Celebration in Seattle of Ed Markham's life

**H* Y* <h*@gardeningwithconfidence.com>**

For those of you who knew Ed Markham, here is some information about a celebration of his life in Seattle. Ed passed away on July 9th.

Goodbye Chief Red Sneaks
Ed Markham, one of the bedding plant and floriculture industry’s greatest voices, passed away July 9.  He was 94. Known affectionately as Chief Red Sneaks, Ed was a fixture at industry trade shows like OFA. He also was a regular at the Garden Writers Association Annual Meetings for many years. Ed believed in the power of understanding gained through travel, especially international travel to visit growers and companies in other countries.

Ed received his Bachelors of Science degree in Floriculture from Cornell University in 1942. For the first decades of his career, he was employed by Vaughan Seed Co. (1942-1965). In 1965 he moved to the West Coast, first to Oregon and later to Bainbridge, Washington where he worked for Harris Moran and Vaughan Seed. Later he consulted for Takii and Sakata when they were becoming established in the American bedding plant market.

Ed was instrumental in helping to establish the American bedding plant industry through volunteer work with Bedding Plants Inc. (later known as PPGA). Many in the industry attended his international tours to Asia, Australia and especially Europe. He developed and maintained good friends among seedsmen and bedding plant growers on multiple continents, acting as an industry ambassador. Later his wife, Yoshiko (Rosie) Markham founded a very successful plant brokerage company that Ed named WeHoP.

Ed loved nature and the outdoors – especially his plants and tending to his gardens. He played an “air” cello as he listened to favorite classics. Through the years he enjoyed the company of beloved pets, beginning with a draft horse as a child growing up on a small farm in Gowanda, New York. Later he doted on favorite cats, Skunk, followed by Millie. Many of his seed customers remember Ed and his good friend, the black lab Sam.

He was an avid environmental advocate and promoted our connectedness with nature in everyday interactions and through newspaper and magazine clips he would send to distant friends in the mail.  In 2003 he wrote, “Nature is my main interest! Most used quote: ‘We are not the only creatures on this earth, though some people think we are.’ My enthusiastic pursuit of all things environmental is boundless!!!” signed, “Ed Markham, Chief Red Sneaks”

He is survived by his wife Yoshiko (Rosie) Markham and three children, Sen Speroff, Craig Markham and Dianne Markham.

Friends may honor Ed by donating to the charity of their choice. Industry members wishing to remember Ed may choose to contribute to the American Floral Endowment, Markham-Colegrave International Scholarship, 1601 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.

A celebration of Ed’s life is planned for Sunday August 18 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Markham Garden on Bainbridge Island. For more information, contact Rosie Markham, yrmarkham@msn.com.

Helen Yoest
Gardening With Confidence®
3412 Yelverton Circle
Raleigh, NC 27612
919.760.5404

Author of Gardening with Confidence®--50 Ways to add style for personal creativity

Freelance garden and travel writer, promoter of new garden products.

  @HelenYoest

  Gardening with Confidence®  

Field Editor for Better Homes and Gardens, Traditional Homes, Country Gardens Magazine and
Southern Living Magazine

Gardening isn’t a race – it’s a lifestyle 

Please consider the environment before printing this email

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