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Re: Using botanical and common names

Diana Politika's wonderful post finally prompted me to jump into this 
discussion, which I have been following with interest. 

As a seedswoman, grower and nurseryperson, I couldn't deal with plants 
by their common names, even if that were my choice! 

And I think this is an important point. It is not a matter of choice, 
snobery, preference, or lack of courtesy to others. It is simply 
calling plants by their proper names.  

My current seed catalogue lists over 1300 species of perennials. I 
include a common name, whenever one exists (and have to go through the 
painful process of choosing the name most commonly used-which is 
always a subjective decision from where I garden in north-eastern 
Canada). I imagine some of my international customers being totally 
mystified (and amused) by some of the names. 

Of those 1300 species, less than half, in fact have common names. I 
believe everyone would agree, however that these plants certainly 
deserve to be known, grown in gardens, and discussed on this forum.

Kristl Walek
Gardens North Seeds
N. Gower, Ontario Canada Z4
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