A year ago today we lost a great friend. I think about her often and smile throughout the year when i see something growing that came from her.
i dont want this to be a sad thread, i'd rather remember the highlights and funny moments that this awesome and incredible lady brought ot all of us.
One of the things I remember most about her is her giving nature. I can think of a time or two that she would call and ask if Bill was home. I'd say "NO" and she'd say "Bring the truck, I need to load you up".
I miss her,
Jen
Roz (((((HUGS))))))
Remembering Gloria
Life can seem so unfair sometimes. I'd be willing to bet that Gloria has made Heaven a more beautiful place to be with Angel Trumpets all over the place. I miss her also and I'm sure we will meet one day under a "trumpet" in God's Kingdom. I know Gloria would want us to be happy for her, that she is no longer in pain, and also, I know that her new garden can never be topped. She made some very nice hybrids and I'll never forget her or her accomplishments.
that is a lovely sentiment. You brugies are really special people
I think hers are American Pride, Becca Lynn, Biloxi Belle, Gloria Lessner (named in her memory), Ihilani, Jessie Noel, Jessie'l Little Doll, Old Glory and maybe Cypress Gardens (not sure about that one). The only one that I have is Cypress Gardens. I have some of her seedlings (Frosty Pink x ?) that should bloom this summer.
If anyone has cuttings of any of the above, I would love to help keep her memory growing and increasing in number.
I too, think of her often. She was just getting started with her hybrids. Sure hope the Lord lets her continue with her beautiful work.
Wasn't Whiskers one she grew from seed and pollinated with a lot?
Hoping to get an American Pride cutting or plant, she had promised one to all of us before she left. Willing to trade for one....
This message was edited Jan 22, 2005 11:29 AM
Yes, I show Whiskers as Harding hybridizer and Lessner as the grower of the seed. I have Whiskers.
Me too. I also have Jessie Noel, Becca Lynn.
Cypress Gardens is a Native Habitat brug, I believe.
Gloria will always be with us in her hybrids.
I still can't believe she sent me Audrey O just a few weeks before she passed away. I had mentioned somewhere that someday I would like to have one and she obviously saw my post. When she emailed me she was sending it, I thanked her and told her to wait until she felt better. Obviously, she had her husband mail it to me anyway. I didn't know her, but being that generous to someone she didn't know when she was feeling so poorly told me what kind of special person she was.
She must have been a truly special person. I am sorry I didn't get the chance to "know" her.
Gloria was a very special lady. A good friend to many of us. I have thought of her often and Ron as well.
In the months before she died, Glory gave me some pointers on what to hybridize.
Perhaps she sensed she was dying.
I remember the day she told me her test results. My heart sank ..as I had seen this before.
But what she taught me was not wasted. Her pointers not wrong, also.
Perhaps before she died, she passed on her 'works' not finished to others.
Me being one. That is how I have chosen to see it.
I never got Snowcone, Ilihanii, American Pride, Biloxi Belle ..and some of her others.
I grow Whiskers, Audrey O, Old Glory, Jessie Noel, Ollie, Becca Lynn. And some of her seedlings from BGI not bloomed yet.
I was trying to help decide if her Old Glory here was really that or something else.
But we never got to finish.
Weird to see this today ..
As yesterday I was in the glasshouse doing some weeding.
(Yes, weeds grow in the winter inside here! Even though single digits outside!)
I pulled up a tag along with what I was pulling out ..and it was Gloria's.
Her writing still intact. Tag just where it was when she sent these last plants.
I stopped in my tracks a few minutes and went back remembering.
Sad and happy feelings same time ..
I believe though in Heaven, her spirit will always be here with her brugs, too.
If anyone has any of her others I don't have ..I would love them.
If anyone would like Glory's brugs to grow to her memory, I will share mine in spring.
Alice
This message was edited Jan 22, 2005 6:24 PM
This message was edited Jan 22, 2005 6:46 PM
Alice...I have snowcone that is rooting...let me see if I have more than one. I don't think so, but if you don't get it before mine gets bigger, I would be happy to share mine with you.
I didn't get to meet Gloria, but I am so glad to know of her & have some of her brugs! I hope she is up in heaven seeing this post honoring her.
Margie
I have one that came to me with the name Snowcone but I have it as L Smith hybridizer. Was she the seed grower? When it bloomed, it was not white, but had a goldish rim. I'll have to see if I can find a photo.
I would love to have a cutting of any of hers.
She was a remarkable Lady,I feel lucky to have known her.
You are right Linda. It is one of Larry Smith's brugs according to the gallery at ABADS.
