A century and going strong… N. Dick Wellband!

We have huge clumps of Dick Wellband growing all over the place. There are so many, I often take them for granted.

Very old fashioned… lustrous petals highlighting that pleated, tangerine cup. But — these flowers are eager to impress!

Dick Wellband enjoyed its first sunrise in the garden of Mrs. Sarah Backhouse, the legendary English hybridizer. Since then, clones have been planted in every suitable habitat. Dick Wellband arrived here more than sixty years ago, courtesy of Dr. Gyla McDowell.

It was the first of its kind, with that deeply-colored corona and ruffled, reddish rim. Since then, many improvements have been made, causing some connoisseurs to scoff at it (Lee 19).

Dick Wellband makes the densest clumps that won’t slow down from crowding. It opens later than others, when its lifting power is needed. It’s at home in the woods, but prefers historic gardens.

Aside from being a classic, it’s a living legacy from the Mrs. R.O. Backhouse!