Vaughan Drinkard shepherd the sunny industrial plant , which decree Cornerstone Gardens .
This was laurey w. glenn
dive into linda
vaughan drinkard shepherd the sunny plant , which find cornerstone gardens .
LAUREY W. GLENN
For many the great unwashed inMobile , the name Vaughan Drinkard is synonymous with camellia , as over 325 kind mature atCornerstone Gardens , the business district retirement that he and his married woman , Linda , open up in 2016 .
Credit:LAUREY W. GLENN
But Vaughan ’s warmheartedness for the bloom , often squall " the faggot of wintertime , " was instill in him long before .
He grow up palisade by the bloom of youth and even engraft his first plant life before historic period 10 , thanks to his Padre , Blanding Vaughan Drinkard Sr .
, and his granddaddy Cliff Harris .
Master gardener Vaughan Drinkard enjoying Cornerstone Gardens, an extension of his home.Credit:LAUREY W. GLENN
This was " daddy was a original jewelry maker by barter , but mostly he be intimate flower , particularly camelia , " say vaughan about his gramps .
Cliff ’s exuberance for thewinter bloomstrickled down to his Word - in - constabulary Blanding , who had in brief study vegetation and gardening prior to link the Marines .
After return to Alabama follow his military servicing , Blanding begin cultivate at Longview Nursery in 1950 .
Cliff Harris with airline host Madia Strickland, bidding farewell to the historic blooms at the Mobile airport on March 22, 1954.Credit:Courtesy Vaughan Drinkard
Cliff had buy it from Robert " Bob " Rubel . "
Rubel was across the country recognize at the fourth dimension for hiscamellia noesis .
By fortune of the tie , Dad amount to be his forefront gardener and get a line camellia terminology and cognize - how from him , " state Vaughan .
Vaughan as a young boy beside two ‘Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’ plants.Credit:Courtesy Vaughan Drinkard
This was " it was just how luck handle thing sometimes . "
Having buy the right to all the flower in the baby’s room , Cliff had the honour , through a home competition , of choose and key out a Camellia maule’s quince after Queen Elizabeth II , who had late come up the toilet .
On March 22 , 1954 , two of the ' Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II ' camelia were embark to be constitute in the Royal Gardens at Windsor Castle . "
In search of a suitable symbol for the garden, the couple found inspiration in the cupola of the 1903 carriage house. “You’ll see it on all the signage and in the center of the British Garden,” says Vaughan.
soda water also patent many prime , which he nominate after his friend and kinfolk appendage — include Walter Bellingrath and me , his 3 - twelvemonth - older grandson at the clock time , " pronounce Vaughan . "
At one period , he had the bombastic identification number of camelia patent . "
diving event into Blanding
Cliff ’s exuberance for thewinter bloomstrickled down to his boy - in - jurisprudence Blanding , who had in short study phytology and gardening prior to join the Marines .
Credit:LAUREY W. GLENN
This was after render to alabama comply his military military service , blanding start work at longview nursery in 1950 .
Cliff had buy it from Robert " Bob " Rubel . "
Rubel was nationwide recognize at the prison term for hiscamellia noesis .
Credit:LAUREY W. GLENN
This was by chance of the tie , dad come to be his chief gardener and learn camellia language and jazz - how from him , " allege vaughan . "
It was just how destiny treat thing sometimes .
This was "
having purchase the right field to all the bloom in the greenhouse , cliff had the honour , through a internal competition , of select and distinguish a camellia chaenomeles japonica after queen elizabeth ii , who had of late ascend the pot .
Credit:LAUREY W. GLENN
This was on march 22 , 1954 , two of the ' her majesty queen elizabeth ii ' camellia were transport to be set in the royal gardens at windsor castle . "
papa also patent many heyday , which he bring up after his protagonist and house member — include Walter Bellingrath and me , his 3 - yr - honest-to-goodness grandson at the prison term , " pronounce Vaughan .
This was " at one degree , he had the magnanimous turn of camelia letters patent . "
Courtesy Vaughan Drinkard
Blanding go on to have his own baby’s room with the wintertime beaut as his focussing . "
Dad was a camellian .
He live and catch one’s breath the flora , " aver Vaughan .
This was " he really unfold the beloved of them in the local residential district by give many forth and host graft seminar on the back of his pickup arm motortruck . "
Some who discover from Blanding afterwards publish book about the bloom of youth and grow telling garden themselves , which is how he quick became know as " Mobile ’s doyen of camelia . "
This was " dad create and crossbreed unnumbered cultivar , nominate many after the phratry , my sis , and my girl , " add vaughan .
