INTRODUCTION 
Greetings for ‘54: 
We again take great pleasure in presenting our 1954 catalog for your 
approval. We wish to thank all our many customers of years past and 
also say thank you, to those who purchase from us this year. For it is 
you who are making it possible to continue our service. We have about 
2 acres of top quality plants just waiting to go on their way to your gar- 
dens. This year as we did last year we will ship on the date the customer 
wishes. But this year please give us a few days lee-way for it was quite 
a problem last July when several hundred orders were due out at the 
same time. We are adding new facilities to help out along this line, 
also so that you will get your order as soon as possible. We ship our 
plants to all states and countrys for all plants are state inspected. 
Now we would like to tell you a little bit about ourselves. Ours is a 
family run business, with the four of us furnishing the back power (which 
all you gardeners know you must have). Mom is in charge of all the wat- 
ering, while Dad does the weeding and helps with the digging. Joan does 
the office end of it while | do most of the digging and packing and when 
time allows some weeding. Our plants are grown under regular garden 
conditions, watered at the proper time, and cultivated at the proper time. 
This way our plants seem to take hold better assuring you better growth. 
Many people are finding that by ordering California grown plants they 
are able to take advantage of several months growth and increase yield- 
ing larger clumps the following year. California grown plants are per- 
fectly hardy anywhere except those listed as tender in colder climates. As 
you know our catalog goes all over the world and there is many sections 
where these tender varieties do very well. This | believe gives us a very 
good reason for listing them. We are listing a little over half of our plant- * 
ing, so if there is any variety omitted that you would like let us know. 
Perhaps we might have it. This year we are dropping some 100 very old 
and cheap varieties, we just can't ship 20c varieties with the increase in 
parcel post rates, but you will notice our collections and lower prices on 
the standard varieties. 
Although you are welcome at any time here at the gardens, we now 
give you a special invitation to visit us at blooming time and enjoy our 
beautiful flowers with us. The blooming season reaches its peak the last 
week of April and lasts till the middle of May as a rule. We are located 
mid-way between U.S. 99 and U.S. 66, 4 blocks east of Peck Rd., north of 
Lower Azusa Rd. 3 blocks. This past year saw guests here from Canada 
and 14 States. In closing we wish to say again this year ‘‘Our business is 
small, and we don't want all the orders but we do want YOURS.”’ 
The Cra TAMA 
Joan, Bill, Mom & Dad 
NORWOOD IRIS GARDENS 
12043-9 Hallwood Drive 
El Monte, California 
