Dahlia devotee’s posthumous OAM

THE legacy of the late John Menzel, of Winkie, was recognised on Monday in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.
Mr Menzel, who passed away in April this year aged 73, was named a recipient of the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for Service to Horticulture and in particular to dahlias.
Mr Menzel’s wife, Anne, said he had been “very pleased” that his dahlia peers valued his work so much that they chose to nominate him for the award.
She said although the honour was unconfirmed at the time of his death, her husband was aware he was a probable recipient and said he was “very proud”.
Mr Menzel’s dahlia journey started more than 45 years ago when he grew his first few dahlia plants. It gradually increased to about 4000 plants, all of which had to be nurtured, dug, divided and replanted each year.
He became heavily involved with the South Australian Dahlia Society and also later the Dahlia Societies of Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania and Queensland.
He worked tirelessly to achieve the unification of all Australian dahlia societies to form the Dahlia Society of Australia, of which he was president for 10 years until his death.
Mr Menzel was active in exhibiting dahlias and judging them nationwide.
He was invited to the USA three times as a keynote speaker at national conferences and gave other overseas presentations in New Zealand, France, Canada, Singapore, and the UK.
“He’s been the guest speaker at garden clubs and dahlia societies more times than I can remember,” Anne said.
She said her husband was always keen to provide as much help and information about dahlias as possible. Over the years he gave away thousands of dahlia tubers, usually as society fundraisers.
“He would do whatever he could to help new growers begin their dahlia journey as easily and quickly as possible,” she said.
Mr Menzel was part of the ABC talkback gardening team in the Riverland for more than 20 years. He established the Berri Barmera Garden Club and helped establish the Waikerie Garden Club and Shepparton Dahlia Society.
“We opened our garden to the public numerous times and staged a lot of dahlia displays with all proceeds given to charity,” Anne said.
“John visited as many gardens as he could to observe and learn and to help others.”
Mr Menzel wrote and published his book called Dahlias in Australia the Winkie Way.
The book is regarded as one of the best basic dahlia-growing books worldwide.