Thoughts & Reflections

As I write this in November, 2011, we are preparing to close the nursery for the winter. That sounds really good after an extremely hot summer! This is the second year in a row we have experienced extreme heat and drought. Luckily our open house in early June was before the temperatures soared. Thanks to many loyal and new customers we had another successful open house. To our surprise the mail order business has shown a steady increase, so thanks to all of you who bought from us this year and give us the motivation to keep on keeping on.

Gene, Heidi and I continue to hyrbridize for flowers that perform in both the north and south. We have been crossing many northern hardy flowers to southern beauties to create beautiful hardy daylilies. Heidi’s RFK seedlings are FANTASTIC!! One 2nd year seedling had a 40 bud count with monster branching. She is finally seeing some great results in her patterned breeding. She had many distinct patterns bloom for the first time this year. Gene should have some very nice red introductions in 2013. THELMA DOUGLAS continues to produce some of my best seedlings in a rainbow of colors. I’m finally introducing KERMIT THE FROG this spring. I had to hold it for increase an extra year since the waiting list was so long. This is a good problem to have.

I was recently excited to learn that I won 3 more Honorable Mentions from the AHS this year. Thanks again to all the garden judges that voted for THELMA DOUGLAS, BROWNS FERRY PEACHES ‘N CREAM and A GATHERING OF ANGELS. I was especially tickled to see THELMA DOUGLAS do so well.

The National Convention will be held in Columbus, Ohio in July, 2012. Heidi and I will be there early to help our friends Charles and Cynthia Lucius prepare their garden for the tours. It sure looks like it is going to be an awesome convention! We hope to see many of you there.

Our granddaughter, ASHLEY DANIELLE, is the first of our grands to be married this year. She married her marine, Nate Ellis. We are wishing them as much happiness as we have.

Please come join us for our Open House on June 2nd and 3rd. You will see many different hybridizing programs here and the bloom for the entire month of June is quite special.

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