Growing Generations of Gardeners

Are you passionate about gardening because you love flowers? Maybe you enjoy cooking and want fresh ingredients. Though we may garden for different reasons, most have us have family to thank for our love of gardening.

“I still can see the glorious bowl of beautiful ripe red tomatoes. We had never seen such a beautiful garden vegetable like them in those days. There were none of those on the islands.” – Mary Hotchkiss Washington

In a poor area of Burlingame, Kansas, known as Scotch Row, was Mary’s first encounter with tomatoes. In the 1880’s, five year old Mary and her family boarded a ship in Scotland and arrived in Castle Garden, New York. Their journey continued to Burlingame to join family already settled there. For Mary and her family, gardening was a necessity to survive. Generations of families gardened together sharing seeds, plants and wisdom.

Over the years, ornamental plants were added to the homesites and passed along from mother to daughter, neighbor to neighbor. Easy to grow and long living perennials, including peonies and irises, were favorites. Roses were also included in those cottage gardens. Little five year old Mary grew up, married and became a mother. Influenced by generations of gardeners, her daughter, Gladys, would one day have a beautiful garden of roses.

Our lives and gardens have evolved since the 1880’s when Mary came to Kansas and, even since the 1970’s, when Gladys grew roses. Easy Elegance® Roses by Bailey Nurseries are selected with this in mind. Your environmentally friendly approach to gardening is important to us. We look for easy care varieties with natural disease resistance that will also overwinter with ease. Their colorful flowers are beautiful. Whether your gardening style is a formal rose garden, a mixed border or a container garden, Easy Elegance®Roses will be at home in your landscape. Share a flower with a novice gardener and help inspire her gardening journey.

As we celebrate International Women’s Day, remember ones who introduced you to gardening. Help continue the tradition of growing generations of gardeners with your family, community and across the world. Join us on Facebook and Instragram and share pictures of your first gardening experience or the person who introduced you to gardening. Invite a family member or friend to join you at the garden center to explore new plants and plan a garden. And, don’t forget to include a rose bush or two!