The new generation of horticulturists....

[Tussiemussies]

http://www.organicgardening.com/living/the-new-generation?page=0,2

[puglogic]

http://www.organicgardening.com/living/the-new-generation?page=0,2

I'm meeting some truly amazing young people involved in our community garden, food security meetings, and our sustainability group. It gives me a lot of hope.

[razz]

Being involved with the local horticultural society and struggling to get younger folks interested made this article really interesting. Thanks for posting.

[iris lily]

Being involved with the local horticultural society and struggling to get younger folks interested made this article really interesting. Thanks for posting.

This morning I attended our Lily society's annual "Educational meeting" where no one came but for the members, and that body is shrinking. This is one of 3 events we have annually to reach out to the community. Garden clubs, plant societies, etc are dying. And that is fine. Because they are rigid.

There are plenty of young people interested in plants and hort and they will find ways to nurture that interest. Sitting indoors on a Saturday morning

1) having a meeting about club business of attracting new members and
2) watching a slide show (which was actually pretty good!)

won't bring in the general plant enthusiast.

This morning I learned that standards have been relaxed for a standard flower show so that a minimum of 3 categories are required. That's down from 4--garden clubs can't get entries.

[awakenedsoul]

Great article. It's very encouraging. It's inspiring to see such young, artistic talent!

[Zoebird]

I think that my generation and the one coming up behind me (20-sometimes) are really interested in the community gardens, seed saving, etc process. My town is completely fired-up by the idea, and I reached out to our gardening club (all the awesome little old ladies) and the other local community gardens to try and get us set up.

I am not certain that we are interested in perfecting ornamentals.

I remember going to a lot of flower shows as a kid, and it seemed really ridiculous to me that people were trying to perfect ornamentals. I totally got the county fair where you were trying to make hardier breeds, or have the best of a certain kind of veg or fruit -- and what that would mean -- and then that was turned into product as well. THAT i got. But I never could figure why someone would spend so much time and effort on . . . flowers.

Perhpas i'm just not a romantic. LOL

I have managed to keep my lavender alive, so I'm happy with that.

[Gregg]

Great article. It's very encouraging. It's inspiring to see such young, artistic talent!

I so agree! I live it the world of Burpee Hybrid Seeds and Wonder Bread. Every once in a while it is nice to have a breath of fresh air!!!

[iris lily]

It's funny, I was just going to post a link to Kelly Norris' website then I skimmed the original article and see that he is #4 on the list. He lives and breathes ornamentals, particularly irises. All of the hopes of the entire United State iris fancy is pinned on Kelly for bringing the iris fancy into the sights of the next generation. We know him because he's going to Iowa State University and his iris farm is in Iowa.

Jason Delany is another young guy who worship ornamental bulbs, specifically: Daffodils. He is a daffodil savant. We call him Daffodil Boy. He works at the Missouri Botanical Gardens. Once at a Daffodil show I was grooming my entry and I thought I knew the name of it, but others in the Society were telling me: that's not ______, I don't know what it is but you've got it misnamed. Jason was literally sprinting through the room and he glanced at the daffodil in my hand and said "That's Quail" identifying it in a split second while kept running. There are thousands of registered Daffodil varieties and he can see the difference.

[Packy]

Maybe, just maybe, some of the newbies in the Horticulture Hobby are interested in cultivating their own cannibis plants. Have any of you heard this?:~)

[Tussiemussies]

Maybe, just maybe, some of the newbies in the Horticulture Hobby are interested in cultivating their own cannibis plants. Have any of you heard this?:~)


No, but I heard of a big movement to legislate growing hemp plants which can be used to many different items.