Machida Dahlia Garden

In short

Machida Dahlia Garden is a dahlia flower garden situated on a gentle hill in Yamazaki-machi, Machida City. It opened in 1985. Across its grounds of approximately 15,000 square meters, around 4,000 dahlia plants of about 500 varieties are cultivated. The garden was established by Machida City as a workplace for people with disabilities.

• ​A Wide Variety of Flowers​​: Featuring bicolor, variegated, and blended (gradated) blooms, the collection ranges from giant flowers exceeding 30 centimeters in diameter to pompon dahlias of about 3 centimeters.
• ​A Long Blooming Season​​: Dahlias that begin blooming in early summer continue through autumn, presenting different charms in summer and autumn.
• ​Rest Area and Flower Shop​​: The rest area "Mokka" offers products made by welfare facilities within the city, while the flower shop "Hanana" sells flower and vegetable seedlings.

History and Highlights

​Machida Dahlia Garden​ sits on a gentle hill in Yamazaki-machi. Established by Machida City as a workplace for people with disabilities, it is operated by Kagayaki, a facility run by the Machida Ikuseikai Social Welfare Corporation. The garden opened in June 1985 (Showa 60). Its founding was supported by initiatives such as receiving tuber donations from the Kawanishi Dahlia Garden in Kawanishi Town, Yamagata Prefecture.

The garden's history traces back to 1964 (Showa 39), when parents of children with disabilities founded the association "Te o Tsunagu Oya no Kai" (Parents' Association Holding Hands). A workshop born from this group moved to Yamazaki-machi in 1984 to cultivate flowers and plants, leading to the opening of the dahlia garden the following year.

Within the roughly 15,000-square-meter grounds, there are about 4,000 dahlia plants across around 500 varieties. Machida City considers it one of the largest dahlia gardens from the Kanto region westward.

The dahlia is a spring-planted tuberous perennial of the Asteraceae family, and its native habitat is said to be the highlands of Mexico. It was introduced to Japan in the late Edo period and was known as "tenjiku botan."

Highlights for Viewing and Experiences

• ​Flower Colors​​: The collection gathers varieties that showcase the unique colors of dahlias, including bicolors, variegated petals, and blended (shaded) hues. Except for blue and green, dahlias come in colors ranging from white to near-black.
• ​Flower Sizes and Shapes​​: Visitors can see everything in one place, from giant flowers with diameters exceeding 30 centimeters to pompon dahlias of about 3 centimeters. Flower forms also vary widely, ranging from single blooms to formal decorative blooms with broad, overlapping petals, and spherical ball blooms.
• ​Summer and Autumn Flowers​​: Plants that begin blooming in early summer continue until autumn. The first blooms of early summer are large and vivid, while in autumn, colors deepen and the number of flowers increases. Dahlias are vulnerable to tropical nights, so they lose vigor during the height of summer in Tokyo.

Visiting Tips

When traveling by bus, take either the bus bound for "Nozuta Shako via Hon-Machida" or the bus bound for "Tsurukawa Station" from bus stop No. 21 at Machida Station, alight at "Imaiyato," and walk for about 10 minutes.

At the on-site rest area "Mokka," items crafted at welfare facilities in Machida City are displayed, and visitors can also purchase coffee and soft-serve ice cream. The flower shop "Hanana" sells flower and vegetable seedlings. Most of the seedlings are nurtured one by one—from preparing the soil to watering—by the garden's workers with disabilities. Even during periods when the garden is closed, the rest area serves as a relaxing spot for people walking around Nanakuniyama and other visitors.

Yakushi Pond is located approximately 810 meters east-northeast of here. Machida Peony Garden is situated about 950 meters to the north-northeast.