A BIT OF HISTORY 
BOUT 15 or 16 years ago, mainly as a result of reading English garden literature, we 
came to realize that even in our restricted field of effort (the woody plants ) there were very 
fine things abroad which were not available to the garden lovers of this country, although 
in some cases specimens were in the gardens of enthusiastic amateurs who guarded them 
with both zealous and jealous care. 
Although the great depression of the late twenties had begun we had faith in the future 
and commenced importing new and rare woody plants from England and other countries. 
By 1933 propagation of these items had progressed sufficiently so that we could offer the 
resulting plants for sale but soon found that they were utterly unknown in this country 
and under the severe business conditions nurserymen couldn't risk buying. The only way 
out seemed to be to approach the garden people directly and so “Garden Aristocrats” was 
started in 1934. Gradually it commenced to circulate all over the U. S. A. and to produce 
the desired results. 
Importation and propagation were continued and in 1938 the writer was able to go to 
England to participate in a conference held by Royal Horticultural Society on “Ornamental 
Flowering Trees and Shrubs.” This enabled him to attend the great Chelsea flower show 
that year and also to visit some of the more important nurseries in Holland and France in 
addition of course to those in England. Fortunately it was possible to import many of the 
rare and beautiful plants so found before the outbreak of the war. 
The above is a general outline of our efforts and naturally it has been gratifying to have 
work of this sort receive appreciation and recognition. The most outstanding example is 
that last year our senior partner was awarded the Jackson Dawson Memorial Gold Medal 
by Massachusetts Horticultural Society ‘‘for making many new woody plants available to 
American Gardens.” 
We expect to continue importing from foreign woody plant specialists and in fact have 
brought in 25 or 30 new items this season. 

About 1931 we started work on breeding flowering trees and shrubs beginning with 
flowering peaches and apricots and continuing with mainly lilacs and flowering quinces as 
well as a few miscellaneous items. Out of the 12 Awards of Merit conferred to date by Cali- 
fornia Horticultural Society on items exhibited by us three have been given to our own or- 
iginations: flowering quinces Fire and Stanford Red; flowering apricot Rosemary Clarke. 
The Royal Horticultural Society has given the same award to our flowering quince Enchant- 
ress. 
A definite portion of our nursery has been reserved for our breeding program which 
we intend to continue indefinitely. 
