Breezeway Gardens
(Convention Master Planting)
Eighty acres of partially-wooded land, replete with fields of crops and a splendid home sitting in the middle of colorful gardens of flowers. That is Breezeway Gardens! The current house was built in 2003, and the first irises were planted in the front retaining-wall bed, having been brought from the farm house at the foot of the hill. The farm house, and a small piece of property surrounding it, were sold when the Bacon family moved into their new house on the hill top.
Those first irises were ordered from Cooley’s a few years earlier. Seventeen new varieties were ordered from Schreiner’s the year they moved.
While searching for photos of irises on the internet, George discovered many other hybridizers and was soon buying and planting at an incredible pace. Since he is living in Michigan nine months of the year, a good amount of garden care is done by Myron (his father), Doris (his mother) and Tim (his brother). George is employed at the University of Lansing, Michigan where he designs costumes for the Theatre Department, Musical Theatre Department, Opera Department and Dance Department. His love of iris began at the age of 5, while helping his mother in her gardens. At the age of 10, his youngest brother, Tim, was born and he started taking over the iris garden while his mother devoted her time to the care of the baby. His original ambitions were to study horticulture and have a nursery when he grew up. That plan was cut short when he developed severe allergies, which are now under control.
When first approached by convention chairman, John Baker, regarding the use of their large lawn for the Master Planting, there was no hesitating by the family. Before the day was done, the first 100-foot row had been tilled by Myron, who refers to himself as the ‘work-horse’ of the family. When the guest irises arrived, and the count ran well above the expected l,000, Myron was even willing (with a little hesitation) to give up the family vegetable garden (and his crop of kohlrabi) which was located next to the horse-barn at the back of the house.
George’s participation on the convention committee has included making a number of items for the boutique and raffle.
