I know two professional plant breeders. They are both men, and they could not possibly be more different. One of them is a University-based, many-patent holding, world-traveling businessman, and the other one is more like the legendary Johnny Appleseed. The latter is named Stan Brown, and he owns a plant nursery in Clarksville, Arkansas. Stan always has time for his customers. He can answer nearly any question about any plant, and I have never seen him in a hurry. I visited Stan recently on an outing to purchase catnip and lemongrass plants for my homemade bug repellent experiments. While we were talking in the main greenhouse, I watched him feed his pet turtles that are living in a large tub full of aquatic plants. Stan helped me find the plants I needed as we casually strolled through another large greenhouse full of beautiful, wonderful-smelling things. He showed me the red crepe myrtle shrubs he bred. "You can leave two things (after you die)," he told me. "One is your kids. The other...is a nice plant."
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| Stan Brown and his red crepe myrtles. At Blossomberry's in Clarksville, AR. |
