This past year was filled with promise, challenges and achievement. Unlike the previous spring, the Garden did not experience any significant early April cold to ruin bloom. We did have a few close calls since our Cosby Farm location is five degrees cooler than metro Richmond. Thanks to a well-deserved reprieve from the elements, our intense preparations would hit pay dirt in May.

As spring began in March, the Virginia Federation of Garden Clubs Piedmont District announced their 2008 award winners. I received their Individual Horticulture Achievement Award for breeding reblooming bearded irises. A special thank you to the VFGC judges panel for selecting my submission for this honor.

Another important spring milestone was receiving mention in editions of Powhatan Today, the Richmond Times Dispatch and the Goochland Courier newspapers. The writing of Roslyn Ryan, Karen Kapsidelis and Ann James was first rate. Their wonderful story lines helped us reach a wider audience of readers interested in irises and peonies. The response to each feature was exceptional.

Siberian and bearded iris bloom meet all expectations. Seedling flowering was exciting too!! Our herbaceous peony plantings turned in their best performance since our move from Flatrock back in 2005. The only disappointment was horrendous weather at “peak bloom” on Mother’s Day afternoon. Visitation fizzled as dire weather forecasts discouraged attendance. It was a case of bad luck at the worst possible time.

Our spring bloom season did see increased interest in garden tours. The Chesterfield County and Powhatan-Goochland Master Gardener groups accepted invitations to visit. Re-certification credits were available in some cases. Metro Richmond garden clubs also booked morning dates. A few of these groups acted on my suggestion to drive a short distance for lunch at the Village Garden Cafe^© near the Powhatan County Courthouse. The restaurant's menu and hospitality received rave reviews.

Summer bearded iris rebloom eclipsed any reasonable expectation. Many remontant varieties including the late Dr. Lloyd Zurbrigg's Durham Dream flowered on multiple occasions during the season. The star of the show was Betty Wilkerson's Summer Radiance. We were delighted to confirm its summer performance in Central VA. Another year of testing awaits this Bowling Green, KY origination. If we can replicate results, some potted stock could be available in fall of 2010.

The Garden was honored to be part of the Powhatan County Agri-Entreneurship Tour on September 13th. As part of the publicity for this event, my picture taken for the Powhatan Today spring story appeared on the front page of the Metro-Business Section of the Richmond Times Dispatch. It was quite a surprise. Attendance exceeded organizers' expectations on a very hot day. Rebloom cooperated with six named varieties in flower.

The mid September financial meltdown soon had an adverse impact on hopes for robust fall garden visitation. A cautious mood was detected at most of our appearances during the season. This mindset is understandable given the circumstances. Our best ever fall flower on seedlings and named varieties was largely unseen. This area of our operation will need to experience marked improvement next season.

My breeding program thankfully toke a step forward during this time. Seedling Number #20227B-RP received "Best Seedling in Show" honors at the American Iris Society Region 4 Fall Meeting in Hendersonville, NC. My sincere thanks to the Region 4 judges panel for picking my seedling for this award. 20227B-RP was outstanding in my garden producing fifteen fall bloomstalks. This border bearded rebloom red plicata is seriously being considered for release in the near future.

Another major fall development was meeting and securing the services of Computer Dude Software to develop and manage the Roots & Blooms website. The Internet has become an essential public information avenue. Many content refinements are planned including future information on the "Make It a Day in Powhatan" and "Springtime in the Fall" projects. We acknowledge the value of Agri-Tourism to generate more interest in future garden visits by individuals and groups. A lot of work however remains to be done to make these efforts a reality.

Garden construction for the upcoming spring bloom season remains a top priority. A major fall goal was to repair lawn areas around our display beds. Overall turf quality improved. We however sacrificed the time needed to divide and pot our favorite Siberian named varieties. It was a tough choice, but a necessary one for better visitor safety. Siberian iris availability will be a top priority for next fall.

Early January has seen mild weather. This development is good news for my attempts to get more peony stock in the ground for future display and production. I can only hope winter digging conditions remain favorable to continue this work. We will hope for the best and look forward to providing more incentive for you to visit the Garden in the spring and fall. Our best wishes for a Happy, Healthy and Productive New Year.