OT:An Iris Thanksgiving-2001-rather long

                                An Iris Thanksgiving/2001

First, I would like to thank my Grandma Ward, who died when I was 3 months 
old, for her love of plants.  She had arthritis so bad her ankles were frozen 
in place.  I'm told it made everything she did awkward and difficult.  Now 
that I have arthritis, I know it also made life quite painful.  Yet, she 
managed to cover her large yard with nearly everything beautiful that grew in 
her native Kentucky.  When she moved across country to Eastern Arkansas, she 
brought two wagon loads of plants: Japonica, Virginia Creeper, Rose of 
Sharon, Peonies, Roses, Mums & and many others I can't remember.  (I use 
capital letters to denote their importance–to me ;-)

When I moved to the farm house at the age of five, it was early April.  
Grandpa had planted elm trees along the south side of the house and yard, 
with pecan trees in back, and pear & damson plum trees down one side.  
Between the pear trees were grapevines growing on a large trellis. I recall 
an over-grown tangled mass surrounding the house with large thickets of 
lilacs tangled with Virginia Creeper and Rambling Roses.  The Japonica had 
taken over one entire corner of the yard.  Grandpa, busy with the farm, had 
no time for maintaining the yard after grandma's death.  

Next, I thank my mother for taking on the task of bringing order to all this 
chaos and creating the plant wonderland I came to know and love.  I, also, 
want to thank her for nurturing my love of plants and all things beautiful.  
I've a picture of her in later years with her snow white hair framed by her 
roses in the background and a mass planting of red scarlet sage in full bloom 
in the foreground.  

The spring I was fourteen,  I walked down the road one Sunday morning to ride 
to church with our neighbors.  As was the case those days, I was early.  With 
her permission, I spent my waiting time exploring Mrs. Hawkin's garden.  I 
was surprised to see so many plants I didn't recognize.  About half way down 
one garden row I spotted a plant with blue flowers.  My heart stood still.  I 
was in love!  As soon as Mrs. Hawkins emerged from the house I asked her what 
type of flower that was.  She said, "Betty, haven't you seen an iris before?" 
  She offered me a start of her irises that fall, which I eagerly took.  She 
also gave me some forsythia and red honeysuckle, but that's another beautiful 
story.  Thanks, Mrs. Hawkins.

For years, I yearned for irises with bright colors, mainly orange, but my 
heart belonged to the bi-tone blues.  One day the postman delivered my 
Organic Gardening magazine with a Schriener's add on the back page.  Mr. 
Postman, the advertising staff of Organic Gardening, and  Schreiners, you 
filled my life with a rainbow of irises— I thank you. 

The next year, my oldest daughter spotted an add for a local iris show being 
presented by SKIS.  Thanks, Sherri.  At that show,  I met Jim Bingham who, 
eventually, challenged me to start hybridizing.  I don't believe he could 
have guessed what he was starting!  Still, he gives me garden space to 
continue my madness.  Thanks.

I want to thank the rebloom friends I've met through the mail, telephone, and 
e-mail. I'll mention a few by name.  Dr. Lloyd Zurbrigg, I admire your focus 
through the years, and thanks for all the great rebloomers.  Dr. Raymond 
Smith, you were a great pen-pal, and a delightful person.  You are missed.  
Monty Byers, I want to thank you for everything you gave the iris world, but 
most of all your enthusiasm and boundless energy.  I miss all the information 
you recorded and passed on through your catalogs and letters.  Oh, yes . . . 
Keith Keppel, although you don't breed rebloomers, thanks for the picture of 
the iris compost pile.  It gave me courage when the dogs kept coming!

I want to thank my youngest daughter, Tara, for keeping me straight on the 
colors I don't like. Also, I must thank the tiller operator in those early 
days, my ex-husband, and my tiller operator today, my son Chris. I couldn't 
have done it without either of you.  

I want to thank all the iris people who dissed my goals and dreams.  You hurt 
my feelings, but gave me stronger resolve.  I might have lost interest 
without you!  

As I near the end of my ramblings, I want to thank the good people of 
Iris-Talk.  I want to thank Tom Dillard for starting the original list, and I 
want to thank John Jones who donates his time and energy to keep things 
running smoothly, today.  And, thanks to the community of iris lovers for 
being here.  Iris-Talk has helped me through a difficult time in my life.  

                                            *******
For those who are wondering . . . no, I'm not someone famous, and I'm not an 
accomplished hybridizer.  I'm just another iris lover who's thankful for the 
day, and the freedom to pursue happiness any way I chose!   

Betty Wilkerson in Bowling Green, KY

Betty from BG KY USA Zone 6 

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