2008 AHS National Convention...Garden Nine

Here we are at our final stop. It's afternoon and still the daylilies look divine...what a garden! It belongs to Drs. Art and Nina Imperial. Yes, this is the garden of the real 'Art Imperial' (many folks own the daylily). We can hardly wait to get off the bus to begin exploring this garden.


This is a stunning garden, very tropical...with daylilies all over.

LESLIE RENEE:


AMISH LINEN:


AMERICAN FREEDOM:


AFFAIR D'AMOURE




DARN THAT DREAM:


MEDITERRANEAN MOOD:


KINGDOM BORDER:


PRINCESS OF WALES:




Everywhere you look, every bed is beautifully bordered and perfectly manicured...




BIT OF BLUE:


WAY COOL:


SPICE HUNTER (two views):










EXOTIC TREASURE:


THANKS A BUNCH:


SPACECOAST CREAM SUPREME:


SPACECOAST COTTON CANDY:


Fun....

MAL:


SCREENSAVER TRUFFLE:


WHITE MAGICIAN:


TO GOD BE THE GLORY:





MARY ELKINS:



RED STEP AHEAD:


ISLEWORTH:


ASTERISK:





WIZARDS WINK:


JENNY KISSED ME:


THE GREAT GOOLSBY (two views):






THIN MAN:



LADY VIOLET EYES:


PEARL HARBOR:


MYSTICAL RAINBOW:


ST. FIACRE:


TRUE GERTRUDE DEMAREST:


WHITE NOISE AND CINDERELLA SUE:



BROOKWOOD LEE CAUSEY:


GREAT WHITE:





VIRGINIA FRANKLIN MILLER:




SMALL TEMPEST:



NIGHT BREEZE:


PASSION FOR RED:



An Oriental flavor is here, but wait until you see some showing off their Texas attitude...


SOMETHING LOVELY:


PASSION FRUIT TRUFFLE:


WILD AND WONDERFUL:


GOLDEN PINWHEEL:



These views will give you some idea of the scale of this garden, but note...we are only in the front...



KIVA DANCER:


LITTLE MUSIC MAKER:


MOMENT IN THE SUN:


PRECIOUS CANDY:





GRACE AND GRANDEUR:


ELECTRIC LIZARD:




BLACK AMBROSIA:


SPACECOAST CRANBERRY BREEZE:


Let's walk along here...




MUSICAL MEDLEY:


JAY FARQUHAR:


MARK WILLIAMS:







The Imperials have other interests...


More perfect borders...


Going toward the pond...






RUSHING DELIGHT:


ALASKAN MIST:


THE TERMINATOR:


CAROL TODD (two views):



Nice pop of color...



Something to try...


All kinds of water features...


A very special bench is ahead...


Lolo and Lola are Grandpa and Grandma in Tagaloge (Filipino)...


Some of those grandchildren were very kindly serving refreshments...


...wearing cute shirts...


That's "Yup, I'm a Dead Header"...we loved these shirts!


back to the daylilies...some guest plants...





Guest Plant RENIE'S DELIGHT:


Guest plant BROOKWOOD CARLA'S JOY:


A Leo Sharp guest plant:








Another guest in the above...look below...


TOP GUNS ALICE LANGLEY:


CHARMA VALLEY:


MAGICIAN'S MASK:




A few more things to see here before we head to the back...



Some seedlings...

Imperial Seedling 2004-288:



Imperial Seedling 2004-43, also a JC Candidate:


Imperial Seedling 2003-61:


Mary Jo Seedling 2000-084:


The Imperials live on Lake Jackson...


Before we have a good look, there's a Munson bed here...


KENSINGTON MANOR:


IMPERIAL INCA:


EMPEROR BUTTERFLY:


Now for the lake...



It's very big back here, too...



A bunch of views of LAKE JACKSON BEAUTY, an Imperial introduction:




It was really putting on a show, wasn't it? How about this view...


REQUIEM FOR DIANA:


GENERAL FRANCIS MARION:


SPACECOAST STARBURST:





GOLDENZELLE:


BROWNS FERRY SWEETHEART:


YANKEE PRINCESS:





VOODOO MAGIC:



BUGUNDY TWISTER:


BLUFFTOP VOLUNTEER:



HELIX:




Not just daylilies...



ACROSS THE UNIVERSE:



BLACKBERRIES AND CREAM:



SEA OF LOVE:







Let's head back to the front...it may be less crowded now...there are so many daylilies and other things to see there...


We certainly feel welcome!

Let's have a closer look at this bench...



Another special one-of-a-kind bench...





More daylilies...

HILL STREET BLUES:




FANCY FACE:


MOTHER OF MANY:



FACES OF A CLOWN:



BETTY WINKLER:



MILDRED MITCHELL:



UNCONDITIONAL LOVE:


GOD IS LISTENING:





MARY ALICE STOKES:


CARDIGAN BAY:



KALEIDOSCOPE TREASURE:








SINGULAR SENSATION was really putting on a show:




Unfortunately, tours do come to an end...Thanks so much to the Imperial Family for hosting all of us in your amazing garden. Many of us saw plants we can only grow as houseplants happily growing in your garden...what fun!

But, actually, for those us going back to the hotel, the final banquet still remains. At this one, awards and honors are presented. See the AHS website for a complete list. This year (2008) in Houston, Texas, two very big awards were presented to Texas' own, Jack Carpenter. Mr. Carpenter was the recipient of both the 2007 Stout Silver Medal (the highest award for a daylily) for LAVENDER BLUE BABY and the 2008 Betrand Farr Silver Medal (representing outstanding hybridizing achievement). Congratulations, Mr. Carpenter!


Jack Carpenter receiving the Stout Silver Medal.

******
In case you missed the previous eight gardens, you can find them here (just keep scrolling down....it probably starts with this one)...or, go to the labels on the right and click on 2008 AHS National Convention.

Lest you think you might go into daylily tour withdrawal, never fear. The 2009 AHS National Convention is this month, May 2009...with eight gardens on tour, an extra tour with three more gardens...and other open gardens. So, not to worry, there are more tour gardens to see.

It's not too late to join the fun for this year, click here.