
jn Wemoriam 
Howard Evarts Weed (1870-1946) chased butterflies and collected insects 
as a boy in Lansing, Michigan, his place of birth. He graduated from high 
school there and then went to Michigan Agricultural College where he majored 
in biology. Following graduation with B.S. degree in 1889 and M.S. degree the 
next year his boyhood hobby became his vocation in early professional life. 
He spent nine years with Mississippi Agricultural College conducting much of 
the early entomological work of its experiment station. 
His contacts with nature’s works directed his footsteps toward landscape 
gardening as a profession. Studies in this living art were pursued at Cornell 
University. His first office as a landscape architect was opened in the city of 
Chicago. Specializing in the modernizing and renovation of old cemeteries and 
doing advanced designing of new properties Mr. Weed authored the only book 
on the subject titled “Modern Park Cemeteries’’, which was published in 1910. 
Previously he had published a handbook on insect control called “Spraying 
for Profit’ which went into many printings and was a standard in its time. 
Moving west in 1910 Mr. Weed established Weed’s Landscape Nursery at 
Beaverton, Oregon. In 1912 the firm began to grow Iris and in 1917 published 
its first specialized catalog of that flower. The firm name was changed to 
National Iris Gardens in 1930 when Mr. Weed's interest in Iris culture and 
hybridizing exceeded all other interests in horticulture. 
In thirty years of work with Iris Mr. Weed named some thirty varieties, 
outstanding among which cre Icy Blue, Michelangelo, Noonday Sky, Oregon 
Sunshine, Claret Velvet, National Giant and National White. He was a charter 
member of the American Iris Society. 
Howard Weed passed much of his knowledge and handicraft with Iris to 
his wife, Edna C. Weed, who continues in ownership and sole management 
of this long established garden. 
National Iris Gardens renews its pledge to its customers to provide the 
latest and best in popular varieties of Iris for their approval. The great heritage 
of good will left by Howard Weed will be zealously guarded. Serving the cus: 
tomers’ every need in quality rhizomes with promptness and satisfaction will 
be the continuing aim of the National Iris Gardens. 
To the memory of a long time and enthusiastic Irisarian who liked to sign 
himself ‘'Iristatically yours” this thirty-first edition of the annual catalog is 
respectfully dedicated. 
National Iris Gardens 
BEAVERTON, OREGON 
