Saturday, February 6, 2010

What we are about . . .

Lee is the one most recent recipients of the Helen Field Fisher Gold Medal. Established in 1950, the Helen Field Fischer Gold Medal is the American Hemerocallis Society’s highest honor and is the official recognition for distinguished and meritorious service rendered the AHS by a member on the national level. It is named for the founder of the American Hemerocallis Society.

Lee is past President of the Tennessee Valley Daylily Society and travels extensively giving presentations to daylily clubs and symposia. He joined the AHS in 1986 and immediately put his skills to use for the benefit of the AHS. Lee was elected Regional Vice President for Region 1 in 1990-1992. He served as the Editor of the region’s newsletter in 1990-2002 and distinguished himself as one of the first to introduce color and desktop publishing software to daylily newsletters. In recognition of his groundbreaking newsletters, The Daylily Appeal won the AHS Best Newsletter Award in 2000.

Lee broke new ground by introducing the concept of off-season symposia and chairing the very first Mid-Winter Symposium (MWS) in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He chaired 11 MWS. Off-season symposia further the educational goals of the society and foster social networking within the society at a national level. Lee is also a distinguished daylily hybridizer. He registered his first daylily, ‘Choo Choo Fantasy’, in 1995 and has registered over 130 cultivars.

In 1993 Lee and his wife Jean purchased two acres in Hixson, Tennessee just about twenty minutes north of Chattanooga. One of the first things they did at the new property was erect a greenhouse to further their hybridizing and seedling growing efforts. Hybridizing is now done in the greenhouse during March and April. This allows for earlier seed set and harvesting which in turn allows for earlier planting and increases the chance of 90 ­ 95% bloom by the second season. The seedlings, 3000-5000 per season, are evaluated outside so as to get a “true” measure of their performance.

Lee and Jean were both educators. Jean taught fourth grade most of her career, retiring in 1999. Lee started out as a classroom teacher and moved on to administration, ending his career as an administrator in the Dean's Office at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine. He retired in 1998.

Jean is a Master Gardener and is quite active in their projects. In her spare time Jean is an accomplished rug hooker. She is also an accomplished dog walker and a volunteer at the Tennessee Aquarium.

In the off season they love to travel with the Napa Valley and National Parks being some of their favorite vacation spots.

13 comments:

  1. Congratulations, and welcome to the blogosphere! I love it!! Cant wait to read your stories.
    ~Nikki Schmith

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  2. Yeah! Lee, you have made a great start with your blog! I signed up as a 'follower'....will check your posts out. It's a great way to communicate.
    Linda Hassler

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  3. Lee - Congratulations on the new blog. I'll enjoy reading aobut your adventures with daylilies and wine.

    Jill Reynolds

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  4. Hi Lee
    I like your site . Glad you are missing most of the ( bad ) weather . Strangely , we are near Buffalo Ny , the supposed snow capital and got about 1 inch from the latest storm . Now how cold is that.
    Brian Schram

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  5. Lee Glad you have a blog up. Do you think Tommy will become a fan?

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  6. I found it interesting that Jean is a master gardener on your blog you two are blessed being married that long a true cara mia.
    Wendolyn

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  7. Hey Lee - Are you going to let Jean have some 'bon mots' on this Blog, too? Nancy

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  8. Lee, I am enjoying your blog. I find it interesting to see what the different bloggers are doing.

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  9. Lee,
    I am glad to be aboard. I have followed your posting on AHS Robin and I always enjoy your commentary. I like your website also. I am looking foward to seeing and hearing one of your presentations. Maybe you can come to Tulsa and give us a program.

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  10. Lee and Jean,
    Your blog is very interesting. I will be checking often. Thanks for sharing with all of us!
    Pat Mercer

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  11. Lee, Nice site. I hope to hear your presentation one of these days. Maybe we can get you to ohio this fall.

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  12. Hi Lee,
    I like your Blog! It will be fun to read your posts and see what you are doing. Your friend,
    Bill Waldrop

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  13. Greetings from the great white North of Canada where today we got a whole cm of snow. We have not had snow here in more than a month so this was almost exciting (this winter... most winters by now we are sick to death of snow). I will be following your blog with interest!

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