Thursday, May 16, 2019

New Miniature and Standard Daffodils

'Shaws Legacy' Daffodil
Join us on July 21, 2019 when our good friend Larry Force tells us about his experiences hybridizing new miniature and standard daffodils!

GSLDS members know Larry from his interest in the Shaw Nature Reserve Poeticus daffodils and he has also been on several Daffodil Digs with us. Larry is a nationally known speaker and grows his miniature and standard daffodils at his home in Mississippi. He has won many ADS ribbons around the country through the years, but is always trying to do better with each entry.

In his presentation Larry will expand on his talk given during the 2016 World Daffodil Convention. His presentation will focus on the miniature and standard daffodils that have evolved from his hybridizing efforts, as well as a few photos of his seedlings and daffodil bed preparation.

Be sure to mark your calendars and invite your friends. Larry is never boring and has learned through trial and error the things that all of us as daffodil growers should learn before making them ourselves.



Larry Force presenting placque at Shaw Nature Reserve
Biography for Larry Force
July 2019 Speaker


Larry has had a long time interest in horticulture that covers gardening annuals, perennials, hostas, lilies, native trees and wildflowers. He grows a number of host and nectar plants for native butterflies, nectar producing plants, as well as providing feeders for the hummingbirds in the summer.

Larry became more interested in daffodils after attending a program at the Memphis Horticulture Society given by Brent Heath. He joined the American Daffodil Society soon after and began to grow more daffodils. His interest in miniature daffodils grew through an acquaintance with Martha Anderson, a long time grower and exhibitor of miniatures. Larry began hybridizing in 2000 because few new and different miniatures were available from commercial sources. Larry also does intermediate, standard, and poet daffodil hybridizing.

Members of the Greater St Louis Daffodil Society are thrilled that Larry has found time in his schedule to help us learn from his experiences while hybridizing and growing daffodils.

Saturday, January 12, 2019

Orchids: Lore and Legend

Orchids are one of the largest families of plant families comprising over 30,000 species found from the equator to both poles. Tales of the magic and beauty of orchids have found their way through history from Confucius through Greek and Roman mythology. Wealthy Europeans from the 17th through 19th centuries paid fortunes for exotic tropical specimens.

Join us on February 24, at 1:30pm, when Carol Gravens, Advanced Level Master Gardener, will address the role that Orchids have played in history and the beauty they have brought us for centuries.




Biography for Carol Gravens
February 2019 Speaker

Carol Gravens will be our February 2019 guest speaker and will give a program entitled Orchids: Lore and Legend.

Carol Gravens gives talks and teaches classes on orchids to various groups in the community and at the Missouri Botanical Garden as part of the Master Gardener Speakers' Bureau. She volunteers one day a week in the orchid greenhouses at the Garden and grows orchids at her home in Glendale, Missouri. She also is a Kemper Center Plant Doctor volunteer. She loves everything about horticulture and has a passion for orchids.

Ms. Gravens, retired from a professional career as a microbiologist, and is currently an Advanced Level St. Louis Master Gardener. She became a Master Naturalist in 2007 and has an AAS in Horticulture from St Louis Community College, Meramec.