The McCarter family sold the business to Marge and Nick Gitts in 1963. Their two sons, Nicholas and Ted Gitts came into the business as partners in 1975, and then purchased the business from their parents in July of 1991. The original 20 acres has been expanded to 40 acres- all dahlias. The farm has been in operation for over 65 years, and the Gitts family has been operating the business for the last 37 years. Swan Island Dahlias Swan Island Dahlias is the largest dahlia grower in the United States.
Sales are both retail and wholesale.
We produce the largest full color catalog of dahlias available in the industry and hybridize our own new varieties each year in our greenhouses and test gardens. About 90 percent of sales are in dahlia tubers, and the rest in cutflower sales during the summer blooming time. The cutflower season begins about August 1 and runs through September, sometimes into October if the weather permits. Here is a map to our farm.