Re: Geoge Bush

 

Judy,
 
I didn't do a double-take. I'm pretty sure George Clinton Bush was a Democrat. <grin>  He is the first person to ever suggest to me that I  should join the AIS. He was originally from Maryland and ran Magnolia Farm Iris Gardens in Freeland, Maryland, which is just south of the Pennsylvania line off I-83. He relocated to York, PA and in the early 60's and sold irises under the name Meadowcroft Gardens. When I met him nearly 20 years ago, he introduced and sold irises from his home on Memory Lane Extended in York. The nursery was listed simply as "George C. Bush".  His first Japanese iris introduction was 'Japanese Sandman' (1980). George also introduced JI's for Bill Ackerman and at least one JI for Sterling Innerst.
 
George was Region 3 librarian and was a member of the Susquehanna Iris Society. He was quite a character. There are many "George" stories. One of my favorites was when Clarence Mahan was addressing the SIS. George was quite feeble, but determined and independent. In the middle of Clarence's program, George got up from his chair. It was quite a production, with several false starts. As he tried to push himself out of the chair he grunted loudly. The sound was a little disconcerting. Clarence stopped the presentation and asked him if everything was okay. George responded "Everything is fine. You just bore me."
 
Even though George was most supportive of the AIS, he felt that foreigners knew more than Americans and were more likely to "get it right". He took great pride in giving me a copy of an order he received from Barry Blyth in 1982. He took issue with the SJI when the registration for 'Rose Queen' was changed from I. laevigata to I. ensata. As proof of the folly of the SJI and the AIS, he produced a French catalog listing 'Rose Queen' as I. laevigata. I reviewed the taxonomy of the two species and he still insisted that the French could not possibly be wrong.
 
I visited George frequently in his last year or so. He had knee surgery and didn't fair well through rehab. One time a few friends went with me and we took him out to dinner in a Ruby Tuesday's at the mall close to his house. The place was crowded and we sat at the bar and had drinks while we waited for a table. I remember it clearly. He had a Manhattan. He was giddy with excitement over actually sitting in a bar and having a drink.
 
George and I corresponded frequently. His postcards and letters were a delight to read. I've saved most of them. I'm sure I have photographs of him, but it will take a while to find them. I have a letter from George which is unfortunately not dated, but I'm pretty sure that it was from late December of 1998. In it, he describes 'Skies over York' which was registered in 1999. "I'm introducing a blue Siberian out of 'Spirit of York'. Identical but a blue bitone in lieu of rosy orchid."
 
I was in York on business a year or so after George died. I drove by his garden. He house had been torn down and a new house had been built. There was no evidence that irises had ever grown there.
 
Dennis Hager
on Delmarva--where the wind is gusting to 40 mph as the snow comes down.
 
 
   
----- Original Message -----
From: c*@netscape.net
Sent: Friday, February 05, 2010 3:55 PM
Subject: [sibrob] Geoge Bush

 

Don't do a double take!  I'm referencing the hybridizer George Bush not the ex-president! Does anyone know of him, what AIS region he came from, where he lived. If someone in his region is reading this - please feel obligated to write me a couple of paragraphs about him. The reason I need this is because he won an AM in 1986 for his Siberian Frosty Rim.  Thanks in anticipation. Judy
 Judy Hollingworth

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