About us

　

Hello, dahlia friends!

My name is Noriko. I grow dahlias in a very small garden in Brooklyn, New York City.

Over the years, many of my dahlia friends have asked me,
“How on earth do you grow 200 dahlias in New York City?”

Honestly… I don’t really know either. Every year I find myself wondering how I managed to fit so many plants into such a small space, and I still don’t have a clear answer.

The one thing I can say for sure is that my husband, Brian, has been incredibly supportive of my slightly crazy hobby. He has dug up old azaleas to make room for more raised beds, carried countless bags of soil, built a shed that fits perfectly in our tiny yard, and even made tiered planter boxes so I could grow more in vertical space. He also helped create a propagation space in our basement for winter cuttings. And eventually… he even gave up our outdoor furniture so I could have more room for plants.

I think the hardest part for him might be looking at our bank statements filled with charges from places named “farms,” “blooms,” “flowers,” and “gardens.” Quite literally, I wouldn’t be able to continue this passion without his support.

The logo for this store was also created by him, who works as an art director in the advertising industry. It means so much to me that he designed it just for my little dream.

And finally, in 2026, I am truly happy to open this store. It has been a dream of mine for a very long time.

But my story with plants and growing things began long before New York.

I was born and raised in Japan, in a quiet and peaceful countryside surrounded by nature. My grandparents grew rice and vegetables, my mother loved gardening and cooking, and my father ran a small family business, a local grocery store and restaurant that had been passed down through generations. I grew up with my sister, my brother, and many relatives living nearby, always surrounded by family.

Some of my fondest childhood memories are of spending my days playing with my siblings and cousins beside my grandparents’ rice fields while they worked the land. Being close to nature and watching things grow has always felt like a natural part of my life.

During my university years, I lived in the historic city of Kyoto, and after graduation, I worked at an advertising agency in Tokyo.

Today, I live in New York City with my husband, Brian, and our two dogs, Umpa and Hana. Our small urban garden may be tiny compared to the wide open fields of my childhood, but it is now bursting with dahlias. Brian and I love spending time in the garden, especially enjoying watching our beloved dogs, Umpa and Hana, sniff and explore among the colorful blooms.

I began growing dahlias in 2019 with absolutely no knowledge or experience. I simply planted a few tired-looking tubers I had picked up, not even knowing that they would produce new tubers or that they needed to be lifted before winter. That first year, they were all lost in the cold ground over winter.

But as I started learning more about dahlias, I completely fell in love. One by one, my curiosity turned into passion and now my garden is overflowing with dahlias each season. Each plant is carefully grown and tended by hand, with the same love, patience, and respect for nature that I learned as a child.

Through Wabi-Sabi Dahlias, I hope to share the quiet beauty and simple joy that flowers bring to everyday life.

Noriko Bace
Owner, Wabi-Sabi Dahlias