to gardeners across the country.

As word spread, Wayland earned the nickname “Dahlia City.” Visitors traveled hundreds of miles to witness the breathtaking fields at the Wayland Dahlia Gardens. Sadly, Earl Ryno passed away in 1956, and in 1958 Hazel sold the entire tuber stock. Though the name Dahlia City remained, the dahlias themselves disappeared from Wayland.

I grew up here knowing Wayland as Dahlia City, but never understanding why. That mystery became my calling. For more than a year, I felt compelled to uncover the story of Earl and Hazel Ryno and to bring these remarkable flowers back to our town. I spent countless hours researching the Rynos and the location of their famed fields—only to discover they were just one mile south of me, on the very road where I now live.

Much of that time was devoted to combing through 30 years of Dig and Dung catalogs to identify which dahlias still existed today. Once identified, I set out on a mission to locate and acquire as many of the heirloom varieties originally grown here in Wayland as possible. 

And now, I’m proud to announce: we brought the dahlias back to Dahlia City! 🌸