A few years ago she gave me Waltraud #18. It bloomed yellow and then died back in the winter. I didnt see it for an entire year, but this past spring it came back up. Its still alive, although i've broken the tip of 2x. I named it Gloria (theres a thread somewhere around her with its pics).
As soon as it is big enough and blooms true to color, i'll be happy to send that one out. Its really an uneventful flower, but it just kinda holds a special place.
I've also been looking for her hybrids but they seem to be all too illusive. I have Audrey O, Becca Lynn, Jesse Noel and Whiskers.
Thanks to all who posted ont his thread.
JEn
Gloria certainly had her own special qualities. I remember her generosity and sharing, not with just me, but with everyone. She was fun to be around and loved her family.
Some of my best memories I have are going to the casinos with her and 99% of the time we went by and picked up her mom who also enjoyed the slots. Most of the time we just broke even but on a couple occasions she came out ahead and so did her mom......not me, I just contributed.........lol. Even the October before she passed away, she wrapped a scarf on her head and put on her hat and away we went.
She was a lady of strength and continued to get as much out of life as she could until the very end. Minigrannie's statement documents this well. The visits at Roz's house (her best friend and confident) were special too because there was constant laughter, fun and talk among friends from morning until night. I miss these moments more than anything else.
I think she was a very special lady who was kind to everyone even if they didn't really deserve it
Its so nice to see her remembered
and I know that she is up there with the real Angels trumpets watching over us all
Gloria sent me the seeds that resulted in my "baby ollie". Unfortunately I don't have baby ollie anymore either. I remember sending her emails with pictures of baby ollie. She wanted progress reports regularly until it bloomed. LOL I think she was wondering if I got the seed that would be a new brug hybrid. She nicknamed herself Grandma, and called my baby ollie her grandchild. I wouldn't be surprised if she had a grandma's brag book with the progressive pictures of baby ollie I sent her.
I miss her so...
For those of us who never met Gloria...anyone have a photo? I would love to see her...
MsJen, is that the same as Gloria Lessner?
This is what my Snowcone looked like when it bloomed. Obviously mis-tagged.
another view
heres the link to the one i was talking about http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/328168/
let me see if i can find another pic of it. It was never registered and then i thought it was gone forever when it didnt come back.
Looks more like orange sherbet. LOL! Sure is pretty.
This has got to be one of the most classic threads, lol...i've been laughing hysterically http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/190554/
Jen, that's a pretty yellow. If you ever get a large enough plant to share, I would like to get on the list.
Shirley, I liked it too. It's in the gh holding over for next year. It had a few bruises from a storm when the photo was made.
If i can ever get it to blooming size, lol..i seem to be having a time with it. I like your version of snowcone, also, lol. Let me know if you want to trade them : )
Where in Columbia do you live? i lived there for a few years.
Jen, I would love to make a trade with you. I'll have to see what comes out of the gh in the spring.
I'd love to hear more about Gloria and when she was on DG. If gardners get a ticket to a special place, I'm sure my daddy and Gloria are pals now - is it correct that she left in Oct/04??
Sherry, it was a year ago, yesterday.
This is really nice to see (o:
I would love to grow the ones I don't have.
Sorry about the mis ID on Snowcone.
We were discussing that, and I just assumed hers.
Thanks, Margie.
I would like it still (o:
I will share my cuttings of her brugs in April or if warm enough again sooner.
Write me at my DG mail.
Alice
I never really knew Gloria, but would have liked to. She must have been a great person. I do grow Whiskers, and in fact posted a photo a little while ago of a tiny cutting plant that has a full size bloom. Donna
Jen, I think about Gloria a lot; I am glad you made this thread for us all to remember her. Only just recently can I think about her and think of some funny things we did, and not be so sad. We would just be so silly and zany old ladies.
Does anyone have her notes and records etc.
Roz, I'm a silly, zany old lady myself - wish I could have played too.
Roz,
You know i'm only a skip away and can give you a shoulder and a hug when you need it? You can call at any time,
Jen
A wonderful tribute to a great lady! I remember being a newbie and she was always so kind to answer my questions on BGI. It's very nice to go back and 'see' a little of her personality in these old threads, wish I could have known her better as well.
Here's my best picture, and tribute to her, Whiskers in all her 'Glory', I'd like to think Heaven looks a little like this.
That is a great photo Vi, don't ya just love Whiskers.
Thanks Jen.
Mostly Gloria kept records on her computer, and she was not one to keep a lot of records, other than what she put on her plants, which were always labeled and dated, and who gave it to her, if somebody did. This spring Gloria be everywhere I look - she gave me lots of perenniels too.