It's hard for me to understand how a university could do such a thing. Of all people, those who had worked with him for decades should have realized the value of his work--at least respected the worth of his breeding stock.
Dr. Buck lived only five years after his retirement. I wonder if it seemed to him that his life's work had come to nothing. If only he could see now that his roses are touted by Martha Stewart!
You are always welcome! Our yard is a bit rough right now because of several projects, the floods of 2007 (we've never gotten around to leveling out the backyard from our impromptu river!), and last year's blistering heat which killed a great deal of our grass. But the roses look pretty good!
Now I know a good bit about roses but that is a rose I knew nothing about and it is a bloomin' beauty! What gorgeous colouring and shading it has! It is very hard to get "pedigreed" roses here in Spain but I'll search my favourite UK suppliers for that one. It sounds like it might do well during our hot blistering summers.
But WHYWHYWHY did Iowa State destroy his stock? That's criminal!
And I love Saint Francis guarding your marbles. :D
There is a very interesting story about how Dr. Buck was turned on to roses, and it has to do with Spain! In fact, he named several of his roses Spanish names out of respect and affection.
Griffith J. Buck (1915-1991), affectionately known as "Griff," was a rose researcher/hybridizer at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, and professor of horticulture at ISU from 1948 to 1985. As a youngster, Griff once paid a quarter to the local YMCA to get a pen pal, but none of the persons he wrote to sent a reply. He decided on a whim to simply write to a name and address he found in a library book. It happened to be that of a rose nurseryman in Spain, Pedro Dot. Dot received the letter and asked his niece, Maria Antonia, to respond and to include notes and tips on rose growing. She told Buck how to hybridize roses and urged him to give it a try. The resulting friendship would span three generations with the Dot family. Pedro Dot became his mentor, and Buck eventually named a rose after him. (See 'El Catala,' "the Catalonian," below. Dot was
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Dr. Buck lived only five years after his retirement. I wonder if it seemed to him that his life's work had come to nothing. If only he could see now that his roses are touted by Martha Stewart!
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I always love visiting your garden. :-)
Distant Drums is so lovely!
lol @ St. Francis holding your marbles
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It is very hard to get "pedigreed" roses here in Spain but I'll search my favourite UK suppliers for that one. It sounds like it might do well during our hot blistering summers.
But WHYWHYWHY did Iowa State destroy his stock? That's criminal!
And I love Saint Francis guarding your marbles.
:D
Reply
Griffith J. Buck (1915-1991), affectionately known as "Griff," was a rose researcher/hybridizer at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, and professor of horticulture at ISU from 1948 to 1985. As a youngster, Griff once paid a quarter to the local YMCA to get a pen pal, but none of the persons he wrote to sent a reply. He decided on a whim to simply write to a name and address he found in a library book. It happened to be that of a rose nurseryman in Spain, Pedro Dot. Dot received the letter and asked his niece, Maria Antonia, to respond and to include notes and tips on rose growing. She told Buck how to hybridize roses and urged him to give it a try. The resulting friendship would span three generations with the Dot family. Pedro Dot became his mentor, and Buck eventually named a rose after him. (See 'El Catala,' "the Catalonian," below. Dot was ( ... )
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