Legends in the Garden: Who in the World is Nellie Stevens? - Hardcover

"Legends in the Garden introduces 46 people and places--some familiar, others unknown--associated with popular garden plants. Who were Nellie Stevens ("IIex x 'Nellie Stevens') and Frances Williams ("Hosta sieboldiana 'Frances Williams')? This delightful book combines accounts of the lives of these intriguing characters with descriptions of the plants that bear their names and the stories of their chance discoveries or deliberate breeding.

LEGENDS IN THE GARDEN

One spring morning a lady walking through a garden in the Midwest was fascinated with a row of handsome, vigorous hollies. They were just what she needed for her own garden and she asked her host what they were. "Those are 'Nellie Stevens' hollies" was the reply. She looked again and couldn't help but wonder about the name. Who in the world was Nellie Stevens, ad how did her name ever become associated with this plant?

She noted other intriguing names and asked similar questions. She noted a beautiful blue clemantis and wondered if Betty Corning was still alive and what stories she had to tell. She wondered about the places and people whose names were associated with so many popular garden plants. She is not alone.

If necessity is the mother of invention, curiosity is the mother of research. In many cases, we wonder not what our gardens grow, but who our gardens grow. If not for an absent-minded Englishman, we might not be admiring Frances Williams' hosta, and if two ladies from Anna, Illinois had not gone riding that day, perhaps one of our most treasured hydrangeas would not enhance our gardens.

Until now, these accounts have not been compiled and unfortunately, many of the people are disappearing, their stories with them. Inside these covers may be found 46 unique and intriguing people and places. Now gardeners can enjoy the beauty of their plants and delight in the tales they tell.