Tropicals & Tender Perennials: The Story of Bonnie Jean, 0 by lagata2

lagata2 wrote:
I've rarely posted here, but when I did, I got mistakenly tied up in a mess. A new cultivar and how it was named was used against me, and even though that thread was thoughtfully removed by Dave's, it caused me good feelings along with some bad. I've not posted since, until tonight.

Let me tell you the story of "Bonnie Jean".
My sister of that name died unexpectedly and alone in her home on Easter eve last year because of a diabetic condition. She was 52, which may sound old to some, but many others will know how young it is. She was bright, happy, feminine, and so fun to talk to!! She left behind four grown children, and four grandchildren. She was the first of the 7 children in my family to die.
I promised that if I had a good pink brug from my seedlings, I would name it for her. Not so long after another sister and I walked to my garden and saw this new brug. My sister saw it first and gasped at the glowing color. OMG, I said 'this is it's first bloom!' She looked at me with tears shineing in her eyes, knowing my plans, and said 'I think we just met Bonnie'. And so we had.
After several flushes of intense color, I registered her, and on Bonnie's birthday in November, I sent each of her children a picture and the name in the BGI (Brugmansia Growers International) Brugmansia registry. Yes there were tears, but they all felt wonderful that this had been done.
While 'Bonnie Jean" is not yet released until it has proven itself through this summer, I am growing cuttings for her children , and my siblings that have a home for her. I planted one of them in my/her mothers garden just this afternoon.
Something about it is very healing.

A second seedling had also shown wonderful color through many flushes; orange and pink, with the pink inside forming a star. With the above story in mind, I tried a very unusual experiment. I have seen stars named in honor of loved ones for sale; why not a lovely new flower? So I put it on ebay in time for Christmas, with it understood to the buyer that this was buying Only the right to name the flower. It went so much higher than expected ! While I did not say the winner would get anything but a certificate which they could frame, the winner was thrilled with it. The name was for a young mother who had been murdered, and this was a gift to the daughter. It is not a name that others would have chosen, so a good name is not "wasted", no matter the outcome.
The buyer knows the colors may yet change , but this is not the issue to her. I will soon be sending her two plants, (which I had secretly planned from the start, unless the winner was out of the country) one of which she will grow and evaluate for me, reporting what happens in her zone. The other plant is for the daughter mentioned above. While my gh heating bill was met, no one profited more than these two women, where emotions count. Some situations fall outside of the 'rules' not set in stone, and this can be a Very Good thing.
This is a picture (below, next post) of the Brug whose naming rights were won, and named for murdered Nancy. Each and every bloom of it that graces the gardens will be known as one of "Nancy's Angels". It may or may not be officially released this summer, but the story is told correctly here.