Collerette 7. July 25th. 2011.		Sylvia. Collerette 9.		Linda & Geoff. July 26th. 2011.

	Collerette 10. July 24th 2011.		Collerette 12. 27th July 2011.		Collerette 13. 1st August 2011.

One of this years Collerette's has nine petals instead of the usual eight , and another has ten - of course both fault's in the eye's of a showman, but how could I destroy a little of what nature created. I'm thinking of calling the one with nine Gloria & Gavin, but I'll leave you to name the other in one of this years Unicef draws. By the way much of the twisted petals are due to the Collerette's being grown in four inch pots throughout - a practice I will have to abandon next year because of the work it involves. What I need is a patch about nine by three feet to grow them on - away from my other breeding groups, or give the Collerette's a miss for easier types to breed with - never thought I'd hear myself say that. Yet one more Collerette with nine petals - has this happened to other breeders?

	Collerette 14. 8th August.		Collerette 15. 10th August.		Collerette 16. 10th August.

Two more on the tenth of August - true only one had eight petals - what's that can't count?  To tell the truth I pulled one out of that ruby beauty - you can't beat petal plucking when you're in trouble - you should see the lengths they go to in Australia.

	Wight Rock. Collerette 19. September 19th.		Minus 8. Collerette 20. 2nd October.		Collerette 17. 19th August.

One of these Collerette's stands out from all the rest - you wouldn't know it from the photograph's so what can it be? That's right size - White Rock is nearly six inches across all because some busy bee clocked in on one of my giants before getting a mouthful of one of my Collaret's. I suppose I should have said there were two that were completely different from the rest - no it's nothing to do with the number of petals. Have you seen the clue? That's right Minus 8. Believe it or not in our back garden last winter the temperature dropped to - you've guessed it minus eight - and this baby emerged  on its own as soon as it  was warm enough to germinate. Shows you how seed once dried is quite able to look after its self.

January 23rd:

So as you know how hard it is to get others involved - below are a few attempts that came to nothing.

January 25th:

It has been a nightmare trying to get response from anyone in this pass few days - am I the only one awake? No response from Africa so I'm concentrating on operations in England to start with. All I want is a few people to get involve with growing a few seeds - it's not rocket science. Trouble is everybody's cutting back - I suppose I could ask Wisley - hold tight here goes.

January 30th:

Well I asked Sharon McDonald our Registrar and although she sounded more optimistic than pessimistic she couldn't nail a definite until some one with more authority than herself was in the office. Mean while still no word from Prince Charles - Africa - or the six schools I emailed, but I did get a reply from Sir Cliff Richards secretary and although I never asked for help but was hoping - she said he to was cutting back on any more commitments - I can understand that - he's getting on.

February 16th:

Looks like this idea is dead in the water despite my enthusiastic start. Letters sent to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales -  the National Botanical Gardens in South Africa, and six Primary schools here in the South have remained unanswered. Perhaps that will teach me to have a little less faith in other people - the good old saying "If you want something doing - you'd better do it yourself" is so true.  So now with all the will in the world, and pot loads of seed  another venture flounders - mind you the seed will be okay for a few years providing it's kept cool and is kept in a sealed container. I did stick my neck out and asked Wisley if they'd take it on lock stock and barrel, but with the cut backs they're already coping with that was always a bit iffy.

March 23rd: 

Okay despite my continual effort in trying to get someone interested in this project there are still no takers - so I've decided to go it alone. I was praying there would be some benefactor out there to give me a hand but no chance. Here's the revamped schedule - I'll grow the collaret's for the Buddies project - and you will not only be able to name them in the yearly draw, but also commission them for as little a brown note. All of the money I get from Nick my distributor after these varieties have been sold in their first year will go to the charity I've chosen. I know the title suggests educating the poor of the world, but Africa's not bad to start with. As soon as the photo's of each are shown on the display page you can donate. but remember the project stands on its own, and will be run from my website although I'm using a Just Giving page to off load the donations. there is only room for the two flowers I'm commissioning.  Should you want to commission one your self you only have to contact me by emailing ken@kesdahlias.co.uk or telephoning my home number 01202 425182. All money received will be donated  to the Just Giving page shown below - a link will take you back to a page on my website showing the flowers available.

Remember this is a separate project and the name has to reflect the project by joining two names that are separated by the `and' sign - I'll illustrate this by commissioning two I have from my 2010 seedlings when I have the page ready nearer the start date - this should be around the beginning of  July. There are no restrictions on naming as long as there are two names and either a donation, or a commission which can be placed long before any photo's are available - each collaret will be a worth donating for I promise. 

May 23rd:

At long last I've decided to ask the newly weds Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge if they can help push this project forward. A letter has been drafted and will be sent in the next day or two. I'll write to several dahlia nurseries to see if they'll handle the seed and are willing to grow them on and get involved. Mind you I'll have to ask Nick Gilbert if he minds me spreading this one idea around for the sake of education. I have a feeling I can get quite a few people willing to give time to this charitable exercise. Every the optimist eh?

July 8th:

Having no reply to the letters I sent to Prince Charles - Africa - Prince William and his new wife the Duchess of Cambridge and many emails praying for help - I've decided the people I've tried to reach are far to busy or do not think the idea is plausible. So I've set up a page with Unicef  and the Buddies Project will be run from this for as long as I can breed dahlias. You will see there is another link this year referring to the Buddies Project with a charity called African Revival this will remain for this year - but be dropped for my remaining years in favour of Unicef  which covers all of the poorer countries of the world. As well as this there will be a shake up of all my pages mainly because at times I don't know if I'm on foot or horseback. None of my seedlings will be wasted how ever as each charity will gain more than one to donate for.

July 27th:

It is funny how one day in life can stir up something that is so very important to me. Yesterday morning I received an email from a friend in Malta, and although I'd never met him personally I'd thought I had him sussed - on the contrary his views of charities on the whole were scathing - almost applying the majority were corrupt? I wasn't having any of it and told him so in the politest way I could in my reply. Needless to say although we had our differences we parted as friends by the third email. Now the reason I told you that is - about an hour later a chap I knew when I was working for a firm called George & Harding's telephoned asking if he could come over and visit us. Of course I agreed, and although it wasn't prompted - the subject of charities cropped up again - this time only one was mention namely Help For Heroes. Well you know how passionate I am about that one. I listen intently while he told me of a friend of his who knew that people who collect for them earn one hundred pound a day. I couldn't believe it then, and still don't believe it. now, but I am tempted to make a few enquiries - after all if it is true it makes a mockery of all I and many others do?

28th July:

Getting back to the Buddies Project I'm going to have one more try in getting more than me involved - Nurseries? Not just any nurseries, but top class nurseries who have been established for years - a few letters to start with, and perhaps a phone call or two - now that I'm on this all singing - any time under an hour package.

1st August:

So far no word from Help for Heroes - I do believe I'm going to have to check out every charity I deal with - okay you might say is it worth all the hassle?  After all the totals I collect never justifies the work involved, but then I was hoping it would snowball in to a great crusade of giving. I've already had reservations on how many charities I cover - perhaps a better way would be to do fewer, but give them more to donate for? Any suggestions would be really helpful.

25th September:

At last a letter from the person who's responsible for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge mail thanking me for my letter of the 2nd of June about my charitable plans in connection with education in Africa - unfortunately they are unable to become personally involved.  At least I have a reply so I can move on - still no reply from Prince Charles - either he hates dahlias as I suspected, or his letter or mine got lost in the post.

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