DAVIDSON COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — Jimmy Speas gets a lot of attention this time of year for his dahlias. 

“They get a lot of attention,” said Jimmy, who started planting the blooming flowers with his wife Denise eight years ago. “They take some work. You can’t just plant them and walk away and come back with your vase and pruners. You have to do some work.”

He has 150 varieties. Some of them go to florists, but he donates most of them.

“It’s usually to give away,” he said.  “We love doing that.”

To enjoy the beauty now, you start back in the spring when Jimmy first started with sprouts.

“Some will start blooming in June,” said Jimmy as he started cutting them. “The blooms can get as big as a dinner plate in cooler climates.”

The joy you get from growing flowers is something Jimmy says we all should try.

“Everyone should do it at least one time,” he said. “They should grow something and see just how well it grows for them.”

With the growing popularity, he helped start the Central Carolina Dahlia Society. 

To learn more about the flower and growing them, visit the society on Facebook.