Dahlia Legacy Profile
It isn’t many people who can get in on one dahlias society and found two parent organizations and another society, but Ed Corning did just that. He joined the Seattle Dahlia Society within its first year and was instrumental in shaping the organization; he helped found both the Pacific Northwest Dahlia Conference, and the Federation of Northwest Dahlia Growers; and he was instrumental in the founding of Puget Sound Dahlia Association. It was his calm logic that helped draft and shape the by-laws of the Federation and he was a signator of those same by-laws. And then it came to wooing societies to join. At first there was Washington State (a powerhouse society), Evergreen State ( a fledgling society), Puget Sound (just beginning to flex its wings). Ed lobbied hard for Snohomish County to join and in the end he prevailed, mainly because he was so respected. Without SCDS the Federation probably would have faded away, but with its inclusion it added legitimacy to the new organization and tipped the scales in favor of the new parent group. The Federation owes a debt of gratitude to Ed for his efforts on its behalf.
Ed started his career as a teacher and coach on the Olympic Peninsula and then moved to Central Washington, but quickly decided that he wanted to do more than just teach so he joined the Seattle police force where he rose to the rank of captain before he retired. After he retired from the Seattle police force he became an independent accident investigator and an expert witness in trials.
He and his wife Helen had two children and they began growing dahlias in 1944. Ed was the face of their ventures, doing the cultivating, showing, and hybridizing. Helen did the grunt work of dividing, labeling, and storing. This was the time when most growers labeled their dahlias with a number that corresponded to a chart they kept. A-1 might be Hamari Gold. Helen wrote the name of the variety on each tuber in very legible handwriting, so when Cornings gave a grower a dahlia, he knew exactly what that tuber was.
Helen was also a force to be reckoned with in Snohomish County Dahlia Society where she reigned as refreshment queen. She was the one who asked people to bring refreshments to the next meeting (they weren’t done by alphabetic chunk), she organized the potlucks and assigned the contribution so each section was accounted for, she organized the refreshments for the show. And what dahlia society doesn’t live on its stomach? She often quipped that we should be called the Snohomish Dahlia and Eating Society.
Ed, on the other hand, was known for his helpful attitude toward new growers and respected for the breadth of knowledge deepened by frequent travel and correspondence. In his travels he met many of the foremost dahlia growers and invited them to the States, specifically the Northwest, and more specifically Snohomish County. Many of them took him up on his offer. Most notably was the most prominent dahlia ambassador, Derek Hewlett. Derek was a sought-after speaker and it was a real coup when Ed got him to come to Snohomish County. Ed brought him to our place for a pleasant afternoon and dinner and we became lifelong friends with Derek. Ed brought all of his other other guests, many from England, to our house for a garden tour and dinner. Now you have to remember that this was always in summer and we had a huge vegetable garden, so I served lots of vegetables in addition to whatever meat we had. Imagine my consternation when I learned that my most prized dish — fresh corn on the cob — was considered cattle food in England. Ed’s friend Keith Hammet also entertained us with his knowledge of breeding. Other guests showed us their growing tips.
Ed taught dahlia judging classes and instilled his high standards in the judges he taught. I took a judging class from him and although I never went on to be a judge, I learned what standards to apply to selecting the dahlias I put in the show. He patiently guided novice growers in what to look for in their dahlias and helped them develop into major growers. He won consistently and therefore could be a role model.
Ed dabbled in hybridizing, producing such winners as Canyon Midnight, Canyon Park, Caitlin and Lavender Freestyle. He was very competitive and proud of his wins.
On his trips, Ed took his camera and his pictures always made an entertaining program for the dahlia society. He not only had photos of the newest dahlias in England, Australia or New Zealand, but also he included snaps of the countryside. He was the spark plug behind PSDA’s slide contest, helping to select the best slides of the year. Roger Walker remembers Ed’s memory for dahlias. You could show him a slide of any dahlia and he could tell you what the name was. And you could bring him a dahlia whose name you didn’t know and he would identify it.
Hall of Fame
The Snohomish County Dahlia Society would like to nominate Ed and Helen Corning to be included in the Hall of Fame.
Ed has been a pillar of our dahlia community. Known for his generosity, appreciated for his helpful attitude, and respected for a breadth of knowledge deepened by frequent travel and correspondence, Ed Corning was a much sought-after advisor in dahlia matters. A retired Seattle police captain, Ed began growing dahlias in 1944. In the early 1950s he joined the Seattle Dahlia Society and also the Snohomish County Dahlia Society. Over the decades he was instrumental in establishing high judging standards throughout the Northwest by conducting judging classes and seminars. His patience and helpful hints were appreciated by dahlia novices. Whether it was with a selection of tubers to get the beginners started or with a personal visit to their gardens, the benign, confident demeanor of Ed reassured the uncertain. After all, he helped many beginners develop into major growers. Ed could afford to be a bit smug. He demonstrated his abilities by being a consistent winner at dahlia shows in the region. An ADS Senior Judge of long standing, Ed knew what judges look for. And with several of his own introductions, most notably CANYON MIDNIGHT, CANYON PARK, CAITLIN, and LAVENDER FREESTYLE, he also made his mark among exhibitors and the dahlia-growing public.
Travel and photography were also part of Ed’s lifestyle. On his trips he was always looking for better dahlias to bring back to the Northwest. His international friendships permitted local growers to share their knowledge with his visitors. The camera was a steady companion on Ed’s travels. It was there to capture new varieties, to depict methods of cultivation, and to highlight show features.
Wherever he roamed, Ed also sought to include photographs of the area’s scenic attractions as well. Later, these collections were organized into the memorable programs that enlivened many dahlia society meetings. For more than a decade Ed was the sparkplug behind the PSDA’s slide contest, soliciting, helping to select, and presenting the best dahlia slides of the year.
Ed was one of the founding fathers of the Federation. It was his calm logic that helped draft and shape the by-laws. He was a signatory of those same by-laws. And then it came to wooing societies to join. At first there was Washington State (a powerhouse society), Evergreen State (a fledgling society), Grays Harbor (a fledgling society), Puget Sound (just beginning to flex its wings). Ed lobbied hard for Snohomish County to join and in the end, he prevailed, mainly because he was so respected. Without SCDS the Federation probably would have faded away, but with its inclusion it added legitimacy to the new organization and tipped the scales in favor of the new parent group.
The Federation owes a debt of gratitude to Ed for his efforts.
Because of Ed’s travels, many oversees visitors came for the first time to Northwest shows. It was later, after meeting these growers, that Phil Traff began inviting them to be guest speakers at Federation-sponsored shows. Ed brought his guests to various gardens and introduced them
to Northwest growers. One prominent couple found out to their chagrin when they served one such group dinner, that corn is considered cattle food in England. It was from Ed’s friend Derek Hewlett that we learned the value of zoo manure. He taught us that you put giraffe manure on the tall ones and elephant manure on the giants. Where else could we have learned these nuggets of information. Ed’s friend Keith Hammett, from New Zealand, taught us breeding tips. Other guests shared their growing techniques.
Ed was a mentor to any and all growers who wanted his help. But his wife, Helen, was part of that team. It was she who opened her house to any dahlia grower who came seeking guidance. It was she who played hostess when Ed’s oversees growers showed up on the doorstep. She was his partner and deserves to also be honored.urrently a member of the Hall of Fame
Originations
Canyon Midnight
Canyon Park
Caitlin and Lavender Freestyle
