A LIFELONG PLANT LOVER, Hans Hansen followed his passion to a career in plant breeding. He currently serves as Director of New Plant Development at Michigan's Walters Gardens, Inc., a leading wholesale perennial grower. Through both hybridizing and field work, Hans has introduced hundreds of perennials to the gardening market.
SCOTT BEUERLEIN: You were into plants even as a child. Tell us about that and your education.
HANS HANSEN: I remember always being interested in plants. My earliest memories include planting onions with my mom and dad at age three. I grew up on a dairy farm in southwestern Minnesota. Although I didn't know it at the time, my parents were my greatest source of encouragement. I'm sure they were very busy with raising three kids and running both a dairy farm as well as raising crops, but they allowed me to have space to raise ornamental plants. They also built a temporary greenhouse for me, rigged up fluorescent shop lights to germinate seeds, drove me to nurseries and master gardener events and rearranged family vacations to include arboretum stops.
My mom loved to share cut flowers with friends, church and folks in the hospital and nursing homes. She placed value on plants that made good cut flowers rather than were good landscape plants. She enjoyed plants, but her interest was strictly on the beauty and she didn't care about the names. In fact, after college when I bought my house in Waseca and finished taking divisions of the plants on the farm, she pulled all the labels and discarded them.
My dad didn't care for yellow leaved plants; he thought they looked chlorotic and needed more nitrogen. He seemed in tune with my work though, and when I asked what he thought of some of my gold-leaf hosta hybrids he said, "I suppose they are special."
Denne historien er fra July - August 2023-utgaven av Horticulture.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra July - August 2023-utgaven av Horticulture.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
GAGA FOR GALANTHUS
As easy as they are irresistible, snowdrops boast a devoted and growing following
NEW PLANTS
Multiseason Marvels
BLUEBERRIES & CO.
Members of the genus Vaccinium provide sweet flavor, health benefits and beauty in the garden
AN ECOLOGICAL AGREEMENT
How three great minds think alike
Take It Indoors
Cs the growing season dwindles, _ potted cittus became a summer souuenir
ROOTED IN PLACE
LAYERING IS A PROPAGATION TECHNIQUE THAT TAKES A WHILE TO COMPLETE, BUT IT DEMANDS LITTLE EFFORT FROM THE GARDENER
AT HOME WITH PLANTS
Business travel and pleasure trips helped inspire this Cincinnati garden
THE GARDEN GOES DARK
Yes, gardens have their dark side. But-surprise! A garden's darkness can be good, not sinister.
LOW-WATER WONDERS
EXPLORE ONE PLANTSMAN'S DROUGHT-TOLERANT FAVORITES FOR EACH LEVEL OF THE GARDEN
Succeed With Succession- The best crops to plant throughout summer, plus how to time them right
The best crops to plant throughout summer, plus how to time them right. Once a crop like spring turnips or snap peas has finished, I tidy up the bed, amend the soil with a thin layer of compost and replant. Depending on the new crop, I may be sowing seeds or transplanting seedlings.
