Mid-America Garden came into being in 1981 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was a product of my love for plants and wanting to find a hardy perennial for a particular place in my yard. That hardy perennial turned out to be irises. I first became acquainted with irises on one of numerous trips to see my Grandmother Black. My quest for irises like she had, led me to a rhizome sale of the local iris society and to becoming a member of that society. This event eventually led to the formation of Mid-America Garden and triggered major changes in my life that continue today.
In 1993, a major catastrophe occurred. Continuous rains through a hot Oklahoma summer promoted a devastating and unstoppable epidemic of soft rot. The next several years were not kind to Mid-America Garden. In 1994, Thomas Johnson from Alberta Province, Canada decided to move to Oklahoma and become a part of Mid-America Garden. After a couple more years of major problems and loss of commercial and hybridizing stock, Thomas and I decided to move the business to Oregon and to what is considered Iris Mecca – and it is. It was also during this time, 1996, that a lovely husky came to the garden and adopted us and we named her Fancy because of her polychrome eyes; one blue and one brown. We promised her a playmate when we got to Oregon and that came in the form of a very energetic husky named Nickel. They are a delightful part of each day and patrol the property in tandem each morning to assure that all is right. Many of you have met them and us in person and others, through pictures in the catalog. We look forward to meeting more of you each year.
The move to Oregon in 1998 was extremely stressful but it has been well worth it. Our business is thriving and growing. Our hybrid work is progressing in a way that it was never able to in Oklahoma and that is reflected in the recognition and awards that work is receiving.
Five years of hard work went into making Mid-America Garden a delight for visitors and Thomas is still making changes and adding more new plants. Please come and share the beauty that surrounds us. Until you can do that, here are a few pictures to enable you to go on a “virtual” trip to Mid-America Garden and Husky Land.
Wishing you every happiness the world has to offer.
Paul, Thomas, Nickel, and Fancy |
House & Iris Bloom 5/04
Iris Bloom 5/02
Iris Bloom & Arborvitae 5/02
Fancy & Nickel
"Yours is better than mine."
Nickel & Fancy
"We're ready to come in now."
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