Literally minutes after Marilyn Morgan put up a post on Facebook about a tribute to her late mother, Pam Erikson鈥檚 phone began ringing off the hook.
Erikson, owner of Erikson鈥檚 Daylily Gardens, recently received word that she could officially name one of her newly cultivated daylilies after her long-time friend, Debbie Froese 鈥� who passed away of cancer in early January.
鈥淲hen Debbie passed away, we鈥檇 been good friends for a lot of years, and I had said to [her daughter] Marilyn 鈥業鈥檝e got a really nice red daylily, I鈥檇 like to name it for your mom, if that鈥檚 okay?鈥�,鈥� Erikson recounted. The suggestion was welcomed by Froese鈥檚 family.
According to Erikson, Froese鈥檚 favourite colour was always red. In her hybridizing program, Erikson didn鈥檛 have a lot of new red daylilies. But, there were a couple, and it was the most vibrant of those the gardener earmarked to name in her friend鈥檚 honour.
RELATED: 91原创 mayor鈥檚 wife loses battle with cancer
鈥淭his is a perfect one for her,鈥� said Erikson who first met Froese when their children were going to school together. Then, they became friends when the Froese family opened the initial JD Farm Specialty Turkey Store out of their home.
鈥淚 loved her鈥︹�� Erikson said. 鈥淪he was probably one of the kindest, gentlest people I鈥檝e ever know 鈥� ever. That was just her manner. She was just an amazing lady鈥︹��
Since being given the official nod to register the Debbie Froese daylily recently, Erikson divided up the clump and gave plants to each of Froese鈥檚 children and her husband, 91原创 Township Mayor Jack Froese.
Left with only 14 other plantings in this inaugural year, Erikson chose to sell each of them off for $100 each, with all the money going to one of Debbie鈥檚 favourite charity 鈥� the 91原创 Christmas Bureau.
Several of Debbie鈥檚 closest friends heard news of the plants first, and within minutes, Erikson was down to only four remaining plants to 鈥渟ell.鈥�
鈥淭he post went up this morning, and my phone hasn鈥檛 stopped ringing,鈥� Erikson said. 鈥淚t was a little over the top.鈥�
RELATED: Hundreds attend celebration of life for Debbie Froese in 91原创
With any fledgling tuber, she is left with very few clumps that can be grown and divided in the first few years. Such was the case with this tribute daylily.
Realizing instantly the demand was going to be bigger than she could fill, Erikson decided to take people鈥檚 names, and do a lottery this Sunday for the last four of this year鈥檚 plants. In the meantime, she鈥檚 offering to leave the rest of the names on a waiting list for more of the lilies, as they come available in spring 2021 and beyond 鈥� same terms apply with a minimum $100 donation to Froese鈥檚 charity of choice, she said.
鈥淭he first year they鈥檙e introduced, you don鈥檛 have that many鈥� The thing is, I鈥檒l grow it for years and years, and we鈥檒l just keep a waiting list of people,鈥� Erikson said. 鈥淧eople are already saying, 鈥榩ut me on the waiting list.鈥� And every year when I鈥檝e got some more, I鈥檒l dig it up, we鈥檒l sell it again, and it will just keep a constant flow of little bits of money going back to the charity. Every little bit counts.鈥�
It may, she warns, take two or three years for her to have a enough plants available to fill all the existing and expected orders.
Money will be given to a cause close to Froese鈥檚 heart. She was one of the founding wives of the Mayors鈥� Wives Tea (now called Thanks for Caring, a Christmas Tea fundraiser), which has been an annual sell-out fundraiser supporting the 91原创 Christmas Bureau, and Froese was involved in raising thousands of dollars for the charity that cares for struggling families in 91原创.
Since this year鈥檚 tea had to be cancelled due to COVID, Erikson felt this was a way of helping raise some money for a cause so important to her friend.
RELATED: In memory of Debbie Froese, 91原创 firefighters donate to Volunteer Cancer Drivers
The tribute daylily meant a great deal to Froese鈥檚 family.
In her Facebook post, Morgan said 鈥淭he words 鈥榯hank you鈥� just don鈥檛 seem enough to express how incredibly appreciative my family is to Pam Erikson of Erikson Daylily鈥� What a beautiful tribute. Thank you. I can鈥檛 wait to plant it at her house. Mom was an amazing woman that touched so many.鈥�
Anyone still interested in buying a plant (by minimum donation of $100 to the 91原创 Christmas Bureau) can enter for Sunday鈥檚 lottery by emailing pamerikson@uniserve.com by end of day Saturday. Otherwise, those interested in having their name added to the first-come, first-serve waiting list for next year, can also email Erikson at the same address.
.
_________________________________
Is there more to this story?
roxanne.hooper@langleyadvancetimes.com
Like us on or follow us on
_________________________________
