Thursday, May 19, 2005
Carol Tomayer Hop - Michigan Plants
Following in her father's footsteps, Carol settled on the art of landscaping and
plants as her vocation. Growing up in the nursery business allowed her to get a
taste of growing and using plants as a way of life.
After graduating from Michigan State University in 1972 with a BFA in Fine Arts,
she returned to the family business and stated the Garden Center and Barn Owl Gift Shop.
Since then, the business has grown and continued to thrive under her direction.
She has utilized her art background and incorporated her design skills into a
thriving garden design service that nicely compliments the fine selection of plants
being produced through the nursery.
With her vast knowledge of plants and love of design, she is often asked to speak
for various garden organizations and always leaves the audience with new ideas for
planting and changing their own gardens and keeping their landscapes exciting.
Robert (Buddy) Lee - What's New in Plant Breeding
Robert (Buddy) Lee is the current president of the Azalea Society of America for 2003-2005.
He has been a member of the Louisiana Chapter of the ASA since 1983, serving as president of
the chapter from 1990-1992.
A true promoter of the azalea, he coordinated two national conventions for the ASA,
one in New Orleans (1991) and the other in Charleston, SC (2000).
He owned and operated Savannah Spring Nursery, a wholesale plant nursery specializing in
container-grown azaleas from 1973-1986. Along the way, he found time to develop the
multi-season blooming Encore tm Azaleas now marketed through Flowerwood Nursery in Loxley, AL.
He is presently active in the development and testing of new azalea varieties through Transcend Nursery.
Friday, May 20, 2005
Lee & Kay Ver Schure - Companion Plants
Lee & Kay Ver Schure opened Westview Farms Perennials & Herbs in 1983 as a retail nursery and
garden center specializing in container grown perennials and herbs.
Over the years, Westview Farms has expanded in scope and now offers many varieties of ornamental
grasses, vines, wildflowers, spring and fall bulbs, groundcovers, specialty shrubs and conifers,
gardening supplies and gift items as well as landscape consultation, design, installation and maintenance.
The Ver Schures are also available to present lectures, seminars or workshops on a number of
horticulture-related topics. They have provided programs for the West Michigan Nursery &
Landscape Association, Frederik Meijer Gardens, the Michigan master Gardeners Conference,
many home and garden shows, Federated Garden Clubs, libraries an civic group.
Kay and Lee share their home, a 135-year old red brick schoolhouse, with three very spoiled cats and
one slightly paranoid snake. In their "spare time" they are involved as promoters and performers in
music and traditional dance.
Bill Pinkerton - Landscaping with Glenn Dale Azaleas
Bill Pinkerton is a native of Southern California. He pursued advanced serious studies in violin at
Pomona College, Claremont, CA. He began performing at an early age with the Redlands University
Symphony Orchestra. He was drafted into the US Army and then transferred to Military District,
Washington, D.C., where he was attached to the U.S. Army Strings, U.S. Army Band (Pershings Own),
in Ft. Myer, VA. He begin a 20 year career that lasted from 1964-1983 and eventually became the
Concertmaster with the Strings, performing mostly for the White House for visiting heads of State,
receptions, etc., and Department of State functions.
When Bill purchased a new home in Annandale, Virginia in 1972 in Fairfax County, he needed to landscape his
new house. He soon found himself admiring a neighbor's beautiful flowering shrubs and discovered a new name
for shrubbery - AZALEAS! Then, he discovered another yard full of amazing colors, sizes, and shapes about a
mile away in Mr. Clyde Stewart's garden. After seeing Clyde's, he didn't want those "common" azaleas in HIS garden!
That's the beginning of the story of the intense "collecting" project of the Glenn Dale azaleas.
ill anticipated retiring from the service eventually and moving to Crossville, TN which he did in the fall of
1983. So, eight truckloads of plants were moved there two years prior to his final relocation and planted
temporarily in an open field. Eventually, these would be transplanted to a newly prepared planting site.
A variety of other azaleas and rhododendrons were also included along with about 380 named Glenn Dales.
So, in the spring of 1984, Genesis Gardens had its "genesis" and so the saga began.
Saturday, May 21, 2005
Stan C. Hokanson - Northern Lights Series Azaleas
Stan C. Hokanson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Horticultural Science at the University of Minnesota.
Dr. Hokanson's research involves the development of new and improved stress-tolerant
woody landscape plants and studying the genetic basis for important traits including
cold tolerance, disease resistance and flower, foliage and form characteristics in woody
landscape cultivars and related germplasm. Current research activities include breeding
cold hardy, disease resistant deciduous azaleas, rhododendrons and shrub roses,
development of improved shade trees and small-scale shade tolerant trees, and the
development of new woody landscape plants derived from plant material native to the upper Midwest.
Dr. Hokanson teaches undergraduate Woody Plant Identification.
He grew up in southwest Michigan. He received his M.S. and Ph.D.
degrees from the Department of Horticulture in the program of Plant Breeding and
Genetics at Michigan State University. Prior to entering graduate school, he worked
on the grounds crew at Fernwood Botanical garden in Niles, MI, and also worked in the
landscape/nursery industry in central California as well as managing a landscape plant
production and propagation nursery in southwest Michigan.
Sunday, May 22, 2005
Propagators' Roundtable Speakers
We who hybridize in the Midwest are constantly challenged to produce plants that
will thrive in winter cold and summer heat. However, a few members plunge in and
seriously do attempt to produce that beautiful super cold hardy plant.
American Rhododendron Society members of the Midwest Chapter, George Gray,
Roger Dunlap, and Gene Paschall along with others will discuss the promise
and the problems of creating cold hardy azaleas and rhododendrons.
The presentation is coupled with slides of those plants produced by the Midwest Chapter.
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