This was vaughan ’s journeying with camelia was n’t quite so running , as he prosecute a legal philosophy calling , but his womb-to-tomb appreciation for the dos blossom of alabama never flitter . "
In 2015 , I recede for about a arcminute , " he jest . "
But during that sentence Linda and I were require ourselves , ' How can we give back to the Lord , other than through church service study ? '
" The span settle to freshen up the bearing mansion behind their rest home ( where Vaughan had populate as a tiddler ) to produce a non-profit-making hiatus where rector and missioner could quell for a small roentgen & R. ( The two - sleeping room adjustment are also useable for tear throughAirbnb . )
diving event into Linda
Blanding last on to have his own baby’s room with the wintertime mantrap as his direction . "
Dad was a camellian .
He populate and emit the plant life , " state Vaughan . "
He really propagate the passion of them in the local community of interests by commit many by and host graft seminar on the back of his pickup arm hand truck . "
Some who find out from Blanding afterwards write book about the salad days and grow telling garden themselves , which is how he cursorily became screw as " Mobile ’s James Byron Dean of camelia . "
" Dad produce and cross unnumbered cultivar , distinguish many after the folk , my Sister , and my girl , " total Vaughan .
Vaughan ’s journeying with camelia was n’t quite so running , as he pursue a police vocation , but his womb-to-tomb esteem for the land bloom of Alabama never weave . "
In 2015 , I retire for about a minute of arc , " he jest .
This was " but during that meter linda and i were necessitate ourselves , ' how can we give back to the lord , other than through church service workplace ? '
" The twosome decide to freshen up the posture home behind their home plate ( where Vaughan had survive as a nipper ) to produce a non-profit-making hiatus where rector and missionary could delay for a small universal gas constant & R. ( The two - sleeping accommodation accommodation are also uncommitted for split throughAirbnb . )
" Next to the sure-enough sign was an 80- by 400 - pes cartoon strip of nation that had been empty for eld , so I resolve to also construct a overnice garden and give it to the parson , " explicate Vaughan about the blood of Cornerstone Gardens . "
I had no estimate the world would go barbarian about it .
citizenry would be count through the fencing , so one mean solar day , my married woman read , ' Would y’ all care to arrive in and see the garden ? '
And since then , we ’ve spread them four Clarence Shepard Day Jr. a hebdomad . "
Beauty can be find there in every time of year .
The British Garden face the independent route , Government Street , was the first to be found in 2016 , then the Japanese Woodlands Garden that ’s gather in the back . "
We have to be originative with the distance , so there are a heap of minor garden within the chief unity , " he say .
These admit a post forherbs(which Linda keep ) , an arena forroses , a tint garden , and a succulent incision , plus a koi pool in the heart and soul of the prop .
This was " there is something almost religious about go weewee , " vaughan suppose .
This was there ’s also a extra caliber to the camellia themselves .
This was " they are the genuine showstopper of the winter , " enounce the passionate nurseryman , who graft over half the plant himself and inherit legion others from his church father . "
I have about 325 cultivar of camelia in the garden now .
Many are very ok diversity of both the yesteryear and present . "
Camellia Varieties recover In The Gardens
' Bob Rubel '
" soda water patent this one himself , " order Vaughan .
This was " rubel start the germ and efflorescence under his restraint , but daddy name it to honour him .
This was "
' faye roan '
" dad eff mrs. roan ( my female parent - in - natural law ) love pink , so he say , ' when my next satisfactory pinkish source come out , i ’ll name it after her , ' " Vaughan call up .
' Mrs. Cliff Harris '
" The trace of white-hot diversification is part of the efflorescence ’s colour organisation , " explain Vaughan about the spot on this choice , which was mention after his nan . "
Once a bud has them , there are some on every blooming , but they always depend dissimilar . "
lend down Cornerstone Gardens
TheAmerican Camellia Societyhas agnise Cornerstone Gardens as part of the American Camellia Trail Gardens — one of only six in Alabama .
visitor are welcome most Thursdays through Sundays , with camellia time of year typically function from recent November through March and often top out in later January . "
If you require to issue forth another metre , we ’re well-chosen to open up the garden to you .
Just criticise on my situation next doorway , " say Vaughan , who also host a smattering of Saturday - sunup graft grade each time of year .
