Looking Back at the 2017 CVIDS Garden Tour - Message from our President
As a teacher, I would grade our July 8, CVIDS Garden Tour an A+! Between the wonderful weather and the beautiful gardens, all the tests were passed with flying colors.

Our hosts had taught their daylilies to cooperate and show their best sides. Jonathan’s magnificent seedling garden showed off the fine results of his hybridizing, and Susie’s contributions to the day were incredible, especially considering the recovery progress from her back surgery. Special thanks goes to Jonathan for disconnecting the electric deer fence. LOL

Mary Jo and Joe Duffy’s creative and professional landscaping efforts were lovely as well. The beautiful stonework makes my back hurt. Joe’s source of mulch and his raised bed vegetable garden makes me envious.

Jimmy Seaman’s garden, with the stone and Purington paver brickwork patio and companion plants displayed artistic creativity in every corner of his garden. His three Forest Pansy Redbud trees were of special interest. Their purple/red leaves are so very attractive.

Our lunch at the Coralville Public Library reminded me of a threshers’ dinner as nearly 60 of us had lunch together. Jonathan, Susie and Mary Jo did a superb job of organizing our repast.

Then it was on to Conroy and Joyce and Steve Parson’s garden at about 1:30 p.m. Health issues (we all have a few) kept Joyce from some of the finishing touches on their yard, but there was no need to feel bad, as her garden was exquisite. I was especially interested to see H. Bold Stripe, Gerald Hobbs very first introduction from 1986, in the Parson’s garden. There should be a picture of that on the CVIDS web site (webmaster's note).

Our final destination for the 2017 tour was to the historic Cottage-in-the-Meadow Gardens of Larry and Wilma Rettig in South Amana. His most-interesting narrated tour highlighted the family history, teaching time in the South, his extensive interest and knowledge in plants of all types and his return to the Amana home of Wilma’s childhood, where his love of history and horticulture are plain to see. Daylilies make up only one facet of our complex lives and our visit to the Rettig’s historical home clearly demonstrated that.

So we (CVIDS) did indeed get a superior grade on our 2017 CVIDS Garden Tour. An A+ for the gardens, an A+ for effort, an A+ for participation and an A+ for the weather. Congratulations to us all!

I also want to congratulate Jonathan Poulton for his National AHS Best Scientific Newsletter Award for his scientific article "Genetically Engineering Those Blues?", which was published in The Daylily Pioneer, Fall 2016, pp. 8-12. This is Jonathan’s second such award. Well done, Jonathan!

Commendation too, goes to Nan Ripley, who received the AHS Regional Service Award for her contributions to Region One.

Click here for photos taken on the garden tour.

Photos taken at the Duffy Residence

Photos of Larry and Wilma Rettig’s Cottage-in-the-Meadow Gardens listed in the Archives of American Gardens of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C..

	To visit the Cottage-in-the-Meadow Gardens website, click here.