Connie Thompson started growing dahlias in 1989. She joined the American Dahlia Society in the fall of that year, and though she no longer shows her dahlias at shows, she has been trained as a dahlia judge through the American Dahlia Society's judging school program. Connie regularly grows 800 or more dahlias every summer, and even seeds her flowers to make new varieties. Connie and her husband, John, own and operate a small commercial dahlia farm on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and supply dahlia tubers across Canada. Connie also administers two large dahlia websites, providing information to up to 12,000 members. She continues to learn and share every day. Connie lives on a small farm in Nanoose Bay with her husband John, their two cats Pusscat and Kitkat, and their miniature poodle, Juju. Her two grown daughters and their husbands have given her four wonderful grandchildren, and John has a grown daughter and a married son.