She was a plant pioneer. The first woman landscape architect in Florida (license #3), the first female president of the Royal Palm Chapter of FNGA (1965-1966), grower, landscaper, designer with the largest palm growing nursery in Florida (Everglades Nursery) and namesake to one of the most popular blooming vines in the world: ‘Helen Johnson’ bougainvillea….
Category: FNGLA
Happy Harvest at the School Garden
Today I was invited to San Carlos Park Elementary to see the progress the children made this year on the gardens. I was surprised by the number of excited kids, the great work they had done and the quality of their produce. The surprise continued with their appreciation for the work we did to make…
Royal Palm Recognitions
Tuesday, April 12th. The Royal Palm chapter of FNGLA met at the Iona House at the Caloosa Nature Center in Ft. Myers. I am very grateful to the members for nominating me for the Wendell Butler award. The official ceremony will be in Orlando this June. My talk was on local people and places worthy…
Thank you Royal Palm Chapter, FNGLA.
Last March, this garden was just an idea. San Carlos Park Elementary Resource Teacher, Mrs. Williams wanted an activity for the after-school kids. Then, members of nearby Parkway Baptist Church wanted to benefit the school with volunteers and talent and the idea took shape. Then came the issue of funding. We asked the Board of…
Thanks for the kind words, all over my new shirt.
Thank you Spring 2015 FCHP class for the memorable gift. Horticulturist Bob Anderson was kind enough to arrange for fellow students to sign this t-shirt to conclude our 14 weeks together. Comments include “I dug your class. I learned so much from your goofy memory tricks!” and more. It’s my pleasure to spend time with people…
FNGLA Annual Convention, June 20, 21, 2014
How I spent the first day of summer: at FNGLA’s annual convention. Robert Olinger, his wife Mary and I enjoyed two days of activities at the Marriott Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach (north of St. Augustine, south-east of Jacksonville, Florida). The first business meeting went smoothly with our organization ending the year with a surplus….
Garden Bench
Thanks to FNGLA for the inspiration. During our annual meeting last month we toured the Jacksonville Zoo/Botanical Garden. In the butterfly exhibit they had two rustic benches made from local Pecky Cypress. I tracked down the sawmill, just two miles from the garden and bought a mixed stack of pure cypress. Thanks also to Mario, owner…
