August 23, 2003

A Walking Tour: Ball Horticultural Company's Trial Garden

This SMSI's meeting's inception dates back to one year ago; not too long a time when one considers that what is now known as the Ball Horticultural Company has its origin in 1905, nearly 100 years ago and has locations in 22 countries on six continents!

Our tour affords SMSI members an opportunity to experience a four acre trial garden with over 1500 single variety and mixed combination containers, landscaped annual gardens, row trial gardens including the All-American Selections Evaluation Gardens, and perennial gardens with the best of Ball perennials. This tour lends itself to viewing specimens macroscopically and microscopically: bring cameras, hand lenses, and low power microscopes.

You will begin your adventure in anticipation, but you will leave in wonder and awe.

SMSI Minutes
A Walking tour: Ball Horticultural Company's Trial Garden on 23 Aug. 03.

36 members and guests divided into two groups to walk the grounds of this third generation company which has divisions all over the world. This main division works on floral plants and is branching into vegetables. There are 2,600 varieties of which 400 are new and 1,800 are in pots at the garden. Brand names: "Simply Beautiful" and "Wave" indicate Ball origin. The meeting was a perfect end to summer. Thanks go to Dr. Tau-San Chou, Dr. Ji-Ping Zhao, and Veronica Gaertner, our guides.